posted Dec 20th, 2023 - The NSL News update from Germany on December 6th provided a summary of the events that are related to the country's interesting 8-way situation. There is still no official decision yet who will represent Germany in 8-way Open at the 26th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships 2024 in North Carolina.

Operation Adler, who won the national outdoor championship this year, would be qualified as the national 8-way team if at least six members of the team decided to compete for Germany at the outdoor world championship. The German qualification rules allow the replacement of two team members without the loss of eligibility for the winning team.

The runner-up in 8-way, Airbus Illertissen Oceanside, announced earlier that the team would continue with the same lineup and roughly 12 hours of indoor training and 200 - 250 jumps in the planning for 2024. The team's 8-way indoor training has already begun, while only the Airbus 4-way team, with three members of Operation Adler, has been in training action yet. The NSL News mentioned that the three Airbus members in the Operation Adler lineup (Thomas Mack, Alexander Prendinger, Felix Pfeiffer) and Meltemi member Linda Köb would be facing 4-way and 8-way double duties at the world championship if Operation Adler decide to continue.

It is a tempting situation for both 8-way teams, as the next set of FAI medals for a German team in Formation Skydiving competition is once again in reach. The NSL News had reported on 9 November 2022 that the 3rd place for the Airbus 8-way team at the 25th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships 2022 in Eloy was the first time that any German team won a set of FAI world championship medals since 1985.

FAI Outdoor World Meet 2022			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		20,16,B		P,D,21,13		17,K,11		E,A,19,22		2,9,M		C,14,F,12		3,6,18		4,10,1		8,Q,O,H		5,7,J		Total	Avg
1	Paraclete XP8	US	25	-1	20		20	-1	18	-1	18		19	-1	23		26	-1	16	-2	20	-2	205	20.5
2	Qatar Falcons	QA	21	-1	14	-2	16	-1	17		16		15	-1	19	-1	20	-1	14	-1	12	-4	164	16.4
3	Airbus	DE	18		14		14		13		4	-1	12	-2	16		16		12		14		133	13.3
4	MicroClim8	UK	16		9	-2	12		10		11	-1	7	-3	15		16		11		12	-1	119	11.9
5	Mojo Annecy-Clermont	FR	15		10		11		10		11		10	-1	8	-5	13		9		10		107	10.7

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Airbus - MicroClim8 - Mojo at the FAI Outdoor World Meet 2022 - Video Footage Courtesy of FAI/ISC and OmniSkore!HD

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The situation has probably become so interesting due to the fact that several Operation Adler members have never won FAI medals at a world championship, even though they represent the top level of German history in Formation Skydiving competition. Only Operation Adler members Linda Köb and Göran Meyer were in the Airbus lineup who won the first bronze medals for Germany in October 2022, with Erik Lorenz on camera. Olaf Biedermann, Carl Enders, Stefan Knoch, Steffen Schiedek, Thomas Spielvogel and Max Thiele completed the bronze-medal lineup.

Thomas Spielvogel, Carl Enders, Steffen Schiedek and team videographer Erik Lorenz continued with the new Airbus lineup, and they have been training and competing with Carola Fietz, Karin Bauch, Shaline Dincher, Andreas Höhne and Holger Sass since winning the first FAI medals for Germany in October 2022.

8-way World Rankings 2023			Meets	Average
1	Paraclete XP8	US	22.8 - 21.3	22.1
2	Arizona Airspeed 8	US	17.4	17.4
2	Qatar Falcons	QA	17.7 - 17.4 - 17.1	17.4
4	Prison 9	US	13.7 - 13.7	13.7
5	Operation Adler	DE	13.2	13.2
6	Airbus 8	DE	12.1	12.1
6	Mojo Annecy-Clermont	FR	12.1	12.1
8	Bra Nok XP	US	9.5 - 12.0	10.8
9	After 8 Weeembi	FR	10.4	10.4
9	Aeolus	UK	10.4	10.4

Operation Adler members and reigning German 8-way champions Markus Bastuck, Thomas Mack, Felix Pfeiffer, Alexander Prendinger, Christian Schaefer, Jörn Thiele and videographer Daniel Weiß have not won any FAI world championship medals yet, despite their talent and experiences in 4-way and 8-way.

The 8-way opportunity for Germany came up in Eloy 2022 when Russia was banned from participating at FAI/ISC events. Russian 8-way teams have won outdoor world championships medals at each event since 1987, with only one exception in 2008 when Russia did not send a team to Maubeuge, France. The Russian medal collection in 8-way includes two sets of gold medals in 2001 and 2003.

Italy used the open door in 2008 and won the 8-way bronze medals in the absence of one of the three 8-way powerhouses. Germany had a very similar opportunity in 2022 and used it successfully, as well. eX3MO's 8-way team in Maubeuge did not have to deal with the new 8-way powerhouse from Qatar, which entered the world of Formation Skydiving competition when Russia was back. The Qatar Falcons have become a consistent medal contender ever since with their professional environment, and Germany's 4-way and 8-way amateur teams cannot keep up with them. It required additional circumstances to open the door for a German 8-way team in medal contention in Eloy 2022.

FAI Outdoor World Championship 2008			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		17,P,4	H,13,7	6,M,1	9,22,C	16,J,8	K,F,G,18	O,Q,5,12	Total	Avg
1	Maubeuge	FR	23	18	26	22	22	24	16	151	21.6
2	USA	US	18	18	26	21	22	19	16	140	20.0
3	Ex3mo	IT	20	16	22	17	18	18	15	126	18.0
4	EADS	DE	21	14	20	15	16	14	14	114	16.3
5	Connextion	UK	15	12	15	13	14	13	12	94	13.4
6	Belgium	BE	14	11	16	11	14	14	12	92	13.1
7	South Africa	ZA	14	9	16	12	13	11	-	75	12.5
8	Spain	ES	13	6	13	10	13	13	-	68	11.3
9	Australia	AU	11	5	10	9	9	7	-	51	8.5

8-way medals at FAI Outdoor World Championships since 1985

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The absence of Russia coincided with a budget cut for the French national teams, who have won 8-way medals at each world championship since 1985, including three sets of gold medals, and also with one exception. The budget cut began already in 2018, and France did not have an 8-way team in Australia. The Qatar Falcons used this opportunity and won their first set of medals with the 3rd place.

The Airbus 8-way team was facing a weakened French national team in Eloy 2022 that did not feature any of the country's current top competitors. Former 8-way world champion Emmanuel Sarrazin has been player-coaching the Mojo lineup of passionate French 8-way fans who use the domestic opportunity to experience international FAI/ISC 8-way events in their own way and on their own budget, with the approval of the French federation and national coach Mathieu Bernier.

Operation Adler or Airbus would probably be competing once again with the same French team for the bronze medals. GKXP8 and Qatar Falcons are out of reach for both teams, and it is unlikely that Russia will be permitted to compete in North Carolina. Operation Adler and Airbus both would probably like to compete for Germany's next FAI/ISC medals.