posted Aug 4th, 2013 - The Sun Path Products NSL News reported on 2 August 2013 that the Formation Skydiving events at the World Cup 2013 will feature two ongoing battles for the top spot in the world, between France and USA in 4way Women, and between France and United Arab Emirates in VFS 4way.

The previous article focused on the competition in the female 4way category, and today's Sun Path Products NSL News update zooms in on the situation in VFS 4way.

It's a small field of five teams in Banjaluka, and three of the teams competed at the Mondial Dubai 2012. All three teams had different lineups in December last year. Two new VFS 4way teams from Norway and Poland are joining the international competition this year.

Mondial Dubai 2012		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	VFS 4way	A,11,13	J,14,16	5,1,7	17,F,9	6,8,D	N,C,M,L,13	2,10,4	E,B,H,I,G	Total	Avg
1	Team4speed XP (FR)	30	23	25	19	23	22	21	22	185	23.1
2	Dubai Nexus (AE)	31	28	22	18	23	18	17	20	177	22.1
5	Belgium VFS (BE)	14	12	11	6	8	11	6	10	78	9.8

Top 4 in Dubai 2012	Dubai Nexus

Belgium has three members of the Mondial 2012 lineup at the World Cup 2013 (Marc Blockhuys, Arnaud Mouque, Serge Angilella), and Alex Verbruggen is still filming the team. Miriam Schiesser is the new team member.

The two VFS 4way top teams in the world, Team4speed and Dubai Nexus, were a topic for the Sun Path Products NSL News on 23 May 2013. Nexus team captain Jason Russell explained that the French world champions are actually coming back from a temporary retirement that they had announced at the end of the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2013.

He also said that Nexus has Derek Cox in the 2013 lineup, and the Mondial 2012 silver medalists have been training with him and the new lineup this year. The VFS update in May included a few videos of the Nexus training in DeLand.

As Jason Russell mentioned in May, it is a fact now that Team4speed is coming back. The French world champions of 2010 and 2012 have a different lineup though. Cathy Bouette has replaced Frédéric Nenet, the only team member who also won the VFS 4way gold medals in Maubeuge 2008.

The new French lineup will compete at the World Cup in Banjaluka, and the first showdown between Dubai Nexus and Team4speed, both with their new lineups, will define the starting point in the race for the next gold medals at the World Championship next year.

Dubai Nexus may have had a head start this year, as the French team had to re-structure their planning after the retirement plans. The US top teams from Chicago and Arizona will have their eyes on the scores in Banjaluka, just as much as Evolution's VFS 4way lineup in Canada...