posted Aug 27th, 2009 - The NSL News evaluated the situation in the female 4-way category at the beginning of the 2009 season with the story on 3 May 2009. This evaluation related to the final target of the recent 2-year cycle for the national teams, the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010 in Russia.

The upcoming FAI World Cup 2009 is the major international competition this year and a stepping stone on the way to the World Meet in 2010. Six female 4-way teams are registered for the competition in Prostejov next week, one more than at the last World Cup in Russia 2007.

Aerokart Deep Blue, bronze medalist for France at last year's World Meet in Maubeuge, is the top contender at next week's World Cup competition.

The United Kingdom, reigning world champion in this category, is sending a new team to the Czech Republic. Kaizen has just stepped up into the AAA Class competition at the beginning of the 2009 season and will not be able yet to keep up with the best female lineups in the world.

Last year's silver medalists from the USA, the Fastrax Blue and now Spaceland Blue lineup, is not attending the World Cup 2009. Blue started late this year after looking for a new team member. Perris Fury's Christy Frikken had filled an open slot for Blue throughout the 2008 season. Annaliese Peterson, former Arizona Divewerkz member, eventually joined the team this year.

Blue was recently facing new problems when Tail Becky Brocato injured her knee and needed surgery to repair her ACL. The NSL News will follow up with more information of Blue's current situation and the new team plans.

Norway, Australia and Germany battled for the 4th place in Maubeuge last year, and the Chicas are actually the bronze medal winner of the World Cup in Russia 2007. The German team may even have an opportunity to improve the 2007 result. The absence of the US team and a newcomer from the United Kingdom open the door to the silver medals for all teams.

Another German female lineup may even be the strongest opponent for the Chicas next week. Incognito Leutkirch was already challenging the German national team of the past years throughout the 2009 season. The Chicas eventually won the national championship, and both teams compete again at the World Cup.

Norway's national team of 2008, Fortitudo, has disbanded and Australia has not registered a team for the World Cup. Russia is not sending a female lineup to the Czech Republic. The NSL News will follow up on this topic.

Aerokart Deep Blue will most likely defend the French gold medals of 2007 successfully, which were collected by a different French lineup. Only Deep Blue members Sophie Deremaux and Françoise Simons-Hamouchi competed already with the lineup in Russia 2007.

The Deep Blue members will probably compare the upcoming scores mainly with last year's and the earlier scores of the 2009 season. They will not be the only female competitors doing this...