posted Dec 24th, 2014 - The Sun Path Products NSL News explained during the aftermath of the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014 that the results for France in the 4-way Open Class were disappointing.

It turned out that the 4th place for Volt'R was the first time in history that France did not win a medal in this category. The two years for Mathieu Bernier, Julien Degen, Pierre Emmanuel Balages and Damien Gouriou, still with Olivier Hennaff on camera, did not bring the expected results.

Mathieu Bernier and Julien Degen had won 4-way gold medals for France in 2010 and bronze with a new lineup in 2012, while their third lineup at the third world meet in 4-way Open ended up with a 4th place behind NMP-PCH Hayabusa, Arizona Airspeed and Evolution.

World Meet 2014		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	E,3,C,5	F,6,D,21	19,H,2	M,4,1	O,14,A,P	8,J,16	7,11,12	22,20,15	17,G,18	13,B,9	Total	Avg
1	VoltR	24(-2)	26	18(-3)	23	26	20	20	13(-2)	24	21	215	21.5
1	French Girls	21(-2)	25	22	20(-1)	27	21	18	17	19	24	214	21.4

France was actually not even close to the medal positions in 4-way Open and had to fend off Barkli's 4-way lineup to keep the 4th place. Volt'R was also a target for the internal competition with the French Girls in 4-way Women. Barkli and French Girls both ended up one single point behind Volt'R.

The outcome between the two French 4-way teams at this year's world meet may have been disappointing for the Open Class team. However, the relationship between both teams for the next two years might pay back for the pain in Prostejov.

French national coach Jeremie Rollett has two new lineups in both events. The new national teams will probably have a very similar starting point and could push each other close to the Open Class medal level in 2016.

The Sun Path Products NSL News reported on 30 October 2014 that 2-time world champion in 4-way Women of 2012 and 2014, Laurence Herve, will continue in the French 4-way Open Class lineup.

Her two gold medal team mates in Prostejov, Christine Malnis and Sophia Pecout, have a new lineup, as well, and they will challenge the French Open Class team. The new French Girls have shown their potential at the FAI World Cup of Indoor Skydiving (Clementine Le Bohec) and at the 5th Dubai International Parachuting Championship (Anais Maillet).

Laurence Herve has one team member of the 2014 Open Class 4-way lineup by her side, Damien Gouriou, and two members of the French national 8-way team in Prostejov (Charles Rommel, Kevin Mansion) complete the lineup. It will be an interesting French race in the two 4-way categories in the next two years.