posted Feb 11th, 2017 - Yesterday's update was a good reason to get in touch with one of the two 4-way competitors who have won FAI medals for different countries at world championships.

Gary Smith, who has coached NMP PCH HayaBusa and Roy Janssen to the gold medals in Prostejov 2014, agreed to take some time for the next NSL Live Talk. The conversation took place the day after the double-gold/double-country topic made it to the front page for the latest Sun Path Products NSL News story, and the video will be uploaded very soon.

The main subject of the NSL Live Talk was the indoor duel between Weembi Lille and NMP PCH HayaBusa. However, Gary Smith also mentioned the French national team in 4-way Open, and he called RealFly-Sion the most improved team at the Wind Games 2017. HayaBusa's coach was with his team in Empuriabrava and had the opportunity to take a very close look at his team's opponents, literally, as the performance takes place a few inches away if the observer is positioned outside of the flying chamber right next to the wall.

Wind Games 2017			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
R.	AAA Class		D,2,P,13	C,21,11	Q,O,17,A	6,10,18	5,E,K,22	19,1,F	8,20,J	L,N,7,9	16,M,15	14,G,H,4	Total	Avg
1	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	28	27	43	25	35	31	26	45	34	31	325	32.5
2	Weembi Lille	FR	29	27	46	24	32	31	27	43	30	31	320	32.0
3	RealFly-Sion	FR	25	28	46	23	29	30	26	39	29	28	303	30.3

Giving RealFly-Sion the credit as the most improved team is not only an impression. The numbers clearly confirm Gary Smith's assessment, as well. The new French national team in 4-way Open has attended five indoor meets (26.2 - 26.0 - 27.6 - 27.9 - 30.3) since it was formed at the end of the 2014 season.

RealFly-Sion started with a 26.2 average at the FAI Indoor World Meet 2015 and has arrived at a 30.3 average level a year and three months later. The French team also increased the average between the previous meet (FAI Indoor World Cup 2016) and the Wind Games more than any other top team (27.9 - 30.3) in Empuriabrava last weekend.

Coach Gary Smith is not only following Weembi Lille carefully as HayaBusa's strongest opponent. He is also very interested in the performance of the French national team in 4-way Open, as Belgium's 4-way world champions will be facing them in Australia 2018 if nothing changes in France.

FAI Indoor World Cup			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
R.	AAA Class		15,11,6	7,2,A	J,B,18,5	E,19,Q,3	8,P,21	12,L,O,C	G,20,F,16	10,D,22	N,9,K,4	14,M,17	Total	Avg
1	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	25	32	33	31	24	31	32	26	41	31	306	30.6
2	Weembi	FR	24	30	33	33	25	33	31	26	36	31	302	30.2
3	RealFly-Sion	FR	20	27	29	29	26	30	29	23	35	31	279	27.9

The 17 points that were left between Weembi Lille and RealFly-Sion after Round 10 at the Wind Games could be reduced to a very competitive distance at the French Indoor Nationals 2017, where Weembi Lille has to win this French duel if the four former 4-way world champions want to compete for France in Canada this year.

RealFly-Sion has moved into striking distance, as the averages and the next two highscores at the Wind Games have shown. The French team had also claimed or tied two of the ten highscores at Flyspot in October last year.

The Sun Path Products NSL News had explained on 24 September 2016 that RealFly-Sion member Laurence Herve was the highest-scoring female 4-way competitor at the FAI Mondial 2016. Her team's 30.3 average at the Wind Games has also lifted her now to an indoor scoring level that no other female 4-way competitor has ever performed at.

Christy Frikken had posted 29.8 averages two times in 2009 and 2010 with Perris Fury, by then supported by the set super sequences. Laurence Herve's 30.3 average last weekend at the Wind Games had a 46-pointer as the highest score for a slot switching memory sequence (Q,O,17,A).

French national coach Mathieu Bernier had selected Laurence Herve for the new French 4-way Open Class team after she won the FAI gold medal in 4-way Women with the French Girls in Prostejov 2014. She could also become the next female 4-way competitor who wins a gold medal in 4-way Women first and then follows up with gold in 4-way Open. The Sun Path Products NSL News explained on 29 December 2016 how Eliana Rodriguez won her three different gold medals and introduced new Golden Knights 8-way member Jen Davidson who could be the next triple gold candidate.

SDC Rhythm XP member JaNette Lefkowitz, reigning 4-way Women world champion, is also heading in the same direction. However, Laurence Herve seems to have the head start for potential double-gold in 4-way Women and 4-way Open after the 30.3 average. Her team is also the national 4-way Open Class team for Australia 2018, while SDC Rhythm XP still has Arizona Airspeed as a major obstacle on the way to downunder...