posted Feb 26th, 2008 - Indoor competitions have become increasingly popular. In fact, the 2008 season has already seen two windtunnel competitions, while the Valentine's Meet 2008 was the only outdoor competition so far. The third and most popular tunnel meet, the World Challenge 2008, is already coming up at the end of March.

The Carolina Skydiving League event at the Paraclete XP windtunnel in Raeford was the first indoor event on February 9. The Aerokart windtunnel in Paris, France, was the event site of the second windtunnel competition this year. It was officially the first French Indoor Championship, sanctioned by the French skydiving association.

Most of the participating teams had already appeared on the scoreboards of outdoor competitions in the past years, including Aerokart Mamba with two 8-way world champions, and Monaco Pujaut Aerial, which represented France at last year's ESL Championship.

The winning team, Aerokart Mamba, with Arnaud Mille, Manu Sarrazin, Clément Martin-Saint-Léon and Julien Olek in the lineup, seems to be well prepared for the team's next indoor meet, the World Challenge 2008 at Bodyflight Bedford. The NSL News introduced the team at the USPA Nationals 2007 and posted the last update on 17 January 2008.

Clement Martin-Saint-Leon and Emmanuel Sarazin, the two 8-way world champions in the team, plus B-Team members Julien Olek and Guillaume Bajolet already competed last year at the World Challenge (20.2) and then throughout the 2007 season.

Arnaud Mille has replaced Guillaume Bajolet this year, and last weekend's tunnel meet was the first competition for the new lineup.

The first place with a 22.5 average was rewarded with a check of 2,000 Euro, and the team's scoring level is already significantly higher compared to last year. The French national 4-way team did not attend the indoor competition. France Maubeuge was at a training camp in Marocco and seems to focus primarily on outdoor competition.

The national team will also skip the World Challenge 2008. However, France Maubeuge will post its first 2008 scores at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2008. The members of the national 4-way team (Guillaume Bernier, Mathieu Bernier, Julien Degen and Jeremie Rollet) and the two Aerokart Mamba members, plus the remaining two French 8-way competitors (player coach Erwan Pouliquen and Bruno Perin), will all meet this Saturday and continue with a 1-week training camp in 8-way.

Another very interesting aspect of the indoor competition in Paris was the first appearance of Deep Blue, one of the two French all-female lineups that compete for the status as the French national 4-way team this year. White and Sea is the opponent. The NSL News covered this special situation already last year (Archives > 2007 > News > search for "Deep Blue") and posted an update on 24 January 2008.

Deep Blue consists of Sophie Deremaux, Françoise Simons-Hamouchi, Bérangère Duplouy, Amélie Tirman and impressed the audience with a 22.1 average after ten rounds. Even the Aerokart Mamba members were quite impressed and had a serious competition with the all-female lineup.

White and Sea, with Christèle Askew, Emmanuelle Nicols, Julie Levie and Isabelle Seel, did not compete in Paris last weekend. However, the team has signed up for the World Challenge 2008 at the end of March. The Aerokart Mamba members have the opportunity to observe the other contender for the French slot in IPC's female category live in Bedford.