posted Feb 16th, 2017 - Did you know that there has been only one Superwoman in Formation Skydiving competition in the history of the sport so far? There have been several Supermen who have won gold medals at FAI World Championships of Formation Skydiving in different events (4-way and 8-way), including several Airspeed celebrities and French world champions, all of them topped by Mathieu Bernier who did it at the same event in Menzelinsk 2010.

The only female Formation Skydiving competitor who has ever achieved winning both a 4-way (2008) and an 8-way gold medal (2004) is Eliana Rodriguez. On top of that, she also has a third gold medal in her collection from a third event. She won the first world championship title in 4-way Women in 2001.

OK, it is impossible for a male competitor to win a gold medal in this event, and there is no 4-way men's category, which eliminates the option that the boys can ever win three gold medals in three different events. Well, not true, as there is the 4-way VFS event since 2010, which offers a new opportunity. In fact, somebody could win four gold medals at FAI World Championships in Formation Skydiving now. Well, again not true - only a girl could do that; boys would still be limited to three gold medals (4-way Open, 4-way VFS, 8-way).

TURNING POINTS: Formation Skydiving Superwomen

I am off topic now - back to Eliana. She won the first gold medal in 4-way Women (with her team Synchronicity in 2001) and then switched to 8-way with Arizona Airspeed. It took her and Airspeed's 8-way lineup three years to win back the 8-way gold medals they had lost to Russia in 2001 and again in 2003. Then she continued with Airspeed Odyssey in 4-way, and the 2007 lineup (Craig Girard, Mark Kirkby, Andy Delk) won first the national championships and then the FAI 4-way gold medals in Maubeuge 2008, four years after switching from 8-way to 4-way. Eliana Rodriguez collected the three gold medals within a time period of seven years.

There could be a new Formation Skydiving Superwoman on the road to the same achievements. Jennifer Davidson got the first step out of the way when the Golden Knights won the FAI gold medals in 4-way Women at the Mondial 2016. This was the first step for Eliana Rodriguez as well, before she focused on 8-way.

Jen Davidson, who got married to 8-way world champion Matt Davidson last year, was recently selected for the U.S. Army's 8-way lineup. She will train and compete with six reigning 8-way world champions for the next two years, and her second gold medal in the next event is almost guaranteed in 2018 - if there is anything like a guarantee in any sport. This means that she could match Eliana's second part of the triple-gold journey even a year earlier.

Jen has even more in common with Eliana. Eliana and her partner Craig Girard did not get married; however, they still decided to make the second part of her journey together and won the 8-way gold medals in 2004. Jen will also spend a lot of freefall time together with her husband Matt, who is already a multiple world champion, just like Craig was.

Jen's team mates Dannielle Albright-Woosley and Laura Davis did not try out for the 8-way team, while JaNette Lefkowitz went back to her own team, SDC Rhythm XP. She also has her first gold medal in the bag but will not switch to 8-way. Her team has the 4-way gold medals in the open class as a goal.

It is a much more challenging task, as Rhythm first has to get past Arizona Airspeed next year to compete at the world meet in 2018. Then there is NMP PCH HayaBusa waiting for whoever comes from the United States...

OK, now this is all true - no fake news in the Sun Path Products NSL News world. The team plans for next year are finalized, and the goals for 2018 are set. However, there is room for speculation and dreaming of the future after the world meet in 2018.

Jen Davidson will most likely have her second gold medal in the bag at that time. She could continue and switch back to 4-way, which would be the start to the final part of Eliana's road. She could also have her husband Matt in the 4-way lineup and win her third gold medal together with him, just as Eliana and Craig did in 2008.

This would happen in 2020 at the earliest, which would still be within four years, three years faster than Eliana. Jen and Matt have already competed together in 4-way Open at the USPA Nationals 2016 and won the bronze medals. They also plan to continue casually with the same lineup. Trying to keep in 4-way shape while winning 8-way...?

Just want to make sure now that this is all speculation and dreaming, OK?

It's not the end yet though. Yes, of course, Jen could also switch to 4-way VFS after winning in 2020 and become the first FS competitor with four gold medals in four events. But that's not what I am still looking at. There is also JaNette Lefkowitz on her own road: SDC Rhythm XP could win the USPA Nationals this year and beat HayaBusa in 2018. There she is with her two gold medals. Then she could switch to 8-way, as Rhythm has launched an 8-way team project, as well. She beats the Golden Knights in 8-way in 2019 and wins her third gold medal in 2020. Now Jen and JaNette are both tied with Eliana and would switch to VFS at the same time, together... ?

Now guess what, I am sure you saw this one coming: Yes, JaNette Lefkowitz also has her husband Steve back by her side after the excursion to 4-way Women, and they could travel the whole rest of the golden road together. Maybe this column's headline should be "Formation Skydiving Supercouples..."