posted Nov 12th, 2012 - It is quite amazing how the best 8way teams in the world have been shying away from the 22.0 average benchmark this year.

Of course, no team is planning to do that, however, it seems so difficult to get to the 22.0 average level for many reasons.

The Golden Knights finished two times one point short of 220 points in a 10-round meet. The meet average at the Paraclete XP Outdoor Championship 2012 was 21.9 for the US Army's 8way lineup.

Sky Panthers Barkli from Russia posted a 19.1 average at the same event, and the NSL News mentioned earlier that both teams finished with exactly the same meet averages at the USPA Nationals 2012.

Paraclete Outdoor 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	8,7,E	O,4,14	Q,H,18,1	D,L,N,B,13	21,20,5	17,A,19	10,15,11	P,K,22,F	16,J,3	6,M,9	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights (US)	18	24	23(-2)	21(-2)	17	18	23	26	29(-2)	20	219	21.9
2	Sky Panthers Barkli (RU)	15	21	20(-1)	21(-2)	17	16	19	19(-3)	29(-1)	14(-2)	191	19.1

USPA Nationals 2012		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 Class	3,6,5	2,D,14	C,P,B,M,11	22,9,A	L,4,G,13	E,F,8,10	7,N,1	18,O,K,J	H,Q,21,17	15,20,12	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights (US)	23	19	25	22	24	18(-1)	23	19(-2)	21	25	219	21.9
2	Sky Panthers Barkli (RU)	21	17	24	17(-2)	21	18	19	15(-2)	21	18	191	19.1

The interesting part of those numbers is the fact that the French national 8way team, Aerodyne Maubeuge, matched exactly the same meet average at the French Nationals 2012. The 22.0 average is still out there for the best 8way teams in the world this year.

The French 8way team has now arrived in DeLand for their final training camp before the Mondial 2012 in Dubai. The 4way training for Aerodyne Aerokart's four 8way members (Mathieu Bernier, Guillaume Bernier, Julien Degen, Emmanuel "Manu" Sarrazin) is over, and team videographer Olivier Henaff is getting a break.

Stephane Mistrot Dit Pachet has taken over the camera slot for the 8way team, while Clement Martin St. Leon, Julien Olek, Bruno Perin and Thomas Perrin Gachadoat have joined the reigning 4way world champions for 8way training. Coach Erwan Pouliquen is the last French coach who arrived in DeLand last weekend to work with the 8way team.

French Nationals 2012		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 Class	F,18,17	2,14,1	G,H,L,19	21,16,13	9,O,3	A,M,P,K,15	10,N,4	11,C,6	20,D,5	J,12,Q,B	Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Maubeuge (FR)	21	19	21	22	21	28	23	21	19	24	219	21.9
2	Monaco Aerial VR8 (FR)	12	11	16	16	14	16	15	10	-	-	110	13.8

The 22.4 average that the Golden Knights posted after ten rounds at the World Meet 1997 in Turkey was the only time so far that an 8way team scored above 22.0 - with one exception. Even the Golden Knights lineup of 1998 ended up with this ominous 21.9 average after ten rounds at the World Cup in Portugal.

The World Cup 1998 was the first time that Kurt Isenberger and Matt Davidson posted this 21.9 average in 8way. Neither of the two current Golden Knights members were in the 1997 lineup who posted the highest numbers in 8way history. Kurt Isenberger and Matt Davidson have now finished three times one point short of the 22.0 average level, with the third highest 8way result in history - the 21.9 average.

Only one 8way team has ever been able to get above the 22-average, as well. It was the French 8way team of 2008 who visited the USPA Nationals for an 8way vacation after winning the second set of consecutive 8way gold medals in Maubeuge 2008.

USPA Nationals 2008		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 Class	3,A,Q,6	19,17,B	7,E,L,15	8,O,P,K	M,13,16	18,10,17	H,J,14,4	D,G,1,N	C,21,12	20,5,9	Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Maubeuge (FR)	27	17	21	20	23	19	26	30	21	18	222	22.2
2	Arizona Airspeed (US)	23	16	19	14	20	17	19	22	17	16	183	18.3
3	USA 8way	20	15	18	15	16	15	16	22	15	15	167	16.7

The Aerokart Maubeuge lineup at the USPA Nationals 2008 posted a 22.2 average after ten rounds and came quite close to the 1997 world record for a single round (31) with the 30-pointer in Round 8 (D,G,1,N) in Eloy 2008.

Six members of the current French 8way lineup and videographer Stephane Mistrot Dit Pachet posted the 22.2 average in 2008 and know how to get beyond the 22-average level. Mathieu Bernier, Guillaume Bernier, Julien Degen, Clement Martin St. Leon, Bruno Perin and Emmanuel Sarrazin were in the French 8way lineup of 2008 and compete again for France this year.

2008 member Erwan Pouliquen is now the national 8way coach only, while Jeremie Rollett has taken the position of the national Formation Skydiving manager for the whole FS delegation. Julien Olek and Thomas Perrin Gachadoat are the "new" members who then won 8way gold medals for France in Menzelinsk 2010. Martial Ferre, 8way world champion of 2010, introduces the French 8way lineup of 2012 with a new video. Coach Erwan Pouliquen said that his team will copy the draw of the USPA Nationals 2012 later this week. No question that 22.0 is one of the main goals...