posted Jun 26th, 2026 - Gary Smith served as the "Ghost Coach" for NMP PCH HayaBusa at the Paraclete XP Summer Classic 2026, as NSL News reported on June 24th. However, the Belgians were not the only team communicating extensively with their coach throughout the event. France's Aethers, the "Ghost Team," were in equally close contact with their coach, Mathieu Bernier. Together, they closely analyzed the performances of their main rivals from Belgium and the United States, while Mathieu Bernier followed the competition from overseas with the same level of attention as his coaching colleague, Gary Smith.

Mathieu Bernier is currently working with the Aethers at a training camp in Pamiers, in southern France, immediately after completing a training camp with the French national team in 4-way Women, Nephtys. He knows the Aethers better than anyone, having selected the current lineup in 2021 and coached the team through two outdoor world championships in Eloy 2022 and Crystal Coast 2024. He remained confident in the lineup he had assembled, even after they finished off the podium in 2022 and ended up 21 points behind Arizona Airspeed, who claimed the title, two years later.

The Aethers have now reached the top of the world rankings. They captured the indoor world title at Paraclete XP 2025, followed by victories at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025 and the FAI Indoor World Cup 2026. Their ultimate objective, however, remains the gold medal at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2026.

FAI Indoor World Championship 2025			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		D,4,17		C,22,10		5,P,Q,18		1,M,J,O		16,6,19		H,8,21		12,13,A		L,G,K,9		15,F,7		E,2,N,B		Total	Avg
1	Aethers Medjay	FR	32		23	-1	35		41		28		27		29		45		32		37	-2	329	32.9
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	27	-2	24		31		34		26		26	-1	27		49		34		36		314	31.4
3	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	29	-1	22	-2	33		40	-1	24	-3	23	-4	26		43	-4	28	-3	38	-3	306	30.6

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Aethers at the FAI Indoor World Championship 2025

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Coach Mathieu Bernier is still the silent force behind the current French 4-way success. When conversations turn to the dominance of French 4-way formation skydiving competition, the spotlight often falls on world championship lineups, record performances, and the latest generation of athletes representing France on the international stage. Yet behind many of those achievements stands a figure whose influence reaches far beyond a single team: current national coach Mathieu Bernier.

Unlike competitors whose careers are measured primarily by medals and podium finishes, Mathieu Bernier has become known for his broader contribution to the French 4-way system as the national coach. His impact can be found in training methods, athlete development, team preparation, and the culture that has helped France remain one of the strongest nations in formation skydiving competition for decades. French teams have long been recognized for their consistency on the world's top level. The qualities of the French top performers do not appear by accident. They are the result of a system that values continuous improvement and a willingness to share knowledge between generations of athletes. Mathieu Bernier has been part of that process for many years, as a competitor and as a coach.

The current success of the Aethers is only the latest chapter in a much longer story. France has produced world champions across multiple generations, from the early days of modern 4-way and 8-way competition to the present era. Each new lineup inherited lessons from the teams that came before, creating a culture where experience is passed forward rather than lost. That continuity has become one of the greatest strengths of French formation skydiving.

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

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Aethers at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025

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International competitors often speak about the French approach with a mixture of admiration and curiosity. Teams from Belgium, the United States, Germany, and other leading nations study French performances carefully, searching for clues that might help them close the gap. The challenge is not simply matching French speed. It is matching the quality that allows French teams to maintain that speed consistently throughout an entire competition. Mathieu Bernier has been one of the people helping to preserve and advance those standards.

His contribution also reflects a broader reality in elite 4-way and 8-way competition. Success at the highest level is rarely the product of only the athletes alone. Behind every world-class team stands a network of coaches, mentors, organizers, and supporters who help create an environment where excellence can thrive. As the world's best teams prepare for future championships, the Aethers remain currently the benchmark that many others are chasing. The performances of the Aethers continue to raise expectations throughout the sport, while challengers such as the Golden Knights, NMP PCH HayaBusa, and Arizona Airspeed work to narrow the gap.

In that ongoing story, Mathieu Bernier represents something larger than any single competition result. He is part of the foundation that has allowed French 4-way formation skydiving to remain at the forefront of the discipline for so many years. The commitment to excellence that defines French 4-way competition endures—and figures like Mathieu Bernier have played an important role in making sure it does.

FAI Indoor World Cup 2026			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way AAA Combined		J,20,C,4		10,O,L,M		B,21,N,H		14,F,3		18,16,9		E,6,8		19,1,Q		G,5,12		P,D,17,22		15,11,2		Total	Avg
1	Aethers	FR	33	-1	37		42		30	-1	31		32		33		35		36		27		336	33.6
2	Golden Knights	US	32		34	-1	38	-2	29		29		29		30	-1	30	-1	33		26		310	31.0
3	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	31	-1	32	-3	42		29		30	-1	29		31		29		32	-1	22	-2	307	30.7

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Aethers at the FAI Indoor World Cup 2026

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