Monday 5 September

0615

...a quick peek at the 4-way draw, it doesn't appear to be a particularly fast one...if there is a tie after ten rounds, the jump-off round is all randoms, wouldn't that be a hoot to watch...

...I am not going to post the email complaint I got about not being here to cover the AE events, other than to say that for three weeks I've had a link here requesting photos and tidbit contributions from the AE competitors and I got nothing from them, and that's all I have to say about that...

...TEE HEE, what a hoot! DeLand Black Magick (team 222) just turned in a nice score of 6 on round one. What makes 6 a good score? They are all flying on their backs! Wow...okay, we got some team photos to edit and post here...

0900
4-way Intermediate is continuing straight into round 2 while Open and Advanced are just starting round 1...that's rather unusual, they have always completed one round in all events before starting the next...not that there's anything wrong with that...

I am starting to get requests for hi-res original team photos, which are being superbly taken by Perris Valley staff volunteer Chris Burket. I will respond to all the requests in due time. The first batch of photos are HUGE - 2 MB each, so if you're on dialup keep that in mind...team 236, nice video work...it is 9:30ish as I write this and I just heard manifest put comp load 35 on a call...that's bookin' right along now, ain't it? Looky there now, round 1 of Intermediate is in the can and it looks like a good race developing...Chad just became one of my heroes. Not only did he get me on the internet yesterday, but today after I donated my printer to one of the judging panels, he gave me a bottle of 2002 Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon out of his personal stock...thanks Chad!

My early early impression of the competition: might be one of the best ones ever. There are some really sweet dives coming over the DZTV feeds. Elsinore Gravity (303) just spanked round 1 for a 16, nice jump...now Mass Defiance just spanked that jump with a 19 right on the freeze frame...here's Airspeed Velocity, a 21 on round one, and DeLand Fire follows them with a 22, and GK Black with a 21 and the best video of anyone so far...sweet...DeLand Magik and Team Fastrak both post a 20...okay, Magik's video might give the Knights Black a run for the money...can you tell I used to fly video? OOOH, Airspeed Odyssey's 22nd point was _just_ out of working time, sweet skydive...

1100
There seems to be some people having problems refreshing pages with Internet Explorer; the latest posts don't show up immediately, but they are in my Firefox. If you are having any problems I suggest you get the download it for free. You can then open the different event pages in their own tabs and refresh them separately. It's a great browser, highly recommended.

Holy packing mat Batman, I just ducked out for a few quick DZ shots and ran into a bunch of old GK teammates. Scott Rhodes, Charlie Brown, Carey Mills, Vern Miller, JK Davis, Eric Heinsheimer, and of course John Hoover is here too. It's practically a Golden Knight reunion out there...UPDATE: Rob Work and Paul Raspino too! UPDATE II: Rumor has it that Joe Trinko will be here too.

1200
The judges are taking a lunch break and I'm uploading the last of the team photos...Great job Chris, we got all the team photos taken and uploaded by lunch, that's outstanding...

Round 2 Open...Airspeed Velocity tripped over a couple of their vipers and settled for a 23, while DeLand Fire ripped off a snazzy 27...DeLand Fire has that smooth, unhurried look about their skydiving that tends to add up to lots of points (not to mention fewer busts - the judges watched that 27 once and posted it)...Team Fastrax posts a nice 26, and for the 2nd jump in a row, Airspeed Odyssey's last point is _just_ out of working time for a 26! And I missed the Knight's jump, they got a 27, and after two rounds the Open leader board totals are 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, and 44! Wow, how about them apples.

1330
Looks like Advanced and Intermediate are shaping up to be two-horse races between really good teams. But I think the overall quality of the skydiving is superb so far - I count 18 Intermediate teams averaging over 10 points. By contrast, 4 Intermediate teams finished above a 10 average last year. Let's see how they fare this time around...

...note to camera flyers: If there is some sky present in almost all your footage (aside from the exit) then you either have too wide a lens or you're not steep enough...

1430
DeLand Fire turned it on again for round 3 Open...the judges started to confirm after one viewing but watched it again anyway, a 22...sweet, sweet 3D photons...DeLand Fire is again going to set the standard for the round unless the Knights blaze it...they do, but it's a 21 and Fire adds to their lead.

Check out these great pictures of a future skydiver. Brent and Mary have done well!

It is 3:53 and they just called Otter load 100...

Photo Contribution by Paul Bertorelli
	Airspeed Odyssy takes a break from creeking round five. That’s Eliana Rodriguez, Andy Delk, Brian Johnson and Craig Gerard.
	Billy’s Beauts The Ranch-based team, the appropriately names Billy’s Beauties, relaxes between rounds at the creeper pad. Left to right, Kelly George, Kim Hollander, Tracy Bartles and Bonnie Vucetic. That’s Miro Vucetic, far right, doing the pix.
	Team Element Perris had a good third round, judging from from the smiles as they walked back to the packing area.
	As if doing this stuff isn’t hard enough on your belly, Deland Black Magic is competing in intermediate four-way flying the formations on their backs. The team consists of Thomas Hughes, Joey Jones, Joao Tambor and Juliana Se.
	Elsinore GT creeps.
	Team FastTrax was holding a solid fourth place in the open class Monday afternoon.
	FastTrax Select With Elisa Behnk out with an injury, Jacquelyn O’Brien is substituting with Tammi Rettig, Kris Byrne and Michelle Carlstrom. Sarah Brownlee, far let, is doing video.
	Open-class 8-way Team Paraclete, based in Raeford, North Carolina, walks a practice dive Monday afternoon.
	Intermediate 8-way has drawn at least a couple dedicated groups this year. One is SPX8 from Skydive Spaceland near Houston. On Monday, they’re were doing some practice jumps readying for round 1 of 8-way on Wednesday morning.

DeLand Fire...round 4...whips it out...and spanks another jump, a 20. The judges did not bother with a second viewing again...ooh, the Knights had a great jump and _just_ missed a 21...

1700
This meet is just chugging along like a train. We're judging round 6 of Intermediate. Stay tuned for some more eye candy coming up here courtesy of Chris Burket.

Eye Candy by Chris Burket

It is just a riot watching DeLand Black Magick do upside-down RW (er, FS). They are even launching the first point "tango uniform." 

They got a really good judging crew here, three panels of five judges. They are a bit lenient at times, but that doesn't mean much coming out of my keyboard, I'm notoriously picky about separation.

Now they are judging round 5 of Open with round 4 not yet in the can. DeLand Fire just did something they haven't done all day: they had a GLITCH. Still posted a clean 18 though. Golden Knights up now, they are smoking on this one, and if it's clean it's a 22...and it's posted now, a 22, and just like that the Knights have the clubhouse lead...the glitch that Fire had was a loose point on a monopod, cost them a precious second or two and the pace that goes with it...Odyssey posts a good 19 to pick up one on Fire...correction, they got a 20 and pick up two...

The judges have finished round 5 of Open, but round 4 remains half judged. Why I do not know...

...breaking news....now, this is a first as far as I know, never seen anything like it...the camera helmet for 216 came off after opening and, er, kind of landed without the jumper attached. But here's the good part: they took the tape out of the shattered camera remains and judged it! How about that.

2000
Round six of all events is more than half judged, but round 4 remains half done. Still no idea-er why. What I do know is...wait a sec, DeLand Fire is up...another good one here, a 21 for round six...DeLand Magik matches that score with a nice jump...it is *WAY* past beer-thirty...if you camera flyers out there want to emulate a certain FS competition video standard, Tony Hathaway's is a good place to start (Magik)...DOH, Magik got popped down to a 20 by the judges...here's GK Black...wow, this is a nice jump...these guys look like they've found their groove, and if it's clean it's a 23...no, the judges didn't like an inter and it's a 22, still a great skydive...24 was _just_ out too...are we done yet? I'm getting really hungry...

...I just got the word on round 4 judging, it was a dubbing problem earlier and a panel of judges is coming in early tomorrow to finish it...

WRAP
My how quickly standings can change in two jumps. After trailing the opening 4 rounds, the Knights are going to bed with a 3 point lead over DeLand Fire and 7 in front of Airspeed Odyssey. See you tomorrow!

Ted "T1" Wagner, Chief Engineer | Tim "T2" Wagner, Webmaster