posted Oct 16th, 2019 - The 4-way Women competition at the FAI Outdoor World Cup featured not only a new showdown between the French Weembi Girls and NFTO. In fact, the battle between Phoenix XP (United States) and Skynamite (Germany) for the FAI bronze medals was closer than any other competition for medals at the event.

It ended with a 2-point difference to the advantage of Phoenix XP, and it could have ended the other way around, as well. Both teams took turns in winning rounds from the beginning to the end.

It was not a big surprise that Phoenix XP was in contention for 4-way Women medals, despite the late personnel change and the fact that the U.S. team even missed the USPA Nationals, where Aviatrix won the 4-way Women qualification for next year's FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving.

Phoenix XP had missed the FAI bronze medals at last year's FAI Outdoor World Meet in Australia by two points after a similar battle with Team X from Sweden. Germany's Skynamite competed at the same event and were not involved in the competition for medals.

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FAI Outdoor World Meet 2018			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		21,L,B,G		22,18,17		19,7,O		J,16,12		10,A,D,15		Q,M,F,C,N		H,20,P,13		6,14,11		E,2,5		4,1,3		Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Weembi Girls	FR	29	-1	20		24		22		25		56	-1	23		18	-2	22		18	-1	257	25.7
2	NFTO	UK	20	-3	15		22	-1	19		18		38	-2	18		17		19		16		202	20.2
3	Team X	SE	17	-3	10	-3	18		16		14		36	-3	15	-3	13		18		12	-1	169	16.9
4	Phoenix XP	US	17	-2	12		17		14		15	-1	37		16	-1	12	-2	14	-2	13		167	16.7
4	Boomerang Betty	AU	19	-1	11	-1	18		14		15		32	-2	15		13		17		13		167	16.7
6	Fuzion Voltige	CA	17	-1	9	-2	18		14		15	-1	34	-2	14	-2	13	-2	14	-2	13		161	16.1
7	Skynamite	DE	19		12		16	-1	14		14	-1	27	-1	13	-3	12	-1	15		12	-1	154	15.4

Phoenix XP - Skynamite at the FAL Outdoor World Meet 2018 in Australia - Video Footage Courtesy of FAI/IPC/OmniSkore!HD

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Germany has never won medals at FAI Formation Skydiving world meets or world cups in any event yet, and Skynamite came closer than expected last week. The German team had injury problems and had competed with Airbus 8-way member Linda Koeb as a substitute for Janine Tillenburg at the German Outdoor Nationals in August.

They missed the 14.1 qualification average for Tanay 2020 by one single point and traveled to Arizona hoping for a better result. Janine Tillenburg was still not ready for competition action, and Oceanside Atomix member Andrea Kleinschmidt agreed to fill the open slot at the world cup.

Linda Koeb was in Eloy too, with her 8-way team, but the German teams decided against double duties, and new German 4-way Open Class champion Andrea Kleinschmidt competed for Skynamite. She moved from her point slot with Atomix to outside center with Skynamite, and the German team finished with a 14.3 average, which would have been enough for the world meet qualification, despite a slow competition draw in Eloy.

The German skydiving federation could still decide to send Skynamite to Russia next year, and U.S. team Phoenix XP will miss the event. Aviatrix will compete for the U.S. delegation, while Germany has no other 4-way Women team on a 14+ average level.

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FAI Outdoor World Cup 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		13,11,16		P,22,4		O,7,21		9,20,G		18,15,L		K,10,3		6,14,C		1,M,A,17		F,D,Q,8		2,5,E		Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Weembi Girls	FR	17		19		25		20		20		19		20		23		25	-1	21		209	20.9
2	NFTO	UK	17		17		23		19	-1	17		17		19		21		23	-1	20		193	19.3
3	Phoenix XP	US	13		13		17		14		13		12	-1	14		17		18	-1	14		145	14.5
4	Skynamite	DE	13		12		18		16		11	-2	13		13		15	-1	16	-3	16		143	14.3
5	Fly Girls	US	11		11	-1	15	-1	14		11		12		13		14	-1	16		12		129	12.9
6	Victorious Secret	US	9		11	-1	14		10	-2	11		11		12		16	-1	14		14		122	12.2
7	Alola	UK	9	-1	10	-2	13		10	-1	9	-1	9	-1	9	-1	12	-1	16		11		108	10.8

Phoenix XP - Skynamite at the FAL Outdoor World Cup 2019 in Eloy - Video Footage Courtesy of FAI/IPC/OmniSkore!HD

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Phoenix XP and Skynamite both trained and competed with new lineups this year and last week. Only Lauren Byrd and Christine Bruchac came back with the 2019 team, and Elliot Byrd continued on camera, as well. Sheryl Benner and Irina Meshcheryakova were the new Phoenix members.

Injury problems came in the team's way this year and after the Paraclete XP Indoor Championship with the new lineup. Phoenix XP first missed the Paraclete XP Summer Classic and then also the USPA Nationals. However, the team had qualified for the FAI World Cup 2019 at last year's USPA Nationals and recruited 2018 member Megan George and Brianne Thompson for last week's event.

The situation was the same for Skynamite who had two new members in their world cup lineup. Only Sandra Dederichs and Yasmin Schütte had competed for Germany in Australia last year. Sylvia Schlaphof joined the team for the whole 2019 season, and Andrea Kleinschmidt filled the open slot for Janine Tillenburg last week.

Skynamite would meet Aviatrix in Tanay 2020, who won the 4-way Women competition at the USPA Nationals with a 15.0 average over Perris Force - if the German skydiving federation decides to be represented at the next world meet...