posted Aug 7th, 2024 - The Austrian Outdoor Nationals 2024 brought back together five teams who were on last year's leaderboard, and three additional 4-way teams generated the average participation at Austria's national outdoor championships. This year's three medal winners last month were also in the top positions in 2023, and the order of the final rankings between them was the same, as well.

The absence of 2023 bronze medal winner Slow Motion allowed Black Mantis to move back up to a medal position, even though this year's Black Mantis average (11.0) would have won the 3rd place in 2023. Black Mantis had outscored Final Fire and Red Bull AerodynamiX in 2020 and 2021 and were qualified to compete at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2022.

Black Mantis had to rebuild their lineup after winning in 2021 and decided to skip their participation at the world championship. AerodynamiX, who had placed 5th at the national championship in 2021, took the open slot and represented Austria in Eloy.

In fact, all three medal winners at this year's national championship are former Austrian 4-way champions. AerodynamiX eventually won the 4-way title in 2023 and defended it successfully this year. Final Fire won their first Austrian gold medals in 2013 and added five more national championship 4-way titles between 2014 and 2019, until Black Mantis stole their gold medals in 2020 and 2021.

Austria Outdoor Nationals 2024		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	19,21,H		1,F,11		8,9,17		J,12,18		E,8,A,N		5,P,K,4		3,13,14		Total	Avg
1	Red Bull AerodynamiX	13	-1	15		18	-1	12		14	-1	11		11	-1	94	13.4
2	Final Fire	13		10	-3	17		10		13		11	-1	10		84	12.0
3	Black Mantis	11		13		12	-2	9		12	-1	10	-1	10		77	11.0
4	Blue Whales Freistadt	10		11		8	-1	9		12		9	-1	8		67	9.6
5	Blue Wombats	8		7		8		3	-2	6		4	-1	5		41	5.9
6	Familyair	6		6		8		4		7		5		4	-1	40	5.7
7	OGC Skydive Team	6		5	-1	7	-1	5		4	-1	5		4		36	5.1
8	Flying Daltons	2	-1	3		2		1	-2	3	-2	1		5		17	2.4

4-way Open Class medal winners at FAI World Championships between 1985 and 2022

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Final Fire still came back to the national championship the next year and defeated AerodynamiX by one single point before Austria's national team traveled to Arizona for the outdoor world championship. AerodynamiX then won their first national 4-way title a year later against both contemporary opponents.

This year's leaderboard features the same three teams in the three top spots, and Black Mantis seem to be on the way to challenge AerodynamiX and Final Fire soon again for the national championship title. The new Black Mantis lineup traveled to Germany for the Paranodon Cup 2024 in June for competition practice before the Austrian outdoor championship and followed up 2.5 average points higher than in 2023.

Final Fire have not had plans to attend another world championship since their trip to Skydive Chicago in 2016. However, they still enjoy competing for national 4-way medals year by year in Austria. They seem to have a lot in common with Denmark's national team Sequenz that the NSL News just covered after the completion of Denmark's 4-way championship.

However, Sequenz have still been ready to compete for Denmark at FAI events, while Final Fire leave it up to other Austrian teams to make the same experience. Final Fire and AerodynamiX have already competed for Austria at outdoor world championships, while Black Mantis, Austria's national champions of 2020 and 2021 are still working on the same experience.

Austrian Outdoor Nationals 2023		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	17,M,J,13		4,Q,H,E		18,15,3		C,16,7		O,G,12,N		10,P,K,1		5,11,L		2,B,9		Total	Avg
1	Red Bull AerodynamiX	17		18	-2	11		14	-1	13		11	-1	7	-1	17		108	13.5
2	Final Fire	14	-3	16		11	-1	13	-1	12	-1	12	-1	7	-2	16		101	12.6
3	Slow Motion	11		13		8		10		10		9		9		12		82	10.3
4	Black Mantis	10		10		6		9		9		9		7		8		68	8.5
5	Blue Whales Freistadt	6		8		6		6		5		7		4		10		52	6.5
6	Benjis Angles	6		5		4		5		5		5		3		4		37	4.6
7	OGC Skydive Team	0		1		2		1		2		1		1		3		11	1.4

4-way Open Class teams from Austria at FAI World Championships between 1985 and 2022

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There could be a similar opportunity for Black Mantis as AerodynamiX had it in 2020. Black Mantis of 2019-2021 were qualified to compete for Austria in Tanay 2021 and Eloy 2022. They did not compete at both events, and AerodynamiX was Austria's national 4-way team in Eloy.

AerodynamiX have difficulties to compete for Austria at the FAI Outdoor World Championships 2024, which would be the team's second time to represent Austria. The country has a similar history compared to Denmark, as well. Austria and Denmark both won FAI bronze medals, Team Amadeus for Austria in Brazil 1987, Touchee for Denmark in Eloy 1993 and Czechoslovakia 1995. Austria also has a consistent history in 4-way competition at world championships and missed only two more than national teams from Denmark.

AerodynamiX, who represent Austria at CISM and at FAI events both, are currently going through their own personnel changes, just like Black Mantis had to after winning their national 4-way titles. The AerodynamiX CISM lineup will be different in the future, while the civilian FAI lineup try to continue together as good as possible. The AerodynamiX situation could be the opportunity for another Austrian team to compete at a world championship. Final Fire have no plans, while Black Mantis could get their chance earlier than they may have expected.