posted Dec 23rd, 2009 - The 8-way teams of France and the USA have been well known in the past years, as they have been controlling the gold and silver medal positions at the last two world meets. Russia was in the same race until the World Meet in Croatia 2004 and then fell behind in 2006. Finally, Russia did not even have an 8-way team at the World Meet 2008 in France.

The NSL News stories on 30 November 2009 and 5 December 2009 explained how this situation will probably change in 2010. Russia is coming back with a very strong 8-way lineup that will aim for medals on home turf next year.

The 8-way competition will most likely go back to a time when all three Formation Skydiving powerhouses went neck to neck for the gold medals. The World Meet 2004 in Croatia was the closest race between USA (172), France (169) and Russia (167) in the history of recent 8-way Formation Skydiving competition since 1985. Only five points separated Russia's team Evolution Pro in 3rd place from Arizona Airspeed in 1st place.

France won the 8-way gold medals in 2006 by four points after six rounds over Airspeed and had no serious competition in 2008. In fact, the French lineup of 2006 and 2008 was eventually more chasing the 8-way world records of the Golden Knights than competing with other 8-way teams.

The situation between France and the USA has changed now, as the Golden Knights have built up a new and very eager lineup that will compete for the USA in 2010. France on the other side has a new lineup that still has to work itself up to the performance level of the world champion team of 2006 and 2008.

The new lineups in France and the USA could make it easier for Russia to catch up and get to the top performance and scoring level of 2010. The 8-way race next year could even become the closest one in the 8-way history on the highest scoring level ever.

All three teams must be aware of this exciting situation and have intensive training plans for the 2010 season.

The French 8-way team trains in January in Eloy, Arizona. 4-way and 8-way member Mathieu Bernier is assigned to the 8-way training, even though the French national 4-way team with his brother Guillaume competes for cash and honors in Dubai at the same time.

The Golden Knights are currently on a team mission in Iraq. They will continue with their intensive 8-way training as soon as they will be back in January. Team captain Brian "BK" Krause has also made plans for an 8-way competition at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2010, as he is looking for more serious competition practice in the world meet year.

The French 4-way team will once again compete at the Shamrock Showdown. However, the 8-way team will once again be in a training camp, this time in Europe, while the 4-way team is competing in Florida. The French 8-way team will not be available for the 8-way Shamrock meet in DeLand, and Brian Krause has already made arrangements for another serious sparring partner.

Paraclete XP leader Kirk Verner, former Airspeed 4-way and 8-way world champion, will put together a strong Paraclete 8-way lineup for the Shamrock Showdown. Paraclete's 8-way lineup made life already very difficult for the Golden Knights at the 2009 USPA National Skydiving Championships. Brian Krause is now looking once again for the same pressure, or even more, as he can expect a very tight race at the World Meet 2010 in Russia.

It will be the first 8-way competition in the Shamrock Showdown's history, and it will be an exciting one.

World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010
Who will win the 8-way competition?	France USA Russia Others
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