posted Jun 22nd, 2026 - Seven teams arrived at the Paraclete XP Summer Classic 2026, but many competitors would argue that there was an eighth team present all weekend. The French Aethers never boarded an aircraft in North Carolina. They did not walk through the hangar, attend the draw, or stand on the awards podium. Yet their presence could be felt in almost every conversation among the world's top competitors.

The Golden Knights, NMP PCH HayaBusa, and Arizona Airspeed all came to Raeford with their own goals. The Golden Knights wanted to confirm their status as the leading U.S. team and continue their preparations for the upcoming World Championship. NMP PCH HayaBusa was looking for another step forward in its pursuit of a fifth world title. Arizona Airspeed hoped to measure its progress against two of the strongest teams in the world.

At the same time, all three teams shared a common reference point. The Aethers have become the standard in modern 4-way competition. Their performances over the past seasons have forced every challenger to reconsider what is possible in terms of speed, efficiency, and technical precision. Whether teams are training in Belgium, France, Germany, or the United States, the same question keeps returning: How do we get to the French level?

FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		B,Q,19,F		G,13,K,A		12,7,8		16,E,6		1,J,9		10,15,21		5,18,L		M,20,11		C,17,2		22,O,P,3		Total	Avg
1	Aethers Lille	FR	36	-2	36		20	-1	25		29		20		24	-1	24		24	-1	25		263	26.3
2	Golden Knights	US	33		31	-2	20		24	-1	27	-1	16	-2	23		24		24		24		246	24.6
3	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	33		28	-3	19		24		30		18	-1	19	-2	22		21	-1	23		237	23.7
4	SDC Rhythm XP	US	27	-1	22	-5	17		22		21	-3	14	-2	20	-1	18	-1	20		19		200	20.0
5	U.S. Team	US	24	-2	21	-2	17		20		24		15	-1	18		19		21	-1	19		198	19.8
6	Skywalkers Junior	CZ	28		22	-2	16	-1	20		23		15	-1	18		18	-1	17	-2	19		196	19.6
7	Echochamber	SE	26		25		16	-1	20		24		12	-1	16	-1	19		18	-1	19		195	19.5
8	Agera	NO	27	-1	23	-1	17		18	-2	23	-1	16		17		17	-1	17	-2	19		194	19.4
9	RhEvolution XP	US	27		22		15		18	-1	21		15		13	-2	17		17		17		182	18.2
10	Out Of The Blue	NL	21	-2	22		13	-2	17		21		14		16		17	-1	17		17		175	17.5
11	AYRO	BE	24		22		13		18		21		12	-1	13	-2	17		17		15		172	17.2
12	Papea	ES	21	-3	22		17		18		18	-3	14		13	-1	15	-2	16	-2	16	-1	170	17.0
13	Chop Chop!	AU	18		16		11		12		16		9		10	-1	14		12	-1	13		131	13.1
14	Les Hermines	FR	17	-2	16	-1	10	-1	12		15		8	-1	10		14		13		13		128	12.8
15	British Army Volt4ge	UK	16		12		10		12		14	-2	11		9	-1	11	-1	10	-1	11		116	11.6
16	Axis	UK	13	-1	10	-2	10		10		14		9		8		11		10	-1	9	-2	104	10.4

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Aethers - Golden Knights - NMP PCH HayaBusa at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025

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That question followed the competitors throughout the week in North Carolina. When the Golden Knights hosted NMP PCH HayaBusa and Arizona Airspeed for a joint training camp in Laurinburg, discussions naturally turned toward world championship expectations.

When the teams analyzed training jumps, the comparison often led back to the current world champions. When they competed in Raeford, every strong round was viewed through the same lens.

Could it challenge the French?

Even the competition itself reflected that reality. The Golden Knights won with this lineup's record average of 26.1. NMP PCH HayaBusa followed with 25.7. Arizona Airspeed reached 24.9. Under most circumstances, such performances would be the primary story. Instead, the significance of those numbers came from what they represented: evidence that all three teams are moving closer to the level required to challenge the world's best.

1st Bob Hallett Memorial 2026			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		P,12,7		N,L,2,H		13,4,3		E,J,6,Q		K,O,B,8		D,5,21		19,22,A		F,9,14		15,18,1		16,G,17		Total	Avg
1	Aethers	FR	26		33		23		37		28	-1	27		25	-1	29		18	-1	25	-1	271	27.1
2	Golden Knights	US	26	-1	29	-2	20	-1	31	-3	27		25	-1	22	-1	25	-1	19		21	-1	245	24.5

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InTime competition videos of Aethers - Golden Knights at the Shamrock Showdown 2026 - 1st Bob Hallett Memorial

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The influence of the Aethers extended beyond North Carolina. HayaBusa coach Gary Smith spent the weekend in Germany with Airbus and remained in contact with the Belgian team throughout the competition. Across Europe and North America, multiple elite teams were effectively participating in the same conversation about performance, preparation, and progress.

That is one of the unique aspects of modern 4-way competition. The sport may be divided by national borders, but the top teams increasingly operate within the same global environment. They watch each other's videos, study each other's techniques, compare scores, and learn from one another.

As a result, a team does not always need to be physically present to influence an event. The Aethers never appeared on the competition manifest in Raeford. Yet throughout the week, they remained the benchmark against which every jump was measured.

XP Summer Classic 2026			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	AAA/Open/Advanced Class		L,O,15,10		8,G,17		13,1,21		K,2,E,B		14,18,A		20,Q,J,F		4,H,6		9,N,12		3,16,11		M,D,5,P		Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights	US	23		25		23		31	-1	21		31		24		25		20		38		261	26.1
2	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	24		23		22	-1	27	-3	20	-1	33		22		25		23		38		257	25.7
3	Arizona Airspeed	US	23		21		20		29		18		32		24		24		20		38		249	24.9
4	Couples Therapy	US	11	-2	11	-1	11	-1	16	-1	12	-1	19	-2	13	-1	15		12		21	-1	141	14.1
5	Redline XP	US	10	-1	16		12	-2	16		13		16	-2	14	-1	14		12		16	-1	139	13.9
6	Platinum XP	US	10		11		11		15		10		16		11		12	-1	10		16		122	12.2
Rank	AA/Intermediate Class		9,21		13,P,D		20,K,11		M,1,C		N,22,18		15,8		6,4		L,B,19		2,O,J		G,H,7		Total	Avg
1	Larry's Illegitimate Children	US	6		4	-1	5	-1	10		3	-1	4		5	-1	6		6		7		56	5.6

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Golden Knights - NMP PCH HayaBusa - Arizona Airspeed at the Paraclete XP Summer Classic 2026

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