posted Oct 12th, 2019 - The 8-way teams at the FAI Outdoor World Cup did eventually not post new world record numbers or historic meet averages. However, the teams in the Top 5 positions still joined their scoring forces for the highest 8-way performance level since the current format was introduced in 1985.

The NSL News mentioned on October 10th that the 8-way competition at the FAI World Meet 2004 had the closest finish between the three 8-way powerhouses, United States, France and Russia. The same three nations won the three sets of FAI 8-way medals on Saturday in reverse order (Russia - France - United States).

The final proximity of the three teams in Eloy was not as close as it was in 2004 (172 - 169 - 167) after nine rounds, while the performance level of the three medal winners was still significantly higher. Russia, France and United States together finished with an 18.8 average in 2004, then with a 20.2 average after Round 10 on Saturday.

The Top 5 teams did even better and more impressively. Adding Airspeed Odyssey and Qatar Falcons to the algorithm was showing clearly how the 8-way performance level has risen. The Top 5 teams together averaged 18.6 at the FAI World Cup 2019, which is significantly higher than ever before.

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-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		Total	Avg
1	Tanay 8	RU	19		26		18		20		23		21	-1	20		24		20		16		207	20.7
2	France	FR	20		24		18		19	-1	21		22	-1	19		23		19		17		202	20.2
3	Paraclete XP8	US	21	-1	24	-1	16	-1	18		21		20	-2	19		22	-1	19		18		198	19.8
4	Arizona Airspeed	US	18		21		16		18		16	-3	21	-1	17		17	-1	16		14	-1	174	17.4
5	Qatar Falcons	QA	16	-1	20	-1	14	-1	13	-3	17	-1	12	-5	15		19		15		14		155	15.5
6	Airbus	DE	14	-1	15		12		15		15	-1	15		12	-1	15		14	-1	12		139	13.9
7	Monster	US	12		13	-1	10	-1	12		14		13		12		15		11	-1	10		122	12.2
8	Amphibious Attack Tigers	US	11		16		10		11		9	-3	13	-1	14		10	-1	13		11		118	11.8
9	Groomed	UK	7	-2	9		8	-1	9		10		7		8	-1	10		13		7		88	8.8

Video Footage Courtesy of FAI/IPC/OmniSkore!HD

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The comeback of a strong French 8-way team contributed heavily to the quality. The Top 5 average without France in Australia was 18.1 and it was boosted by the 22.4 of the Golden Knights.

The 8-way performance level will probably still rise within the next year, as the three medal contenders will do whatever they can to win the gold medals in Tanay 2020. All three teams are planning to increase their training efforts. Qatar Falcons, bronze medalists of 2018, will most likely get at least to Arizona Airspeed's scoring level in Eloy, and Airbus plan to reach the 15+ level next year.

The top favorite will be the Tanay home team. The Russian 8-way team confirmed the world's top spot in Eloy, after taking the 1st place at the USPA Nationals on Paraclete XP8's home turf in Raeford. Team founder Andrey Barabash is hosting the Mondial 2020. He is an active Tanay 8 team member and the president of the Russian skydiving federation at the same time.

Andrey Barabash and interpreter Denis Sviridov, who is also the organizer of the Mondial 2020 for Andrey Barabash and Skydive Tanay, took some time on Saturday for a new NSL Live Talk conversation. The 8-way teams had finished the last two rounds a few hours earlier, and Tanay 8 celebrated the FAI gold medals in the Bent Prop...

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