The Arizona Airspeed Challenge
rizona
Airspeed is the defending World Champion of 4-way formation skydiving,
having first won the event at the 1995 World Meet in Gap, France, and
repeating their championship at the 1997 World Air Games in Efes,
Turkey. The veteran team from Arizona returns to the 11th WPCFS with
their eye not just on the 4-way trophy, but the 8-way sword as well.
At
the 1996 US Nationals, Airspeed attempted to wrest the 8-way title from
the Golden Knights in a fierce battle over the skies of Gardiner, New
York. The Knights, US Champions of 8-way continuously since 1986, were
victorious by a single point, and went on to Turkey to repeat their
world title in 1997. Airspeed turned its focus to 4-way again, but their
business with the Knights was not yet over. The team trained hard in
8-way in 1998, making over 1000 jumps, and the two teams met again at
Eloy in a battle for the right to go to Australia. This time, Airspeed
was victorious, ending the Knights' 12-year run of National
Championships.
Airspeed comes to Australia with the mission to accomplish what no
team has done before: win gold medals in both 4- and 8-way World
Championships competition. The task will not be easy; France is fielding
Perris/France Maubeuge, the only team that has defeated Airspeed in
their existence, and Russia figures to play the upset role in 8-way.
Will Airspeed succeed in their unprecedented voyage down under? Stay
tuned to OmniSkore for the the final championships of the millennium!
|