posted Feb 7th, 2024 - Arizona Airspeed and the French national team in 4-way Open started last year's outdoor competition season at the Shamrock Showdown in March, where France confirmed that they had taken away the 2nd place in the 4-way world from NMP PCH HayaBusa. The Belgian team had still won the silver medals at the 25th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships 2022, where France finished in 4th place behind the Qatar Tigers.

In fact, the placing order in Norway in August was exactly the same as it was at Skydive DeLand in March. Arizona Airspeed and France will copy their schedule of 2023 and launch their outdoor season once again at this year's Shamrock Showdown, then conclude the 2024 season at the 26th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships 2024.

Both teams have confirmed their trip to Florida, and the results at the Shamrock Showdown will define their starting point into the world championship season. The most relevant event in the sport is scheduled for October, and there will be more than half a year between the two outdoor events for adjustments and preparations for the next showdown. Airspeed and France had the same progression in 2023 when both teams increased their meet averages by two points. French national coach Mathieu Bernier has yet the challenging task to cut into the difference of 20 points in a 10-round meet. He knows that his team has an even better indoor progression, while the outdoor performance will face the first serious evaluation of the year at the Shamrock Showdown.

Shamrock Showdown 2023			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		14,O,7		C,9,11		4,2,F		Q,13,21		B,6,L,19		1,22,G		K,18,8		M,3,17		H,15,12		D,20,10		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	26		28		25	-1	24		27	-1	21		22		27		22	-1	22		244	24.4
2	France 4-way Open	FR	26		25	-1	23		24		25	-1	19		19		26		19		18		224	22.4
3	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	21	-1	23	-2	24	-1	19	-1	26		19	-1	18	-1	26	-1	21		20	-1	217	21.7
4	Qatar Tigers	QA	21		22		17	-1	21		23		18		17		22		17	-1	19		197	19.7
5	SDC Rhythm XP	US	20	-1	20		20		19	-1	21		14	-2	15	-2	22		15	-2	14	-1	180	18.0
6	Pour Decisions	US	18		19		16		17		19		13	-1	12	-2	18		12	-1	14		158	15.8
Rank	AA Class		14,O,7		C,9,11		4,2		Q,13,21		B,6,L		1,22		K,18,8		M,F,19		H,15,G		D,20,A		Total	Avg
1	Project Danny	US	7	-1	10		8		9		9	-1	6	-1	4	-1	8	-1	6	-2	8		75	7.5
2	4Action	US	5	-2	8	-1	7		6	-1	10		5		7		11		6	-1	7		72	7.2
Rank	A Class		O,7		C,9		4,2		Q,21		B,6		E,L,N		K,8		M,F,19		H,G,J		D,A,P		Total	Avg
1	DeLand's Hit Show	US	7	-4	10		5		7	-1	9	-1	5	-2	7		10	-1	10		6	-1	76	7.6
2	Waitin' on a Woman	US	8		6	-1	4		4	-2	6	-1	5		4		7		-		-		44	5.5
3	Funderbirds	US	3	-2	4		1	-1	2	-1	8		2		2	-1	6	-1	4	-2	5		37	3.7

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Arizona Airspeed - France 4-way Open at the Shamrock Showdown 2023 - Video Footage Courtesy of InTime

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Mathieu Bernier is also bringing his national team in 4-way Women to Florida, the Nephtys. The new lineup (Pamela Lissajoux, Elise Poindron, Alexandra Petitjean, Marie Pineau) are going into the team's second year. Pamela Lissajoux and Elise Poindron won silver medals in 4-way Women with Gaelle Giesen and Sophia Pecout at the 25th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships 2022 and continued with the new lineup in 2023.

They defended the 2nd place successfully at the 23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving in Norway last year and posted a 26.6 average at the Weembinamic 2023, more than five average points higher compared to their first indoor meet in March 2023.

The French national teams will be well prepared for their first outdoor competition this year, after intensive indoor training throughout the winter. Mathieu Bernier said that he started with outdoor training in France at the beginning of February. He wants the teams to be ready for the training camp at Skydive DeLand before the Shamrock Showdown. There will be more outdoor training at the skydiving center in Pamiers in February, and both teams still have to go back to indoor 4-way once before competing at the Wind Games. They will arrive in DeLand on March 7th and have a whole week for more outdoor training before the Shamrock Showdown.

23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4way Open/4-way Women Top 10		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		Total	Avg
1	Arizona Airspeed	US	26		27		26		25		22		48	-1	22		21		25		25		267	26.7
2	France 4-way Open	FR	23		25	-1	26		24		19		45	-1	19		19		23		23		246	24.6
3	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	20	-4	20	-2	25		23	-1	18	-2	45		20		19		24		24		238	23.8
4	Qatar Tigers	QA	20	-1	22	-1	23		20		19		40		13	-4	17	-1	22		19	-4	215	21.5
5	XPG4	US	21		20		20	-1	19		17		38		16	-1	16	-1	18	-2	18	-1	203	20.3
6	SDC Rhythm XP	US	18		17	-1	19	-2	19		17		38		16		17		18		18	-1	197	19.7
7	Airbus Illertissen Oceanside	DE	17	-1	18		20	-1	17		14		31	-1	15		15		18		18		183	18.3
8	Amnesya	IT	16	-1	17		19		17	-1	16		31	-1	15		14		18		18	-1	181	18.1
9	France 4-way Women	FR	17		15	-1	20		17		15		33		14		14	-1	14	-2	18		177	17.7
9	Papea	ES	14	-3	17	-1	18	-1	17		14	-1	32		14	-1	15		18		18		177	17.7

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Arizona Airspeed - France 4-way Open - Nephtys at the 23rd FAI World Cup of Formation Skydiving - Video footage courtesy of FAI/InTime

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It is already a very strong field in 4-way Open at the Shamrock Showdown, topped by the currently two strongest 4-way teams in the world. The Golden Knights will use the 4-way opportunity, as well, as they will be in Florida with GKXP8 for 8-way competition. The U.S. Army team will probably try to challenge the French national team in 4-way Women, while Airspeed and France measure up the current 4-way Open Class situation.

The preview leaderboard is far from being complete, as other teams have not registered or confirmed yet. However, it is already obvious by now that the Shamrock Showdown 2024 will offer once again very exciting 4-way and 8-way competition.

The Shamrock Showdown 2024 is also including the championship event of the Florida Skydiving League in its comeback year. Five local and regional teams attended the Shamrock Showdown 2023 and requested the comeback and repetition after a great meet experience last year. The first two Florida teams can already be found on the preview leaderboards, 4Action with the same lineup as at the USPA Nationals 2023, and new 4-way team Air Go with former CitiZens member Albert Etienne's family lineup, including his two twin daughters Rebekah and Hannah. Jim Rees is the event judge and will use the InTime scoring system. Registration will be open until the early morning of the first meet day on March 15th. Team names will be added to the preview leaderboards as soon as they are confirmed.

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Shamrock Showdown 2024 March 15 - 17 at Skydive DeLand

Thursday, March 14
09:00 - Sunset	Team Registration, Training Jumps	Skydive DeLand
19:00	Meet Briefing, Competition Draw	Perfect Spot
Friday, March 15
07:00 - 09:00	Team Registration	Skydive DeLand
09:00 - Sunset	4-way and 8-way Competition Rounds	Skydive DeLand
19:00	Drinks + Videos	Perfect Spot
Saturday, March 16
07:00 - 09:00	Team Registration	Skydive DeLand
09:00 - Sunset	4-way and 8-way Competition Rounds	Skydive DeLand
19:00	Awards	Perfect Spot
Sunday, March 17 - Weather Day
09:00 - Noon	Optional: 4-way and 8-way Competition Rounds	Skydive DeLand
13:00	Optional: Awards	Perfect Spot

Shamrock Showdown 2024 - Preview			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	Arizona Airspeed	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	France 4-way Open	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Nephtys	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Golden Knights	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Teiwaz	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rank	AA Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	4Action	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rank	A Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	Air Go	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rank	8-way		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	GKXP8	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-