posted Apr 26th, 2012 - The NSL News has covered the biggest challenge in Formation Skydiving competition quite a few times in the past, the pursuit of winning gold medals in 4way and in 8way at the same World Championship of Formation Skydiving. No complete 4way lineup has ever achieved this, and only one single competitor can claim this unique accomplishment: Mathieu Bernier from France in Menzelinsk 2010.

This is nothing new, as the NSL News has covered the topic from almost all angles. However, there was one missing piece in the coverage of the double gold history.

The latest story on 1 April 2012 was also the latest contribution of the NSL News to Blue Skies Mag's April edition. The chances of the French delegation to win gold medals in 4way and 8way at the Mondial 2012 in Dubai were in the center of the NSL News attention. This time, the complete Aerodyne Aerokart lineup except videographer Olivier Henaff (Mathieu Bernier, Guillaume Bernier, Julien Degen, Emmanuel "Manu" Sarrazin) are on the new double gold mission.

The previous stories mentioned the attempt of the Golden Knights in 1987, of Arizona Airspeed in 1999 and 2001 and then France in 2003 and 2010. Somehow, and for no good reason, the World Meet 2008 in France, fell through the NSL News cracks, despite the live coverage provided from Maubeuge. It is time to set the records straight.

The French 2008 challenge for double gold with the same 4way lineup was in fact one of the closest in history. France won the 8way gold medals without much competition, and Arizona Airspeed's Odyssey lineup (Andy Delk, Craig Girard, Mark Kirkby, Eliana Rodriguez, with Steve Nowak on camera) saved a 1-point advantage over the finish line. It was so close only once before, in 2001, when Arizona Airspeed won the 4way gold medals and Russia had a 1-point advantage after ten rounds in 8way.

World Meet 2003		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open	1-11-12	M-J-E-10	K-16-6	13-14-5	D-22-4	9-C-Q-N	F-19-21	2-20-L	18-B-3	8-P-7	Total	Avg
1	France Maubeuge	16	26	23	19	21	37	24	21	19	23	229	22.9
2	Golden Knights	17	24	22	19	18	35	22	18	19	20	214	21.4
3	DeLand Norgies	13	24	21	19	18	36	19	16	19	21	206	20.6

World Meet 2003		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Rd. 11	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open	1-11-12	M-J-E-10	K-16-6	13-14-5	D-22-4	9-C-Q-N	F-19-21	2-20-L	18-B-3	8-P-7	G-O-17-H	Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	23	19	24	17	23	20	19	17	24	16	19	221	20.1
1	Russia	23	19	24	16	26	21	19	18	21	15	19	221	20.1
3	France	25	17	21	13	25	20	16	16	24	16	-	193	19.3

Two Airspeed members were a part of the whole double gold story, except for the Golden Knights attempt in 1987. Craig Girard and Mark Kirkby had their own unsuccessful attempts in 1999 and 2001. Then together they defeated the French attempts in 2003 and 2008.

The double gold situations in 2008 and 2010 were reduced to an affair between USA and France after Russia's 8way team had helped Airspeed to stop the French double gold challenge in 2003. Airspeed's 1-point victory in 2008 was the obstacle for a French feast at that time, but neither Airspeed nor Golden Knights could stop Mathieu Bernier in 2010. However, it was only one French 4way member who also competed in 8way in Menzelinsk.

This year's French double gold challenge in Dubai will be the next attempt with the complete 4way lineup, and not only Mathieu Bernier has experiences how it feels to go after both gold medals. The 2008 attempt, which was overlooked by the NSL News, included three od the current 4way members: Mathieu Bernier, Guillaume Bernier, Julien Degen.

World Meet 2008		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open	B,17,7	H,N,13,A	10,J,C,6	18,12,2	E,3,9	19,O,4	D,M,5,16	14,20,21	Total	Avg
1	Airspeed Odyssey	30	32	24	16	29	21	28	15	195	24.4
2	France Maubeuge	28	30	23	17	27	23	28	18	194	24.3
3	Hayabusa Defence	27	33	23	17	27	22	25	17	191	23.9

World Meet 2008		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open	17,P,4	H,13,7	6,M,1	9,22,C	16,J,8	K,F,G,18	O,Q,5,12	Total	Avg
1	France	23	18	26	22	22	24	16	151	21.6
2	USA	18	18	26	21	22	19	16	140	20.0
3	Italy Ex3mo	20	16	22	17	18	18	15	126	18.0

New 4way member Emmanuel "Manu" Sarrazin was in the 8way lineup of 2008 and has won gold in 2006, 2008 and 2010. He wants a 4way gold medal now and continue his 8way streak at the same time. National manager Jeremie Rollett has additional experiences, as he was a member of the 2008 lineup in both events.

There is even more double gold experience for this year's French lineup. 4way coach Marin Ferre was in the French 4way team of 2003 who tried to win gold medals in both events. Some of this year's 8way members can also contribute additional experiences. Clément Martin St. Leon and Bruno Perin were in the 8way lineup of 2008 and know how to support their team mates for the double gold challenge.

Last not least, current 8way coach Erwan Pouliquen was also in the 4way lineup that tried to win both gold medals for France in 2003. Only Julien Olek and Thomas Perrin Gachadoat are new to the double gold challenge. Not really though, as they won the 8way gold medals for France in 2010 and supported Matheu Bernier in his quest for double gold.

World Meet 2010		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open	10,7,12	3,11,5	J,M,Q,P,L	19,1,13	N,18,20	K,17,8	2,15,H	4,D,6	O,E,9,G	22,B,16	Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Aerokart	21	22	56	20	22	24	22	24	40	26	277	27.7
2	Arizona Airspeed	22	21	53	23	20	24	23	25	40	23	274	27.4
3	Sky Panthers	19	21	56	21	19	21	23	22	41	21	264	26.4

World Meet 2010		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open	3,21,N	6,20,9	E,G,17,5	K,16,2	12,C,22	B,D,M,1	7,15,J	13,L,P,11	4,18,O	10,14,19	Total	Avg
1	France	25	19	16	21	22	25	18	19	23	15	203	20.3
2	Golden Knights	23	17	18	20	22	27	20	17	21	11	196	19.6
3	Russia	20	19	16	17	22	20	18	19	20	14	185	18.5

There is obviously a wealth of French experience how to pursue double gold in the 2012 lineup, which might be the strongest one in the French 8way history. However, there is also somebody who knows how this all works on the other side.

As mentioned earlier, Mark Kirkby tried the same with Airspeed in 1999 and 2001. Then he was in the Airspeed 8way lineup who defeated the French double gold quest in 2003, beat France in 4way in 2008 and witnessed Mathieu Bernier's successful and unique single effort in 2010.

Mark Kirkby and Arizona Airspeed will try again to stop France this year, while the Golden Knights will support the US opposition in 8way. The double gold affair may also be back to a battle between three nations. Russia's 8way team made it more difficult in 1999, 2001 and 2003. NMP-PCH Hayabusa is now a serious factor in 4way and will do its best to help defeat the French double gold mission. David Grauwels, Andy Grauwels and Roy Janssen have at least observed the French attempt in 2008 and Mathieu Bernier's in 2010. This time, they will be very actively involved.