16-way Recap
Five 16-way teams took to the skies for their final rounds of competition, with Arizona Airspeed 16 and Spaceland 16 battling for the top spot through the final jump.
The teams entered the day after completing one round of competition the previous day. Arizona Airspeed posted the highest score of the round with six points, while Fun Machine and Spaceland 16 followed with five points each.
The second round brought an unexpected challenge for Airspeed when its camera flyer and another jumper slipped from the aircraft prematurely. The camera flyer recovered and reached the team just as the first point formed, capturing the point and avoiding a video bust.
Spaceland 16 then put together a 10-point round, setting a new California state record for longest sequence and moving into the lead. Arizona Airspeed steadily closed the gap over the following rounds. By the end of the fourth round, the two teams were tied at 27 points. Airspeed then scored eight points in the round to Spaceland 16's five, taking a narrow three-point advantage into the final round.
Airspeed maintained its lead in the final round, scoring eight points to finish with 43 points and the gold medal. The team also set a new California state record with a 7.2-point average.
Spaceland 16 finished second with 38 points after scoring six points in the final round. Tequila Brothers 8 earned the bronze medal with 23 points.
With 16-way formation skydiving complete, competition now moves to the final event of the championships: 10-way formation skydiving!
