posted Feb 4th, 2020 - The three teams in 4-way Women had their own separate leaderboard at the Wind Games, and they used the same AAA Class draw as the one for the 4-way Open Class.

The NSL News mentioned earlier that NFTO would compete with former Satori XL member Julia Swallow at the Wind Games. She had filled an open slot for NFTO at the Wind Games 2019, as well. It turns out that Julia Swallow was not only stepping in for Kate Lindsley in Spain last week. NFTO have a new lineup for the 2020 season, and the team at the Wind Games will continue together throughout the whole year, including the FAI World Meet in Tanay.

Julia Swallow is the most experienced 4-way competitor in NFTO's new lineup. She has competed at five world championships, the first one in Germany 2006, where she won the gold medals in 4-way Women with Perris AirKix. Then she followed up in 4-way Open with Satori at the world meets in 2010, 2012 and 2016.

NFTO have been training and competing parallel with Satori since 2015 and became the strongest British 4-way team in 2018. NFTO have also established themselves as one of the Top 10 teams in the world. Julia Swallow will now try to win her second gold medal in 4-way Women with NFTO, 16 years after her 1st place with Perris AirKix.

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Wind Games 2020			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		Q,F,6,14		1,13,4		8,J,15		O,9,D,5		21,A,P,H		N,C,20,12		7,G,K,19		10,16,22		17,E,11		M,B,3,L		Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	32	-1	29		28	-1	44	-3	45		29		35		25		34		47		348	34.8
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	34		24	-1	29		45	-2	41		29		34	-1	23		34		39	-1	332	33.2
3	SDC Rhythm XP	US	33		25		27	-1	44	-1	41		26		30	-3	23		30	-2	41	-2	320	32.0
4	IFS-Moscow	RU	27	-3	20	-3	25	-2	45	-2	36	-1	25	-1	30	-1	23		29	-2	33	-5	293	29.3
5	ISR FireFlash	BE	30		23		26		39		36		22	-1	27	-2	20		29		29	-4	281	28.1
6	Weembi Unicorns	IN	28		23		26		42		36		23		29		20		22	-4	26	-3	275	27.5
7	NFTO	UK	28		21		22		38		36		21		27	-1	18		24	-3	32	-1	267	26.7
8	Echochamber	SE	28		21		22		37		35		21	-1	23	-2	19		26		29	-4	261	26.1
9	Nephtys Weembi	FR	26		19	-1	20	-1	35		32		22		26	-1	19		22	-2	32	-1	253	25.3
10	Oceanside AtomiX	DE	25	-2	21		19	-2	31	-1	31		19		27		17	-1	22	-1	31		243	24.3
11	Out of the Blue	NL	25		19		21		31	-2	29	-1	18		25		17	-1	24		16	-7	225	22.5
12	Blue Steel	FI	24		18		20		29		26	-1	20		24		15	-1	21		27	-1	224	22.4
13	Windabona Black Mantis	AT	27		18	-1	21		27	-3	27		19	-1	24		17		21		19	-5	220	22.0
14	Papea	ES	22		19		21		29	-1	27	-2	19		21	-2	17		22		19	-5	216	21.6
15	Lucky Boys	HU	20	-2	18	-1	20		28	-1	27		18		23		17	-3	18	-3	24		213	21.3
16	Voss Vind Girls	NO	22	-1	19	-1	21		28	-1	27		16	-1	14	-3	17	-1	21		22	-3	207	20.7
17	3 Boys 1 Girl	IN	21		16		18		27		26		17		19		15	-1	19	-2	24		202	20.2
18	Realfly Fire	CH	23		16	-3	18	-2	25	-1	28	-1	13	-2	23		17		19		19	-4	201	20.1
19	Windobona Angels	ES	21		16	-1	17	-2	26		26	-1	17		21		15		17	-1	20	-4	196	19.6
20	Standby	IT	20		13	-3	16		22		24		12	-1	19	-2	12	-1	15	-1	23	-1	176	17.6
21	Equinox	LT	22		17		15	-1	20	-2	21	-3	16		17	-2	13		12	-2	16	-3	169	16.9

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Anna Hicks, Vana Parker and Sian Stokes shared the last two years with Kate Lindsley in the point slot. The all-female lineup became the best British 4-way team, won silver medals in 4-way Women at the last indoor and outdoor world meets, and they are now preparing for the battle for gold this year in Tanay, Russia.

It was not too difficult for NFTO to accommodate their newest member. The rear piece (Vana Parker, Sian Stokes) continues unchanged, while Anna Hicks has moved from outside center to point to offer Julia Swallow her most familiar slot. Especially the front piece partners usually know both slots very well, as most teams' continuity plans assign all six slot-switching blocks to the front piece.

It's an interesting situation in 4-way Women, where NFTO is facing two different French national teams. Nephtys Weembi compete for France at the major indoor events, while the reigning 4-way Women world champions, French Weembi Girls, will try to defend their outdoor title this year in Tanay.

Nephtys Weembi competed at the Wind Games and could not defend their top position successfully, which they had taken at the FAI Indoor World Meet 2019.

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NFTO - Nephtys Weembi - Vossvind Girls at the Wind Games 2020

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It was not the same Nephtys Weembi lineup in Spain though. French Weembi Girls members and outdoor world champions Clementine Le Bohec and Pamela Lissajoux both were in the Nephtys lineup at the indoor world meet last year. Their team mates Sophia Pecout and Christine Malnis competed with Weembi High Rollers (Julien Degen, Roy Janssen) in 4-way Open.

Last week, only Pamela Lissajoux joined the three Nephtys (Claire Victoire De Fleurian, Elise Poindron, Jessica Thebault) at the first competition with this lineup. NFTO did not even need their 27.8 record average that they had posted in April last year, and they won with 26.7 at the Wind Games.

It will probably become more challenging for NFTO at the outdoor world meet in Tanay, where the French Weembi Girls will try to win FAI gold medals in 4-way Women and in 8-way both. However, both teams have new lineups this year, and the French team has very limited time to train in 4-way. Gaelle Giesen has replaced Pamela Lissajoux and has to cover both events, as well.

It seems to be an open race in both 4-way Women events from here on forward. NFTO have to focus on outdoor competition to have a chance for gold medals in Russia. This could give indoor team Nephtys Weembi the opportunity to win back the indoor top spot at the world cup in April. French Weembi Girls have to focus on 8-way training and competition, which opens the gold medal door for NFTO. It's an interesting year in all events...