posted Jul 1st, 2025 - The first unofficial NSL Power Rankings of the horizontal formation skydiving events at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025 were a part of the update on 12 January 2025. The unofficial rankings are showing the registered teams according to their scoring history and any available information. Newly registered teams will be added until registration closes on July 13th. 19 of the 20 teams in 4-way AAA/Open had this scoring history that can be used to create preview power rankings. Only Austria has a registered team without any more detailed information at this point in time.

The NSL News discussed the first version of the NSL Power Rankings with Gary Smith in a new NSL Live Talk conversation that was recorded on Monday, a day before he travels to Europe with Qatar's 4-way delegation. Lions and Cheetahs will spend over a month for training and competition in Europe, together with their coaches Gary Smith and Luc Verstrepen, and with the junior teams who competed at the Shamrock Showdown 2025.

Only Lions and Cheetahs are registered for the world cup at Skydive Teuge, as the first NSL Power Rankings were showing. The junior teams will probably join them at other meets after the world cup that the Qatar delegation may attend. Qatar's 4-way and 8-way teams are regular guests at national championships in Europe when they have to travel there for competition and training.

FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open Power Rankings		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	Aethers Medjay	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Golden Knights	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Qatar Lions	QA	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	SDC Rhythm XP	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	XPG4	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Echochamber	SE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Papea	ES	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Skywalkers Junior	CZ	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Agera	NO	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Out Of The Blue	NL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12	RhEvolution XP	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12	Qatar Cheetahs	QA	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12	Ayro	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Chop Chop	AU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	British Army Volt4ge	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Axis	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Les Hermines	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Bripac	ES	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
20	Austria	AT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

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First version of NSL Power Rankings in 4-way AAA/Open

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The NSL News adjusts the power rankings with and after any input that experts in formation skydiving competition may provide. Gary Smith is one of the most informed and experienced coaches in the world, and he had input that had to be considered for the updated leaderboards.

He has naturally the most current information that is related to the Qatar teams that he and Luc Verstrepen are coaching together. He said that Lions and Cheetahs are very close to each other at the moment, and he suggested to upgrade the Cheetahs to a position not far from the Lions. Qatar's currently official national team was a part of the large group of teams who are expected to battle for the highest ranking position behind the medals in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. After the upgrade of the Cheetahs, there are currently nine teams who could be in contention for the 4th place.

Gary Smith is also still very close to the team that he guided to their world championship titles between 2014 and 2021, NMP PCH HayaBusa. However, he did not agree that the Belgian team is ready yet to challenge the Golden Knights for the second place, especially after the convincing performance of the U.S. Army team at the Paraclete XP Summer Classic 2025. The adjustment of the power rankings means that the medal positions seem to be set without too much potential for any surprises.

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NSL Live Talk with Gary Smith on 30 June 2025

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open Power Rankings		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	Aethers Medjay	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Golden Knights	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Qatar Lions	QA	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	SDC Rhythm XP	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	XPG4	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Echochamber	SE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Qatar Cheetahs	QA	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Papea	ES	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Skywalkers Junior	CZ	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Agera	NO	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Out Of The Blue	NL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13	RhEvolution XP	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13	Ayro	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Chop Chop	AU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	British Army Volt4ge	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Axis	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Les Hermines	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Bripac	ES	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
20	Austria	AT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

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Adjusted NSL Power Rankings in 4-way AAA/Open

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That's the opposite situation compared to the competition for the 4th place, where nine teams could have a chance to win this slot behind the medal contenders. The Qatar Tigers, still reigning bronze medalists of the world championships in 2021, 2022 and 2024, used to be a part of the battle for medals. However, now they only compete at the military CISM world championships, while Gary Smith and Luc Verstrepen are preparing Lions and Tigers to be back in the same position as the Tigers were.

The very promising competition for the 4th place will include the Top 10 positions at the same time. Three medal contenders and nine challengers for the 4th place add up to a total of 12 teams. Two of the nine teams will not make the Top 10, and the next two teams, RhEvolution XP and Ayro, could push each other closer to the expected Top 10 positions. The Top 10 competition could become just as exciting as the race for the 4th place.

Gary Smith agreed with the first version of the NSL Power Rankings in the 8-way competition. He thinks that the Qatar Falcons could have a chance to challenge Paraclete XP8 for the 1st place. It's the new XP8 lineup that will compete in Teuge, with five new team members, and it is an outdoor competition with the well trained Qatar Falcons as the direct opponent. Germany's 8-way teams Airbus and Operation Adler won two sets of world championship bronze medals in 2022 and 2024, and they will have to work very hard at the world cup this time, where three more U.S. teams could challenge the Germans for the bronze medal position in 8-way.

FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open Power Rankings		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	Paraclete XP8	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
1	Qatar Falcons	QA	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Airbus	DE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Prison 9	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Bra Nok	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Mandatory Fun!	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	Cark8	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
8	Netherlands	NL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
8	Great Britain	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-