The former German national coach in Formation Skydiving, Dr. Rainer "Exi" Hoenle, has successfully launched the "Deutsche Sky Liga". The first competition of one of the five regional leagues was held May 12-13 in Soest, Germany. Four teams from this region competed and put the first scores, team pictures and information are on the DSL website at www.skyleague.de.

With the inauguration of the German 4-way competition league, the National Skydiving League is back to the roots. NSL President Kurt Gaebel had introduced the concept for a league for 4-way teams with the same structure originally in Germany ten years ago. When he left the country for his new home in Florida, he also took the plans for the NSL and the motivation to build this league to the United States. However, Gaebel and Hoenle continued discussing the progress of the National Skydiving League and the chances for a similar project in Germany through the years. Gaebel and Hoenle have known each other for a long time. In 1986, they competed together in 4-way winning the silver medal at the German National Championship. At the same event, they won the gold medal in 8-way and competed at the World Championship in Brazil in 1987. Hoenle retired from active competition soon after the world meet while Gaebel continued in 4-way and 8-way. Hoenle continued his efforts in different ways becoming the national coach for Formation Skydiving and taking an active role with the International Parachuting Commission.
 
For years, Hoenle has been a member of the IPC Subcommittee Formation Skydiving working on the rules and competition format for the sport. Gaebel and Hoenle met again in San Diego this spring when the IPC invited Gaebel to introduce the NSL structures and discuss options for the future of the sport. Hoenle was elected as the official IPC Delegate for Germany in San Diego. He had already retired from his position as the German national coach earlier to invest his time and efforts more into the general development of the sport.
 
In San Diego, Gaebel, Hoenle and other IPC members led by Pal Bergan from Norway and B.J. Worth also discussed the launch of the league in Germany again and how to include a national league into an international structure for skydiving competition. Finally, Hoenle's efforts and the discussions about the future of the sport resulted in the launch of the German Skydiving League which will be a part of the future "European Sky League". The sport has moved one step closer to the World Skydiving League.
 
Skyleague.de is offering the same basic information about the DSL as Skyleague.com. The first scores have been posted, the first team pictures and team profiles can be viewed. The first active leagues are the "Regionalliga Mitte" and "Regionalliga Süd" holding several meets at different locations between May and September.