posted Sep 6th, 2025 - The unfortunate story of the German 8-way team at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025, Airbus Oceanside Illertissen, was well documented by the NSL News, and it had a happy ending.

The German 8-way story began when Henning Stumpp, President of the German skydiving federation (DFV) and Airbus member, had a landing accident, after a broken line on opening compromised the parachute. The update on August 31st explained that Henning Stumpp could not continue with the 8-way competition after Round 4. Team videographer Erik Lorenz was considered to switch to the tail slot in front of the camera if Airbus could find a substitute videographer. Team captain Steffen Schiedek discussed the situation with the FAI Jury who suggested that Airbus could use another member of the German delegation at Skydive Teuge to take the camera slot and compete with Erik Lorenz in the active lineup.

The NSL News followed up on September 1st after Freestyle videographer Christian Kaufmann had agreed to film the 8-way team, as well. Airbus member Karin Bauch, team captain Steffen Schiedek and new 8-way competitor Erik Lorenz discussed the situation with the NSL News when Airbus had resumed the 8-way competition with the new lineup and the 9-pointer in Round 5. The German 8-way team was in contention for the FAI bronze medals on the Open Class leaderboard of the world cup after Round 4 and knew that they would have to give up the hopes for the 3rd place without Henning Stumpp.

FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		B,Q,19,F		G,13,K,A		12,7,8		16,E,6		1,J,9		10,15,21		5,18,L		M,20,11		C,17,2		22,O,P,3		Total	Avg
1	Qatar Falcons	QA	19		20		14	-1	22		19		14		16		18		17		22		181	18.1
2	Prison 9	US	18		16		9	-2	17	-2	19		12	-1	15		15		11	-2	15		147	14.7
3	Mandatory Fun!	US	15	-1	13	-1	11		12	-2	14		12		10	-1	14		12		15		128	12.8
4	Bra Nok XP	US	13		11	-1	10	-1	13		13		9	-2	11		11		8		11		110	11.0
5	Airbus 8-way	DE	13		14		5	-5	15		9		3	-2	9		10		7		6	-2	91	9.1
6	Shinobi XL	NL	6		4		4		6		4	-2	5		5		1	-2	4		4		43	4.3
7	Cark8	UK	3		3	-1	2	-1	4		3	-1	4		5		4		4		3		35	3.5
8	Just M8S	UK	1	-3	4		4		2	-2	3		4		5		3		3		2	-2	31	3.1

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025: Airbus Oceanside Illertissen Rounds 1 - 10

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The Airbus 8-way team had to deal with three U.S. teams in the top half of the 8-way leaderboard, where the Qatar Falcons were out of reach for all teams. Prison 9 had also secured the silver medal position, while Airbus was battling with Mandatory Fun! and Bra Nok for the 3rd place throughout the first four rounds.

Four European teams were in the rankings of the lower half of the 8-way leaderboard, including Airbus, and the FAI European Championship was embedded in the 8-way competition of the outdoor world cup, as well. Airbus, now with substitute Erik Lorenz, had won each of the first four rounds on the European leaderboard with Henning Stumpp in the lineup, including the 5-pointer in Round 3.

The first round with Erik Lorenz was promising, as Airbus won Round 5 still far ahead of the other three European teams. The 3-pointer in Round 6 then became the lowest score on the whole 8-way leaderboard. However, Erik Lorenz and his team mates took it easy and posted only European highscores in the remaining four rounds. Airbus substituted the world cup bronze medals with the European gold medals, and the playing of the German national anthem on the 8-way podium may have been the first time in formation skydiving history since 1985. Home team Shinobi XL won silver for the Netherlands, Cark 8 bronze medals for Great Britain.

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025: Featuring Airbus Oceanside Illertissen

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Only a few Airbus members now continue with formation skydiving competition at the next event that the NSL News will cover live from the competition site in Germany. The FSC Remscheid skydiving club is hosting the national outdoor championship at the Skyfactory in the small town of Stadtlohn, not far from the border with the Netherlands.

Germany's national outdoor championship covers 33 events in seven disciplines in the coming week, including 4-way and 8-way competition. Airbus Oceanside Illertissen were not planning to be a part of the 8-way competition, and Operation Adler will walk away with their next national championship title.

The NSL News reported last time on August 30th that Airbus will represent Germany in 8-way at the outdoor world cup and skip the national championship a week later. Operation Adler competed for Germany at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2024 and will most likely do the same next year in Eloy. Airbus 8-way members Karin Bauch and Erik Lorenz will be back in action at the German national championship, Karin Bauch in 4-way and 8-way, Erik Lorenz back on camera in both events, as well. The Airbus delegation will be represented by the Airbus 4-way team this time, who were following the world cup action carefully. They are expected to be one of the contenders for the unofficial amateur world championship title next year.