posted Jul 27th, 2016 - The leaderboard of the July 16 weekend included the Coupe de France results, and the Sun Path Products NSL News reported on July 17th that the French national team in 4-way Open finished with a new team record average (23.7) after the 10-round meet.

The team then had to take a break from training for the Mondial 2016 shortly after the completion of the Coupe de France event since point Laurence Herve had to switch to military skydiving duties. France sent two 4-way teams to the 40th CISM World Military Parachuting Championship, which was hosted by Russia this year.

One team competed in the male 4-way category, the other one in the female category. The CISM World Military Parachuting Championship does not have an Open Class for mixed-gender 4-way teams, as the FAI/IPC applies it, without having a male category.

Laurence Herve has been serving for the French military forces for many years, and before she became a member of the French Girls in 2011. She missed winning her own 4-way Women gold medal in the active lineup at the Mondial Dubai 2012 after breaking an ankle a few months before the competition.

She continued for two more years with the new French Girls lineup and won the next French gold medal in 4-way Women in Prostejov 2014. Then she switched to the French national team in 4-way Open last year who she has been training and competing with ever since.

Laurence Herve had her 2011/2012 French Girls world champion team mate Stephanie Texier in the military lineup at this year's CISM championship, and it was no big surprise that the two 4-way Women world champions finished in the top spot, together with Marie Monate, Deborah Ferrand and Leocadie Odp.

CISM 2016		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women	M,3,F,E	M,J,M,2	M,8,N,B	M,1,Q,D	M,H,G,4	M,P,A,6	M,7,O,C	M,L,K,5	Total	Avg
1	France	20	19	21	24	21	25	18	20	168	21.0
2	Russia	20	21	20	18	20	21	18	18	156	19.5
3	China	19	19	19	19	18	22	17	17	150	18.8
4	Spain	14	17	16	17	18	19	15	17	133	16.6

However, it was no walk in the park for the French military team. Russia offered serious opposition, as least for three rounds, before France slowly pulled away.

It could have been even much more difficult for France if the Golden Knights had competed in Russia. However, U.S. Army teams have not competed in Russia for many years, and new member JaNette Lefkowitz would probably not be eligible for a CISM championship. Laurence Herve will neither meet the Golden Knights at the Mondial 2016, where she competes in 4-way Open. The new French Girls lineup will be in charge of defending the French gold medals successfully.

The 4-way Men competition at the CISM championship includes NMP PCH HayaBusa and the Qatar Tigers and will be completed tomorrow. The Sun Path Products NSL News will follow up with the scores and more information.