posted Jan 15th, 2016 - The recent withdrawal by Arizona Airspeed from the upcoming Wind Games 2016 has not deterred other teams from competing in Empuriabrava, Spain. In fact, the number of registered teams (15) was higher than last year (13) before Airspeed canceled.

It leaves NMP PCH Hayabusa without a serious challenger for the top spot in 4-way Open, however, the field is still strong, and the competition behind the Belgian indoor and outdoor world champions promises a good battle for the other medal positions.

Weembi Lille, bronze medalist at the Clash of Champions 2015, is back and can now take aim at the 2nd place without Airspeed. Julien Degen and Roy Janssen are bringing a different lineup, which will not be much weaker than the previous one (Mathieu and Guillaume Bernier). Manu Sarrazin and Katie Woods will try to keep Weembi on the same level (29.5) as in Dubai.

Wind Games 2016			Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open												Total	Avg
0	Weembi Lille	FR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Thunder ISR	BE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Tenanine	MR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Simetra	FR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Satori XL	UK	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Qatar Tigers	QA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	NMP PCH Hayabusa	BE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Mixed Parasport	FR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Lupus	EE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Jazz Republic	ZA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Asaar Dubai Gold	AE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Dubai Asaar Black	AE	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Black Cat	RU	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Barak	ES	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0
0	Amnenerjoey	IT	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0

The Golden Knights will not be on the 4-way Open leaderboard this time, even though they had finished in 4th place (27.7) at the Clash of Champions. Five teams will have their own leaderboard in 4-way Women, and none of them will be any threat for the U.S. Army team.

There is a female lineup from France in this separated category; however, it is not the French national 4-way team, who the Golden Knights were probably hoping to meet again in competition. Anais Maillet, Isabelle Nore, Sylvie Normand and Emmanuelle Nicols represent France in 4-way Women.

Three of the French FLY-IN Girls will compete at the Wind Games. Clementine Le Bohec is not available, and her three team mates have different plans. Sophia Pecout and Christine Malnis, reigning world champions in 4-way Women, are teaming up with two former 8-way world champions, Perrin-Gachadoat Thomas and Olek Julien. They competed with Gavroche in Dubai and have a new lineup in Spain. The two French FLY-IN Girls had outscored their new team mates at the Clash of Champions (26.9 - 24.9) and the Gavroche members are under performance pressure...

Pamela Lissajoux is the third French FLY-IN Girl at the Wind Games, and she has a reunion with her two former B-Team members, Aurélien Lemaire and Eliott Lesimple of Artemis Saunur. Perrine Sanchez, 2012 and 2014 world champion in 4-way Women is back in action after becoming a mother last year and completes the Simatra lineup.

The Qatar Tigers had finished in 5th place at the Clash of Champions with their new coach Jeremie Rollett, former French 4-way and 8-way world champion and national coach between 2011 and 2014. The Tigers have every reason to dream of bronze medals at the Mondial 2016. Canada owns the bronze medal position after Evolution's 3rd place in Prostejov 2014.

Black Cat won the bronze medals for Russia at the World Air Games 2015 after competing at the Clash of Champions, as well.

The Qatar Tigers were 4th at the outdoor meet and had won the indoor competition over Black Cat. The same duel could take place again at the Mondial 2016, for a new set of bronze medals. Evolution may also speak a word there though.

Last and not least, Satori XL opens the 2016 season on Pete Allum's home turf...