SDC Rhythm XP with Mikhail Markin

posted Jan 11th, 2013 - It was somehow shocking when the NSL News reported on 9 November 2012 that Chris Farina and Thiago Gomes were both leaving SDC Rhythm XP after a very successful 2012 season.

Rhythm had finally taken the 2nd place in the USA and had also moved closer and closer to Arizona Airspeed every year. Rhythm or Canada's national team Evolution were also arguably the best 4way teams in the world behind Airspeed, NMP-PCH Hayabusa and Aerodyne Aerokart, the three medal winners at the Mondial Dubai 2012. The move by Chris Farina and Thiago Gomes seemed to make sense only when Airspeed announced both of them as members of the new lineup.

SDC Rhythm XP was recruiting again, this time even for two new team members. JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz, together with team videographer Alex Bittner, took their time for the important selection and now announced the new Rhythm lineup. Christy Frikken will take the Center Inside slot, and Mikhail Markine is the new Tail.

Chris Farina and Christy Frikken at the 2011 tryouts

It was a coincidence that the NSL News happened to be at the place where the final recruiting action took place. Rhythm was planning for an outdoor camp at Skydive Sebastian, the team's winter home, which was weathered out last weekend. The group of Rhythm team members and candidates changed the plans and drove to Paraclete XP where the NSL News covered the 4-on-4 indoor camp for a group of 8way fans.

The new NSL-TV video clips show Rhythm's new Tail, Mikhail Markine, in a flying session with JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz and Petra van Overveld from Germany/Netherlands. The same video continues with another indoor flying session that goes back to December 2011. It shows a certain part of the previous Rhythm tryouts.

SDC Rhythm XP had to replace Center Inside Rob Radez after the USPA Nationals 2011 and invited five candidates to meet the team at Paraclete XP. The NSL News reported live from the tryouts where former Perris Fury members Christy Frikken and Chris Farina both participated.

USPA Nationals 2010		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA/Open Class	16,21,11	3,L,K,10	6,22,1	12,20,4	Q,M,2,N	H,D,9,G	19,5,13	F,E,17,O	C,8,7	A,18,14	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	21	23	15	15	32	42	23	40	25	19	255	25.5
2	Perris Fury	21	22	18	16	25	38	22	36	23	20	241	24.1
3	Golden Knights	17	21	17	15	27	32	18	33	22	18	220	22.0
4	Paraclete XP4	18	20	15	15	26	28	20	29	22	19	212	21.2
5	SDC Rhythm XP	17	19	16	15	23	30	19	32	20	14	205	20.5

	Peak in 2010: Perris Fury at the USPA Nationals

Chris Farina was in his original Center Inside slot at the tryout sessions, while Christy Frikken was the Center Outside for Perris Fury before. Thiago Gomes, JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz eventually asked Chris Farina to join SDC Rhythm XP and had the team's most successful season in 2012.

Christy Frikken continued with Perris Fury for another year, in which SDC Rhythm XP caught up with Fury's new lineup. Former Fury member Josh Hall had left and accepted the Point slot with Airspeed. Then Chris Farina joined Rhythm at the end of the 2011 season, and Christy Frikken finally retired from Perris Fury, as well. She focused on her Perris Wicked female 4way project.

It was not difficult for JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz to remember Christy Frikken, as she had been so close to join the team for the 2012 season. The new Rhythm lineup does not have to worry too much about the new engine who has been on the same performance level before. Perris Fury was also arguably the 4th best team in the world at the team's peak time in 2010.

USPA Nationals 2011		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA/Open Class	M,5,13	21,14,22	12,20,D	11,Q,16	O,C,10,K	P,L,19,8	18,6,2	15,9,G	7,F,17	A,B,N,J,3	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	25	19	19	22	26	24	21	26	31	30	243	24.3
2	Golden Knights	18	17	18	21	24	23	19	21	29	28	218	21.8
3	Perris Fury	20	17	16	21	26	22	15	21	29	29	216	21.6
4	SDC Rhythm XP	22	17	18	21	24	20	19	22	26	26	215	21.5
5	Paraclete XP4	21	16	16	20	23	19	17	22	26	28	208	20.8

Mikhail Markine with Vibe at the USPA Nationals 2012 image by: USPA - Omniskore

Christy Frikken may now join the team in an even better situation. She had performed with Perris Fury on the same scoring and performance level where SDC Rhythm XP arrived last year. Perris Fury finished in 2nd place at the USPA Nationals 2010 with a 24.1 average and was closer to Arizona Airspeed than Rhythm was last year with the team's 23.8 record average.

She has to get used to the Center Inside position, which will probably not take too much time. She will have the learning opportunity since new Tail Mikhail Markine will also need a few jumps to get from his former team's (USPA Advanced Class winner Vibe) 16.7 level to Rhythm's 24-average pace.

However, Mikhail Markine is everything but a questionmark. He is known for his 4way passion and unlimited potential that materialized with Vibe last year. The only question is how long it will take the new Rhythm lineup to warm up and then resume the Airspeed hunt...

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