posted Jul 24th, 2023 - The NSL News covered the performance of the U.S. national team in 4-way Women, XPG4, after the completion of the Paraclete XP Summer Classic, including the videos of the ten competition rounds. There was no time for NSL Live Talk with XPG4 during or after the competition, and a new conversation with the team had to wait until the next opportunity in the following training camp.

Coach Niklas Hemlin had traveled to Skydive Paraclete XP in the meantime. He had coaching jobs with XPG4, the new Golden Knights 4-way team and Lightspeed XP on his agenda. Arizona Airspeed's outside center could join the new conversation with XPG4, which took place after the completion of the training on Monday. New team videographer Joss Martin was available, as well, and he could explain how he made his own adjustments after the first competition rounds of the Summer Classic.

XPG4 are in their second year with the same lineup, and they see the reason for the recent progression in the natural development of the the team that comes with time spent together. Coach Niklas Hemlin is providing as much input as possible from his time with Arizona Airspeed, while he and the team are still working on team-specific techniques and improvements.

There is no doubt that the next step beyond the 20-plus average benchmark is going to happen naturally at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2023, which will put the team on the way to other new goals in 2024.

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Niklas Hemlin with XPG4 at the Summer Classic 2023

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Even the next outdoor world championship in Israel next year is not the main target. Of course, XPG4 are planning to first win the oudoor world cup in Norway next month and then follow up next year with the next set of gold medals. The competition in Israel 2024 could be closer than it might be in Norway, as the major opponents from France and Great Britain can use the whole year to close the gap that will probably be there after Round 10 in Norway.

However, XPG4's current lineup see and feel the potential to aim higher than only for the FAI gold medals. There is also the history of the 4-way Women event where previous record numbers have to be improved, and the positioning on the 4-way Open Class leaderboards is also always an interesting topic.

The female 4-way lineup of the Golden Knights own the highest U.S. average in the 4-way Women category. They posted the 22.7 with their complete lineup (Jennifer Davidson, Laura Davis, Angela Nichols, Dannielle Woosley, Scott Janise on camera) at the World Air Games 2015. They almost matched the record number with JaNette Lefkowitz for Angela Nichols when they won the gold medals at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2016 with a 22.4 average. The U.S. record in 4-way Women could be in reach for XPG4 this year, as both of the two coming major events (FAI Outdoor World Cup - USPA Nationals) offer opportunities for a peak performance after the remaining training and at the end of the outdoor season.

Pre-Nationals/Summer Classic 2023			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		5,2,J		20,15,F		H,21,3		Q,1,10		11,K,6		9,P,B,G		16,N,14		19,12,O		M,18,C,7		22,D,13		Total	Avg
1	XPG4	US	18	-3	17	-3	19	-2	18	-1	19		28	-1	18	-1	18		21		17		193	19.3
FAI Indoor World Championship 2023			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		E,14,3		K,F,22,17		O,7,5		N,2,18		L,P,12,15		M,10,D,H		16,9,C		1,G,J,8		4,Q,21		6,20,A		Total	Avg
1	France 4-way Women	FR	24	-2	30	-1	34	-1	22	-1	27		36		34	-1	27		25		26		285	28.5
2	XPG4	US	25		28	-1	33		25		25	-2	36		29	-3	24	-2	26		25	-2	276	27.6
3	NFTO	UK	25	-1	29		30	-2	20	-3	22	-3	32		34	-1	27	-1	23	-2	26		268	26.8

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XPG4 at the FAI Indoor World Championship and the Summer Classic 2023

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The performance level of the Golden Knights in 2016 will be the least goal for XPG4 in 2024, the third year of the current lineup. Stronger opponents from France and Great Britain will require the U.S. team to aim for the highest goal with the next step, the historic 25.7 average that the French 4-way Women lineup (Clementine Le Bohec, Pamela Lissajoux, Christine Malnis, Sophia Pecout, Michel Laynaud on camera) posted at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2018.

The 25.7 average in Australia 2018 was boosted by a 56-pointer for the Super Sequence in Round 6 (Q,M,F,C,N) and has to be seen in proportion to other competition draws without Super Sequences. The French 4-way Women performance in 2018 was actually on a similar scoring level for the other nine rounds as the one of the Golden Knights in 2016.

There is also the 24.7 average of a similar French lineup (Gaelle Giesen for Clementine Le Bohec) at the FAI Tanay Mondial with two fast sequences in the six completed rounds. The Russian Bubbles won the event with a 25.0 average, two points ahead of France. Russian teams are still banned from FAI/ISC events and will not be able to challenge the world order in Formation Skydiving competition at the moment.

Chances are always little that a Super Sequence will be drawn, and a 23+ average for a 10-round meet without a Super Sequence would define a new record level in 4-way Women, and it would probably win the FAI gold medals next year.

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

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Russia - France in 4-way Women at the FAI Tanay Mondial 2020

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