Gone west: Chris Farina - Thiago Gomes

posted Dec 28th, 2012 - It was not a very well hidden secret that Arizona Airspeed, new 4way world champion after the Mondial Dubai 2012, was recruiting a new team member.

Observers of a little tryout session at SkyVenture Arizona after the USPA Nationals 2012 knew first that something was going on. From then on, there were several rumors and stories that circulated in the wordwide 4way community. Fact was only that Josh Hall would be the leaving Airspeed member.

The NSL News had announced after the USPA Nationals and before the Mondial, on 19 November 2012, that SDC Rhythm XP was recruiting, as well, after Thiago Gomes and Chris Farina had decided to discontinue. Rhythm has not selected the new team members yet, while Airspeed now beat Rhythm to the announcment of the new lineup.

Still recruiting: JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz, Alex Bittner

Chris Farina was the Airspeed choice for the open Point slot, and Thiago Gomes is the new Alternate for the 4way world champion. Airspeed attracted Rhythm's complete rear piece to Arizona in one move, which does not only fill the open Airspeed slots with two of the best available players. The move also weakens the strongest opponent at the same time.

Airspeed had only one open slot in the active lineup, and it was a difficult choice, as team captain Mark Kirkby explained. Welcoming Chris Farina and Thiago Gomes both to the new Airspeed lineup still makes a lot of sense from the world champion's perspective.

Mark Kirkby plans to step back in two years after winning another 4way gold medal in 2014. Airspeed will need a new Tail by then, and Thiago Gomes knows this slot best, as it was his own one with SDC Rhythm XP. The new alternate just has to be patient for another 18 months...

USPA Nationals 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open Class	3,B,K,H	F,7,22	O,4,D,13	A,M,11,8	N,P,G,19	L,20,1	5,16,J	6,21,12	18,17,10	E,C,Q,15	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed (US)	30	28	24	23	34	22	28	19	20	37	265	26.5
2	SDC Rhythm XP (US)	30	24	23	24	25	21	25	17	19	30	238	23.8

	Chris Farina and Mark Kirkby with Spark at the USPA Nationals 2005 image by: Omniskore

Chris Farina is now filling the slot that his former Perris Fury team mate Josh Hall left open for him. Josh Hall had joined Airspeed in 2011 after his time with Perris Fury and was a 4way world champion two years later. Perris Fury never really recovered from the loss in 2011.

There will be some work to do for the new Airspeed Point. Chris Farina was the Center Inside for Perris Fury and SDC Rhythm XP. He has to study and learn the new slot. However, he has seen the 4way dive pool from this perspective before. Mark Kirkby was his player coach in the Spark lineup of 2005 (Chris Farina, Dave Burton, Samer Haija, Mark Kirkby, with Steve Nowak on camera) where he was in the Point position before he joined Perris Fury later the same year.

Arizona Airspeed has not announced the team's 2013 schedule yet. It's a shorter season until the USPA Nationals, which will be hosted by Skydive Chicago this year. The new Airspeed lineup will probably get going very soon. In the meantime, SDC Rhythm XP prepares for the same short 2013 season. The NSL News will hopefully follow up with the new Rhythm lineup very soon.

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