posted Mar 23rd, 2018 - Three rounds of 8-way competition are scheduled for Friday evening, and the opening ceremony took place in the afternoon, followed by the competition draw. The teams went straight to preparations for Round 1, and the promising battle for the top spot at Weembi Lille can begin.

The NSL-TV camera captured training action of the Weembi Elder 8 lineup on Thursday evening that was introduced with yesterday's update. It was not the complete lineup, even though Aerodyne Weembi Girls member Clementine LeBohec was in full 8-way training action.

8-way world champion Manu Sarrazin was one of the victims of a strike in the French public transportation services, and he was not able to be in Lille in time for the training.

The team found an adequate substitute, as national coach Mathieu Bernier had just arrived from an indoor training camp of the French national team in 4-way Open, Aerodyne Realfly. The team had to switch from outdoor to indoor mode after the Shamrock Showdown 2018 and did so at their home flying chamber. Mathieu Bernier filled in for Manu Sarrazin, and the speed test on Friday was the first flying session for the complete lineup.

French Indoor Nationals 2018		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Competition	11,9,8	13,2,M	12,4,A	3,P,C,10	H,N,Q,1	5,16,B	19,L,J,21	E,15,18	G,7,D,17	O,6,K,F	22,B,8	Total	Avg

Martial Ferre is not only competing with his former world champion team mates in Weembi Elder 8 and his niece Clementine LeBohec. His international Veloce QRF lineup follows up on the trip to the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship 2018 where they finished with a 21.7 average in 4th place.

It will be difficult again for QRF to place in the Top 3. The Qatar Falcons were much too far ahead at Paraclete and will probably be even stronger after more training. Weembi Girls and Weembi Elder 8 will not be far behind the Qatar Falcons, and they will probably complete the Top 3 spots.

Martial Ferre has a different QRF lineup, which is nothing unusual for the international lineup. Seth Ericson, Jérome Héritier and Kjetil Nordin are not at Weembi Lille for the French Indoor Nationals.

Marco Arrigo, Nicolas David and Martial Ferre's brother Marin are filling the slots, and it would be no surprise if QRF score higher than at the last meet. The whole active Ferre family is now competing in the 8-way event...