posted Jun 10th, 2022 - It was in May 2018 when the NSL News reported that France would miss a world meet in 8-way for the first time. It became reality when the French delegation arrived in Australia 2018 without a team in one of the most traditional events.

In fact, French 8-way teams did not only attend each world meet since 1985 and before 2018. They won FAI medals at each event, including three sets of gold in 2006, 2008 and 2010. The United States became the only nation with a flawless record of 8-way participation after Australia 2018.

The French 8-way team, with national coach Mathieu Bernier himself in the lineup, came back with vengeance and a lineup that was ready to take back the 8-way top spot in the world at the FAI Tanay Mondial 2020 last August. The 8-way competition in Russia came to an end after Round 7, and Airspeed XP8 had just turned the 1-point deficit after Round 6 into a 1-point lead over France. No more rounds were completed, and Mathieu Bernier's 8-way team ended up in 2nd place.

The young and strong French 8-way team made no new plans to continue with the same lineup, and Mathieu Bernier recruited two new 4-way teams in 4-way Open and 4-way Women instead. He decided to separate the lineups and avoid double duties in 4-way and 8-way for the FAI Outdoor World Meet 2022.

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FAI Tanay Mondial 2020			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		O,19,Q,5		17,B,E,P		H,15,12		M,N,7,F		K,L,C,4		J,18,16		1,9,A		Total	Avg
1	Airspeed XP8	US	20		23		22	-1	23		31	-1	23		24		166	23.7
2	France National 8-way	FR	20		23		25		24		26	-1	25	-1	22	-1	165	23.6
3	Tanay 8	RU	18		21	-1	20		23		26		23		22		153	21.9
4	Qatar Falcons	QA	17		17		19		18		22		19	-1	19		131	18.7
5	Kazakhstan	KZ	5		9		6	-2	10		7	-1	12	-1	12		61	8.7
6	Belarus	BY	4	-1	6		4	-2	5	-2	7		8	-1	2	-1	36	5.1

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Airspeed XP8 and France at the FAI Tanay Mondial 2020

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8-way medal winners at FAI World Championships of Formation Skydiving since 1985

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Gaelle Giesen, 4-way Women member in Tanay, and 4-way Open competitors Damien Gouriou and Alban Rumolo had double duties last August and will only train and compete in 4-way this year. It seemed for a while that the French delegation would travel once again to a world meet without an 8-way team.

This changed recently when French 8-way veteran Emmanuel "Manu" Sarrazin offered Mathieu Bernier to represent France in 8-way with his player-coach team that he created in 2019, Mojo Annecy-Clermont. Mathieu Bernier confirmed that Manu Sarrazin will compete for France in October, next to the Nephtys in 4-way Women and the new 4-way Open lineup.

Mojo Pamiers will probably not be able to threaten XP8 and Qatar Falcons for the gold and silver medal positions in 8-way. However, the potential absence of a Russian 8-way team could create an interesting competition for the FAI bronze medals.

British 8-way teams, Germany's Airbus 8-way lineup and Australia have been competing for the 4th place in the past, as United States, France and Russia were in control of all medal positions. The same countries could now find themselves in a battle for bronze medals, with and against Mojo Pamiers for France.

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French Outdoor Nationals 2020		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	2,11,13	A,G,7,20	F,5,J,16	E,L,N,22	Q,4,C,H	17,18,8	19,D,M,12	O,P,3,1	Total	Avg
1	Mojo Pamiers	11	12	16	14	17	11	11	14	106	13.3
2	Weembi Girls	8	13	16	14	10	11	11	16	99	12.4
3	After8 Weembi	5	8	11	8	10	6	6	10	64	8.0
4	9 Air Titi	1	4	2	4	3	5	5	5	29	3.6
5	HuitGees	2	4	3	3	1	4	1	3	21	2.6

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Mojo Pamiers at the French Outdoor Nationals 2020

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French national coach Mathieu Bernier and Mojo Pamiers' team captain Manu Sarrazin have known each other for a long time, and Mathieu Bernier knows how serious and passionate his former team mate is about 8-way training and competition.

They were 8-way team mates when former national coach Jerome David created the lineup in 2004 who would eventually win 8-way gold medals for France three consecutive times (2006, 2008, 2010). Manu Sarrazin was the team captain of the French national team between 2004 and 2008 when he won his two 8-way gold medals.

Manu Sarrazin did not continue in 2009, and Mathieu Bernier won his third 8-way gold medal without him in Menzelinsk 2010, together with 4-way gold at the same event. However, Manu Sarrazin was back in the French 8-way lineup in 2011, and he even added 4-way training and competition to his agenda this time. Once again, Mathieu Bernier was his team mate in both lineups, and they won 8-way silver and 4-way bronze together at the FAI Dubai Mondial 2012.

Manu Sarrazin went back full force to 8-way after his 4-way excursion, and he has continued as a coach, mentor and active competitor ever since. Now he will attend his next world meet, and he may even guide his Mojo Pamiers lineup into medal contention in October.