posted Aug 24th, 2023 - The 4-way teams had the pleasure of the best weather so far at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2023 on Thursday. They were scheduled to go through Round 8 before the meet would turn to 8-way competition again, and it was no problem at all for meet director Carl-Erik Tuv to complete the task.

The 4-way rounds on Thursday included the fastest sequence of the competition. Round 6 had a Super with Block 9 (Cat - Accordian) at the beginning in it, followed by three random formations.

Super Sequences do not only offer the opportunity for all teams to boost their meet averages, They also have the potential to separate teams from each other who have been close before. Today's Super Sequence in Round 6 did not have a serious impact on the four medal contenders on the top of the leaderboard, even though a 3-point difference, which Arizona Airspeed's highscore created, would be significant in a slower round. The Qatar Tigers lost another five points to France and NMP PCH HayaBusa and have dropped out of medal contention at this point in time. It seems like the placing order on the top of the leaderboard in Voss will be the same as at the last outdoor competition between the same teams, the Shamrock Showdown 2023.

Round 7 had an even more significant impact, at least within the 4-way delegation from Qatar. The still reigning FAI bronze medalists of 2021 and 2022, the Tigers, were outscored by both farm teams, Cheetahs and Lions, after four point deductions for the national team.

---

---

Fastest sequence of the competition - Round 6 in 4-way Open and 4-way Women

---

The Qatar Lions are making their way up the leaderboard round by round. They started with a Zero in Round 1, caused by an "incorrect framerate (25 FPS)" that Solly Williams, Gary Smith and Luc Verstrepen discussed yesterday. The Lions were in last place of 24 teams after Round 1. The 14 lost points would have lifted the Lions into the battle for the Top 10 positions, where the Cheetahs are currently holding the 8th place after Round 7.

SDC Rhythm XP took advantage of the fast sequence in Round 6 and have passed Airbus Illertissen Oceanside to settle in the 5th place. The 38 won seven points over the Germans, who will have to work hard to win back the position behind the medal contenders that they had throughout Round 3. The new Rhythm lineup has become stronger round by round and earned the 5th place.

The videos of Round 6 are set in the scoring order, and they feature the top teams and the contenders for the Top 10 positions. They include the two best teams in 4-way Women, XPG4 and Nephtys, who are both holding their Top 10 positions on the combined AAA Class leaderboard.

The French Nephtys are battling with Amnesya and Airbus for the 6th place. Both teams have female 4-way competitors in their lineups, as well, Sarah Mertes for Airbus, Chiara Brunetti for Amnesya. XPG4 are far ahead of SDC Rhythm XP in 5th place and within striking distance of the Qatar Tigers.

23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		3,G,N,19		11,17,L		13,7,C		2,D,O,8		14,K,J,12		9,M,P,H		5,4,18		15,1,10		16,21,E		F,20,6		B,A,Q,22		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	26		27		26		25		22		48	-1	-		-		-		-		-		174	29.0
2	France 4-way Open	FR	23		25	-1	26		24		19		45	-1	-		-		-		-		-		162	27.0
3	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	20	-4	20	-2	25		23	-1	18	-2	45		-		-		-		-		-		151	25.2
4	Qatar Tigers	QA	20	-1	22	-1	23		20		19		40		-		-		-		-		-		144	24.0
5	XPG4	US	21		20		20	-1	19		17		38		-		-		-		-		-		135	22.5
6	SDC Rhythm XP	US	18		17	-1	19	-2	19		17		38		-		-		-		-		-		128	21.3
7	France 4-way Women	FR	17		15	-1	20		17		15		33		-		-		-		-		-		117	19.5
7	Airbus Illertissen Oceanside	DE	17	-1	18		20	-1	17		14		31	-1	-		-		-		-		-		117	19.5
9	Amnesya	IT	16	-1	17		19		17	-1	16		31	-1	-		-		-		-		-		116	19.3
10	Qatar Cheetahs	QA	17		16		19		17		16		29		-		-		-		-		-		114	19.0
11	Papea	ES	14	-3	17	-1	18	-1	17		14	-1	32		-		-		-		-		-		112	18.7
11	Out Of The Blue	NL	17		15	-1	18		16	-1	15		31	-4	-		-		-		-		-		112	18.7
13	Agera	NO	15	-2	13	-2	16		18		12	-1	32	-1	-		-		-		-		-		106	17.7
14	Skydive Midwest NEXT	US	15	-1	11	-4	16	-2	16		13	-1	32		-		-		-		-		-		103	17.2
14	Lightspeed XP	US	14		15	-1	17		15		12		30		-		-		-		-		-		103	17.2
16	Chaotic Motion VIXX	NL	15		13	-2	15	-3	16	-1	13		30	-1	-		-		-		-		-		102	17.0
17	Meltemi Oceanside	DE	12	-2	15		16		16		11		25	-1	-		-		-		-		-		95	15.8
18	Aurora	SE	14		14		15	-1	13	-1	12		26		-		-		-		-		-		94	15.7
19	Qatar Lions	QA	0		14	-1	16		18		13	-2	31	-2	-		-		-		-		-		92	15.3
20	Sequenz	DK	14	-1	12		15	-1	12	-1	10	-1	24	-1	-		-		-		-		-		87	14.5
21	Thyra	NO	11	-1	12		14		13		11		21		-		-		-		-		-		82	13.7
21	NFTO	UK	11	-2	11		12	-1	12	-1	11		25		-		-		-		-		-		82	13.7
21	Lux	NL	12		11		13		13		10		23		-		-		-		-		-		82	13.7
24	SNE Fly Girls	US	13		11		15		11	-1	10		21	-1	-		-		-		-		-		81	13.5
25	Whitefish	AU	11	-1	10	-1	14		13	-1	11		20	-1	-		-		-		-		-		79	13.2
26	Alola	UK	11		12		13	-1	12	-1	10		20	-4	-		-		-		-		-		78	13.0
27	Grumsen	NO	12	-1	9	-1	12	-2	13		10		21	-3	-		-		-		-		-		77	12.8
28	DNF	UK	11	-1	9		12		11		9		21		-		-		-		-		-		73	12.2
29	ALIS	UA	11		10		9	-2	11		10		20	-1	-		-		-		-		-		71	11.8
30	4Reigners	UK	9		8		7	-1	9		7		16	-1	-		-		-		-		-		56	9.3
31	4igami	NL	8		8		8		9	-1	8		14	-1	-		-		-		-		-		55	9.2

---

Fastest sequence of the competition - Round 6 in 4-way Open and 4-way Women - Video footage courtesy of InTime/FAI/ISC

---