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Did You Know...

... that Solly Williams discussed the chances for a new FS Sweep in 2016?

End of one 2-year cycle = Beginning of a new one...
image by: Vania Da Rui
posted Oct 17th, 2014 - The aftermath of the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014 is obviously far from over, as topic after topic brings the event back to the attention of the Sun Path Products NSL News and the audience.

In fact, the coverage of this event actually never comes to an end. The World Championship of Formation Skydiving is the biggest and most relevant competition in the sport and always has more than enough topics to offer. The end of one world meet is only the beginning of a new 2-year cycle to the next one.

The discussion of the new countdown to the Mondial 2016 in the USA is in full swing by now, as the lineups of some of the potential top contenders have been finalized soon after the end of this year's world meet in Prostejov.

Solly Williams, Shannon Pilcher: DeLand Majik team mates
Today's NSL Talk conversation with Solly Williams was both a review and a short summary of the results in Prostejov and an evaluation of the current situation at the same time. Solly Williams was coaching the Golden Knights to the silver medals in 4-way Women and has a new 2-year contract with the same team.

The last NSL Talk with Solly Williams had taken place after Round 1 in Prostejov when the whole competition was on a weather hold. His DeLand Majik team mate of 2004, Shannon Pilcher, was by his side in front of the camera, and the conversation began with memories of their own competitive days. The world champions of 2004 (Solly Williams) and 2006 (Shannon Pilcher) now both won world meet medals as coaches in Prostejov, Solly Williams silver with the Golden Knights and Shannon Pilcher bronze with Evolution.

The review of this year's world meet was only the lead into an evaluation of the current situation at the beginning of the new 2-year cycle, and it generated a topic that is not completely new - the "FS Sweep".

History of the Sweep in Formation Skydiving competition
French 4-Event Sweep in Menzelinsk 2010
The "FS Sweep" happens when the same country wins all gold medals at the same World Championship of Formation Skydiving, and it was mentioned the last time on 24 February 2014, related to French coach and former 4-way world champion Marin Ferre.

It has happened five times in the modern history of Formation Skydiving competition since 1985, and only once in the time period with the four current FS events (2010 - 2014). Solly Williams and Shannon Pilcher were both in the US delegation, with DeLand Majik, that accomplished the FS Sweep in 2004.

Only France has yet completed the FS Sweep since VFS 4-way was added to the world meet format in 2010. France won all four sets of gold medals in Menzelinsk 2010 and has defended them successfully in two events ever since (4-way Women and VFS 4-way).

World Meet 2016 - FS Sweep

How good are the chances for the US delegation to win all gold medals in 2016?

100%
Good chance
Maybe
No chance
Two more years: Golden Knights with Solly Williams
The current situation in Formation Skydiving competition might support a new charge of a country to win all four events. It would be the US delegation this time that could have an opportunity in two years on US home turf at Skydive Chicago.

The Golden Knights are in a very safe position in 8-way and will guarantee the first gold medal. The new 2-year plan of the US Army's unchanged female lineup with coach Solly Williams raises the chances for a US gold medal in 4-way Women significantly, and Arizona Airspeed's new lineup is automatically a top contender for gold medals.

France had a very strong presence in VFS 4-way with 3-time world champion Team4speed who have now retired. Arizona Arsenal won the silver medals in Prostejov and is automatically the strongest team in the world at the moment. Solly Williams could once again be a part of a US delegation that sweeps the Formation Skydiving events - four this time...

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