posted Dec 9th, 2009 - It is not new that female competitors have been dominating 4-way Formation Skydiving competition in the United Kingdom in the past years. This does not only count for IPC's female category where UK teams won the gold medals in 2006 and 2008. The NSL News story on 8 August 2009 provided more details of this special UK situation.

It was not an all-female lineup that won the UK Nationals this year, as it happened in 2005 (Airkix), 2006 (Airkix), 2007 (Bodyflight Storm) and 2008 (Bodyflight Storm). However, the UK 2009 champion, Satori, has Katie Woods and Julia Foxwell in the front piece and won with a 21.3 average.

Bodyflight Storm, the female world champions of 2008, with Hannah Betts (Center Inside), Claire "Sparky" Scott (Center Outside), Sarah Smith-Cannon (Point) and Kate Stephens (Tail) in the lineup, did not continue in 2009.

Pussy Galore, with two of the Storm members (Hannah Betts, Claire Scott) and two former champions (Tarnya Hollis, Amanda Kemp) placed second at this year's national championship with a 16.8 average. The new Storm lineup, with 2008 world champion Sarah Smith, finished in 6th place with a 14.2 average.

Neither of the two all-female lineups of 2009 will continue in 2010. There is a new combination of former female world champions who have finalized plans for the 2010 season and will compete for the United Kingdom at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving in Menzelinsk, Russia.

"Team Bodyflight" has already been sanctioned as the new UK national team, as the majority of the members competed for Pussy Galore at this year's national championship and placed second behind the national 4-way team in the Open Class, Satori.

Team Bodyflight consists of Sarah Smith-Cannon, Amanda Kemp, Tarnya Hollis and Liz Matthews. Claire "Sparky" Scott is the team's alternate, and Alan Thompson will be filming the team. Gary Smith will be working with the team as the coach.

Sarah Smith-Cannon, Amanda Kemp and Tarnya Hollis obviously trained and competed in the past years, even though in different lineups. Amanda Kemp is a female 4-way word champion of 2006 (Airkix), Sarah Smith-Cannon won her gold medal in 2008. Tarnya Hollis competed with Team Elan in 2007 and joined the Pussy Galore lineup this year.

Liz Matthews has her well deserved comeback in 2010. She won her world meet gold medal in the female category with V-Max in 2003 and did not compete for the United Kingdom in the same category in 2004 and 2006. Then she joined Aardvark Zulu's Open Class lineup in 2007 where she trained and competed together with Aaron Faith, the future Tail of Satori.

Satori was formed in 2008, with the two Aardvark Zulu members of 2007, Airkix world champion Julia Foxwell and newcomer Katie Woods.

Liz Matthews attended six meets with Satori and finished in 2nd place at the UK Nationals 2008 with a 17.6 average. She could not commit to the 2009 season, as she was expecting a baby.

Satori continued with former XL member John McIver, while Liz Matthews waited patiently for her opportunity to come back into 4-way Formation Skydiving competition. The NSL News met her when she was visiting at the World Challenge 2009, as the NSL News story reported on 5 April 2009.

Liz Matthews is not coming back with Satori. However, her slot in the Team Bodyflight lineup of 2010 offers her the opportunity to add another medal in the female category to her collection.

Satori and Team Bodyflight will both compete for the United Kingdom at the World Meet 2010 in Russia, and the female lineup has probably the better chances to win a set of medals. However, Satori could become an underdog contender if the progression continues as in 2008 and 2009.

Bodyflight Bedford is sponsoring the new national team, and Team Bodyflight has already begun with tunnel training. Sarah Smith-Cannon said that her team is in the process of planning the outdoor training camps for the 2010 season. The World Challenge 2010 will probably be the first test for the new lineup.