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Did You Know...

... that AARspeed was the only team with four 4-way world champions in the lineup?

Airspeed 8-way lineup at the USPA Nationals 2014
image by: Omniskore/USPA
posted Jan 1st, 2015 - The Arizona Airspeed US and world champions of earlier days usually get back together at the USPA Nationals when it is time for 8-way competition. Then they join forces with the current 4-way lineup and win silver or gold in 8-way, plus additional medals in 10-way and 16-way.

Often they arrive earlier and use the 4-way competition to warm up for their 8-way meet jumps in different lineups. Once in a while, they also get back together in 4-way with Airspeed members of different generations, and then they become competitive without any training.

Three members of the first and original Airspeed generation competed at the USPA Nationals 2014. Mark Kirkby won his last USPA 4-way gold medal with the US national team, while Jack Jefferies and Dan BC had a competitive reunion with AARspeed.

USPA Nationals 2014Rd. 1Rd. 2Rd. 3Rd. 4Rd. 5Rd. 6Rd. 7Rd. 8Rd. 9Rd. 10TotalAvg
RankAAA/Open ClassL,F,3,D8,C,Q,A9,G,11P,1,B,H16,N,156,K,J,1913,14,174,O,2021,10,227,2,12TotalAvg
1Arizona Airspeed3331273224241922192125225.2
2SDC Rhythm XP3126232721191919171822022.0
3Golden Knights2924232719221520161921421.4
4Carolina Turbo XP2826232717221720151821321.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5DNR2821202716191618151619619.6
6Voodoo2523192217201417151618818.8
7AARspeed2224162417191518141518418.4
AARspeed lineup at the USPA Nationals 2014
image by: Omniskore/USPA
The AARspeed lineup in Ottawa was in fact the only team with four world champions in the lineup. Jack Jafferies and Dan BC collected their 4-way gold medals in the 90s, Josh Hall and Niklas Hemlin won Airspeed 4-way gold together at the Mondial Dubai 2012.

Thomas Hughes and Mark Kirkby were their team mates in 2012, while Chris Farina and Thiago Gomes still have to win their own gold medals for Airspeed. They ended up in 2nd place behind NMP-PCH Hayabusa at their first world meet this year in Prostejov.

The Airspeed "B-team" finished in 7th place after a good battle with two of the best unofficial amateur teams in the world, DNR and Voodoo. Jack Jefferies and Dan BC have turned into recreational 4-way competitors, and Josh Hall is not in serious 4-way training at the moment, while Niklas Hemlin is coming back to full time competition with the new Airspeed lineup.

USPA Nationals 2008Rd. 1Rd. 2Rd. 3Rd. 4Rd. 5Rd. 6Rd. 7Rd. 8Rd. 9Rd. 10TotalAvg
RankAAA/Open Class2,10,15F,C,3,HJ,O,4,N20,M,E,1113,12,L9,A,1918,22,D21,17,P6,14,QB,1,G,7TotalAvg
1Airspeed Odyssey (US)2031282320301824 222624224.2
2Maubeuge (FR)192927222029202221 2623523.5
3Black Cat (RU)182729231825202021 2522622.6
4Perris Fury (US)182824231823172121 2521821.8
5Golden Knights (US)192826201925152121 2121521.5
6Mamba Pamiers (FR)172825191625161819 2020320.3
7Performance Desired (US)152825201725141819 2120220.2
20.2 average in 2008: Performance Desired
The two 4-way world champions of 2012 worked in the center slots together for AARspeed. Josh Hall gave up his point slot for Jack Jefferies, and Niklas Hemlin came back one more time as center inside. He will be in the point slot for the new Airspeed lineup.

The last time that four former 4-way world champions competed together in a pickup team was at the USPA Nationals 2011, even though it was not a complete Airspeed lineup. Former Airspeed world champions Andy Delk, Jack Jefferies and Dan BC had accepted Shannon Pilcher, 4-way world champion of 2006 with DeLand Fire, to compete with Oldspeed. AARspeed (18.4) and Oldspeed (18.1) finished with almost exactly the same 10-round averages.

There was an even more powerful Airspeed/Fire combination at the USPA Nationals 2008. Performance Desired had DeLand Fire members Ian Bobo and Shannon Pilcher together with Airspeed's Jack Jefferies and Dan BC in the lineup. Result was a 20.2 average after ten rounds.

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