posted Oct 9th, 2019 - The 8-way competition of the FAI Outdoor World Cup lived up to all high expectations on Tuesday morning, and it seemed to be difficult for the 4-way event to match the level of excitement and thrill this time. Most often, the 4-way competition takes the center stage, and the 8-way teams do not get as much attention.

It surely is different this time, as the 8-way competition could not be much more exciting than it is. The three top teams are closer to each other than ever before. However, the 4-way re-match between new U.S. champion SDC Rhythm XP and Arizona Airspeed offers everything that could be expected just on the first day and the first three rounds.

The reigning 4-way world champions from Belgium, NMP PCH HayaBusa, are not attending the meet and have made their statement at the USPA Nationals 2019. There is still a HayaBusa presence in Eloy, as team member Dennis Praet is visiting Arizona to support his wife, Clementine Le Bohec, in her effort to master the French double duties in 4-way and 8-way.

He has been packing his wife's parachute and walking her to the boarding area with kisses and love. She is probably getting valuable advice for her point slot from the HayaBusa point, as well, Dennis Praet also shares his thoughts and observations with the NSL News whenever he has time available.

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		13,11,16		P,22,4		O,7,21		9,20,G		18,15,L		K,10,3		6,14,C		1,M,A,17		F,D,Q,8		2,5,E		B,N,12,H		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	20	-1	22		28		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		70	23.3
2	SDC Rhythm XP	US	19	-1	22		25		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		66	22.0
3	Defiance	US	17		17		21	-1	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		55	18.3
4	Pro Team	FI	15	-1	18		20		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		53	17.7
4	Echochamber	SE	17		14	-3	22		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		53	17.7
4	Airspeed Odyssey	US	14	-2	17	-2	22	-2	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		53	17.7
7	Chimera	UK	14	-1	16	-1	21		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		51	17.0
8	Kinetix	AU	14	-1	17		19		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		50	16.7
8	Aerodyne Cypres Lille-Bondues	FR	15	-1	16		19		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		50	16.7
10	Eros	UK	12	-2	16		20		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		48	16.0
10	China	CN	12	-1	17		19		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		48	16.0
12	eX3MO	IT	13		13	-2	17	-2	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		43	14.3
13	Pajama Pumas	UK	10	-2	12		17		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		39	13.0

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The French 4-way teams are the most extreme example for 4-way and 8-way double duties. National coach Mathieu Bernier has created a plan that aims at winning two sets of gold medals next year at the FAI World Meet in Tanay, Russia. So far, he is the winner at the FAI World Cup, as he is on track with his plans.

The French Weembi Girls are in 1st place after Round 3 with a 4-point advantage over the strongest opponent, British national 4-way Women team NFTO. The new French 8-way team is in 2nd place, one single point behind Russia's 8-way team from Tanay. Both French teams are in very different situations. The French Weembi Girls try to defend their gold medals with the new lineup against the British challenger with as little effort as possible. It works so far.

The new 8-way team is competing for the first time, and Mathieu Bernier has almost a whole year after the starting point this week in Eloy.

Paraclete XP8 members Kirk Verner and John D'Annunzion are aware of the French potential. Kirk Verner said that his team will pick up the pace very soon and make the next step to a higher performance level that France will be challenged with. XP8 is dealing with double duties, too. Steve Lefkowitz and Andrew Happick are competing with SDC Rhythm XP this week and next year in Russia, which puts France and United States in a very similar situation.

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		13,11,16		P,22,4		O,7,21		9,20,G		18,15,L		K,10,3		6,14,C		1,M,A,17		F,D,Q,8		2,5,E		B,N,12,H		Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Weembi Girls	FR	17		19		25		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		61	20.3
2	NFTO	UK	17		17		23		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		57	19.0
3	Skynamite	DE	13		12		18		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		43	14.3
3	Phoenix XP	US	13		13		17		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		43	14.3
5	Fly Girls	US	11		11		15	-1	-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		37	12.3
6	Victorious Secret	US	9		11	-1	14		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		34	11.3
7	Alola	UK	9	-1	10	-2	13		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		-		32	10.7

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Only Rhythm member JaNette Lefkowitz competes only in 4-way Open. Doug Barron is also in the 8-way competition with the new Monster Mix. This will not be the situation in Tanay 2020, where only one team per nation is allowed to compete. There are four U.S. teams at this week's world cup, and only Paraclete XP8 will travel to Russia next year.

There are still more double duties this week in Eloy. Niklas Hemlin and Mikhail Markine compete with Arizona Airspeed in 4-way and in 8-way, while they will miss the next world meet completely. Eliana Rodriguez and Craig Girard are in the same Airspeed 8-way team and compete for 4-way Open Class bronze medals with Airspeed Odyssey.

Nick Grillet is another Airspeed 8-way member who competes in 4-way with Defiance. There he tries to win the same bronze medals that his Airspeed 8-way team mates are aiming at. He volunteered his 8-way slot in Round 3 to his Defiance team mate Ben Liston, who competed with Airspeed's 8-way team at the USPA Nationals 2018. He is the Airspeed 8-way alternate this week.

Their Defiance team mate James "Bu" Klinge switches back and forth between 4-way and 8-way as a member of the Amphibious Attack Tigers. Lauren Byrd is the only 4-way Women competitor other than the French Weembi Girls who compete in both events - Phoenix XP in 4-way Women and Monster in 8-way.