posted Nov 11th, 2014 - The duel between France and the USA for gold medals in 4-way Women has been covered by the Sun Path Products NSL News ever since the current Golden Knights lineup came together for the 2011 season.

There has been a lot of drama in those battles for the top spot, and the most famous one was probably at the World Cup 2013 when the Deep Blue Defenders and the Golden Knights were still tied after a jump-off round and had to go through the rules book to break the tie.

The latest battle took place at the FAI World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2014, and it was featured by the Sun Path Products NSL News on 24 September 2014.

World Meet 2014		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women	E,3,C,5	F,6,D,21	19,H,2	M,4,1	O,14,A,P	8,J,16	7,11,12	22,20,15	17,G,18	13,B,9	Total	Avg
1	French Girls (FR)	21(-2)	25	22	20(-1)	27	21	18	17	19	24	214	21.4
2	Golden Knights (US)	22	25	21	21	23(-2)	18(-1)	16(-1)	15	19	24	204	20.4

The French teams, first the Deep Blue Defenders, followed by the French Girls, have had the upper hand in those four years over the Golden Knights and won the four world cup and world meet gold medals in 2011 - 2014. However, the next 2-year cycle might become the most challenging one for coach Marin Ferre and his new lineup.

The story on 2 November 2014 was published after the USPA Nationals 2014 where the Golden Knights finished with a new team record average (21.4) which matched the French average at the world meet in Prostejov.

The story mentioned that the world meet came too early for the Golden Knights, and the USPA bronze medals in the Open Class compensated only partially for the 2nd place behind France.

World Cup 2013		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Rd. 11	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	O,4,H,3	9,17,P	L,1,G,12	7,10,21	16,E,A,15	8,2,B	18,5,Q	F,14,K,N	M,C,D,13	20,J,19	22,11,6	Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne French Girls	21	27	16	18	20	17	17	23	24	20	17	220	20.0
1	Golden Knights	22	25	17	17	19	18	21	20	24	20	17	220	20.0

The 21.4 average at the USPA Nationals still showed very clearly what the new French lineup has to expect in the next two years. The consistency of training and competition with the same lineup and the same coach might eventually bring the results that the US Army team is expecting from themselves.

The 2014 scoring progression was impressive, and the new French lineup with two returning French Girls is in the situation of having to catch up with the Golden Knights on the top level. French coach Marin Ferre has done exactly that quite a few times with his new lineups.

He has Solly Williams in the other corner, who has guided the Golden Knights to the 21.4 average this year. The coming two years will most likely bring back the same battles for the top position in 4-way Women that the audience could enjoy in the last four years. The outcome could be reversed this time...