posted Aug 20th, 2015 - The French Nationals 2015 included an 8-way competition that a total of four teams completed after five rounds. The national championships in France have only the AAA/Open Class category for the 4-way and 8-way teams, while the Coupe de France events also offer the AA/Intermediate Class competition for more teams.

Three of the four teams at the nationals had attended Coupe de France events earlier this year. Monaco Vitalsea and 8way Otter PCP competed at each of the three 8-way meets, bronze medal winner 8MBI Maubeuge attended the July meet before competing at the nationals last week.

The ranking order between the medal winners was the same at each meet, and Monaco Vitalsea won the national 8-way title for the 5th consecutive time.

French Nationals 2015		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open	18,20,P	4,2,8	A,M,21,16	E,19,L,11	Q,K,J,13	Total	Avg
1	Monaco Vitalsea 8	11	11	12	9	14	57	11.4
2	8way Otter PCP	10	9	9	9	12	49	9.8
3	8MBI Maubeuge	7	8	6	6	8	35	7.0
4	8 For Illkirch-Graffenstaden	7	4	4	4	8	27	5.4

Monaco Vitalsea had the team's third different lineup at the third 8-way competition of the 2015 season. Vitalsea's complete 4-way lineup (Didier Boignon, Stephane Mattoni, Jeff Ronzevalle, Frank Vazille) provided the foundation for the 8-way team, and Artemis Saumur member Pamela Lissajoux joined them at each of the three meets.

Last week's ringers, who received the French 8-way gold medals, were Laurence Herve, Yves Negrie and Frantz Jardel, while Charles Ferraro was also back on camera. Laurence Herve, reigning world champion in 4-way Women and now member of the French national 4-way Open Class team, and original Vitalsea 8-way member Yves Negrie had both been in the July lineup, as well. Frantz Jardel is a new Vitalsea member.

Emmanuel Sarrazin (8way Otter PCP) and Julien Degen (8MBI Maubeuge), both multiple French 8-way world champions and medalists, tried to bring their 8-way teams as close as possible to the highly experienced Vitalsea lineup and had to settle for the silver and bronze medals.

The French national 4-way and 8-way teams did not compete in Vichy, while the French Girls won the 4-way competition. Laurence Herve, Manu Sarrazin and Julien Degen will soon be back in the air with their own teams at the FAI World Cup 2015. National coach Mathieu Bernier, who competed with Artemis Saumur at the nationals, will then join forces with Manu Sarrazin and Julien Degen to challenge the Golden Knights in Teuge.

The performance level of the French national 8-way team will be significantly higher than the winning average last week. Monaco Vitalsea's 11.4 average would not go as far at the 8-way competition of the World Cup, where the eight registered 8-way teams include the world champions of 2006 - 2014, France and Golden Knights, and several other well trained teams.

The Sun Path Products NSL News will introduce the 8-way field for the World Cup very soon.