posted Dec 7th, 2021 - Despite the awkward and very unfortunate circumstances, the FAI Tanay Mondial 2020 still generated new world champion teams in Formation Skydiving competition. There were no big surprises, even though the Qatar Tigers won the first 4-way medals for their country.

The preview with the NSL Power Rankings expected the final rankings as they materialized, with the Qatar Tigers in 3rd place. It was not even the first time that France did not win a 4-way medal. This happened at the FAI World Meet in Prostejov 2014 for the first time.

It was no surprise at all that the three 8-way powerhouses from the United States, France and Russia played their own game for the three sets of FAI medals, and the Qatar Falcons could just try to stay as close as possible. The only open question in 8-way was the rankings between the three top contenders.

Even in 4-way Women, where the biggest upset of this year's world meet happened, there was no new medal winner. Russia's Ladybirds had won bronze medals twice before, in Rijeka 2004, and two years later in Gera 2006.

---

FAI Tanay Mondial 2020			1		2		3		4		5		6		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		O,19,Q,5		17,B,E,P		H,15,12		M,N,7,F		K,L,C,4		J,18,16		Total	Avg
1	Bubbles	RU	21	-1	33	-3	18	-1	33	-3	27		18	-2	150	25.0
2	Aerodyne Maubeuge	FR	24		27	-4	18		34		24	-2	21		148	24.7
3	No Mercy	PL	15		20	-1	11	-1	20	-2	16		11		93	15.5
4	Aviatrixx	US	15		25		13		14		0		12	-1	79	13.2

---

Russia - France at the FAI Tanay Mondial 2020

---

It was still the first time that a Russian 4-way team won gold medals at a world championship. Russian 8-way teams had won gold medals in 2001 and 2003, and they added several sets of silver and bronze medals to their collection between 1985 and 2021.

The Russian 4-way collection is significantly smaller. Three Open Class teams placed in the medal rankings in the same time period (2nd in 1989, 3rd in 2004 and 2010), and the Ladybirds battled successfully for their two sets of bronze medals in 2004 and 2006.

It is now a fact that the Bubbles won the first 4-way world championship title for Russia in Tanay this year. It was a big upset for the French delegation, who tried to win two gold medals, in 4-way Women with as little training as possible, and with all resources invested into the 8-way team.

The two events became the expected thrillers, even though French national coach Mathieu Bernier and his 8-way team mates were hoping that the gold medal in 4-way Women would be up for a relatively easy grab.

---

Medal positions in 4-way Women at FAI World Championships since 2001

---

There were warning signs from Russia not only earlier this year. The current lineup of the Bubbles started training together at the end of the 2017 season, after Olga Bykova and Alena Chistova launched the team project with a different lineup, and won silver medals at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2017.

Maria Odinokova and Yulia Shuvaeva completed the current lineup later the same year and started with a 24.9 indoor average. This year's warning from Russia came with the scores of the Russian Indoor Cup in April this year. The NSL Power Rankings in 4-way Women on August 8th mentioned that "only the Russian 4-way Women team Bubbles might be able to challenge France in the absence of NFTO". The Bubbles had finished the indoor competition with a 28.4 average.

There was no indication how strong the Bubbles would perform outdoors, however, the indoor results alone were impressive enough. The outdoor evidence came in Tanay in August, and it became even more difficult for the French national team than it could be expected. The Bubbles were able to use the home advantage, especially exit practice from the jump plane, and they were one point ahead in each round just after the exit.

Bubbles won the first 4-way gold medals for Russia, and even a larger field in 4-way Women would not have changed the outcome on the top of the leaderboard. The 25.0 average after the six rounds in Tanay is the second highest in the history of this category.

---

Scoring progression in 4-way Women at FAI World Championships since 2001 - Scores in blue - Participation in magenta

---