posted Jul 15th, 2026 - The French collection of FAI World Championship medals in formation skydiving has depended heavily on the performances of the nation's 4-way Women teams over the past decade. In fact, France had to wait much longer for its 4-way Open Class success to return to world-title contention than for its women's teams. The 4-way Open lineup that captured the world title in Menzelinsk 2010—Julien Degen, Jérémie Rollett, Mathieu Bernier and Guillaume Bernier, with Olivier Henaff on camera—was the last French team to bring home both the gold medals and the William H. Ottley Sword, the traditional trophy awarded to the FAI 4-way Open world champions and often referred to as the "4-way Excalibur."

The wait was considerably shorter in 4-way Women. France's previous world title before this year's success came at the Australia 2018 World Championship, where Clémentine Le Bohec, Pamela Lissajoux, Christine Malnis and Sophia Pécout, with Michel Laynaud on camera, claimed the gold medals for France.

The accomplishment of the 2018 French women's team was remarkable beyond the Women's competition itself. Their winning total of 257 points exceeded the 251 points scored by the French 4-way Open team at the same championship. Had the Women's team been listed on the Open leaderboard, its score would have earned the bronze medals behind only Belgium's NMP PCH HayaBusa and Arizona Airspeed, while finishing ahead of both the French Open team and Qatar Tigers. Those results underlined the strength of the French women's teams and helped keep France among the world's leading formation skydiving nations during a period when the country's Open Class teams were still working their way back toward the top of the international rankings.

FAI World Meet 2018			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		21,L,B,G		22,18,17		19,7,O		J,16,12		10,A,D,15		Q,M,F,C,N		H,20,P,13		6,14,11		E,2,5		4,1,3		Total	Avg
1	Aerodyne Weembi Girls	FR	29	-1	20		24		22		25		56	-1	23		18	-2	22		18	-1	257	25.7
2	NFTO	UK	20	-3	15		22	-1	19		18		38	-2	18		17		19		16		202	20.2
3	Team X	SE	17	-3	10	-3	18		16		14		36	-3	15	-3	13		18		12	-1	169	16.9
4	Phoenix XP	US	17	-2	12		17		14		15	-1	37		16	-1	12	-2	14	-2	13		167	16.7
4	Boomerang Betty	AU	19	-1	11	-1	18		14		15		32	-2	15		13		17		13		167	16.7
6	Fuzion Voltige	CA	17	-1	9	-2	18		14		15	-1	34	-2	14	-2	13	-2	14	-2	13		161	16.1
7	Skynamite	DE	19		12		16	-1	14		14	-1	27	-1	13	-3	12	-1	15		12	-1	154	15.4

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France 4-way Women at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2018

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However, even for the French national teams in 4-way Women, the period between the 2018 world title and the 2026 season has been a medal drought at the top of the podium. France's national 8-way team has likewise been waiting since 2010 for another outdoor world title, when it completed the historic French Formation Skydiving Sweep in Menzelinsk by winning all four Formation Skydiving events—4-way Open, 4-way Women, 4-way VFS and 8-way. The French 4-way Women lineup for the postponed 2020 World Championship—Pamela Lissajoux, Christine Malnis, Sophia Pécout and newcomer Gaëlle Giesen, with Michel Laynaud on camera—appeared to be on course for another world title at Tanay 2021. However, the home team's Bubbles lineup surprised the field with an outstanding performance and claimed the gold medals by two points after the six completed rounds.

Tanay was also the championship where national coach Mathieu Bernier revived the concept of combining his 4-way Open and 4-way Women teams into the national 8-way lineup. The experiment nearly produced an 8-way world title, with France finishing only one point behind Airspeed XP8 after weather shortened the competition. Bernier returned to the same strategy at the FAI Indoor World Cup in April, where it proved even more successful as AethersNephtys won the indoor 8-way title.

The French 4-way Women team had to settle for silver medals at both championships. Bubbles denied France the gold in Tanay, while China's Hubei 1 emerged victorious at Weembi Lille earlier this year. The competitive landscape has changed once again for the upcoming FAI Outdoor World Championship in Eloy. Russia will not be represented in any event, despite the impressive performance of the Siberries lineup at the EASA Online Cup 2026. Instead, France's Nephtys are preparing for another showdown with China's Hubei 1, the team that interrupted their bid for indoor gold in Lille and now appears to be their most significant obstacle in the pursuit of another outdoor world title.

FAI Tanay Mondial 2020			1		2		3		4		5		6		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Women		O,19,Q,5		17,B,E,P		H,15,12		M,N,7,F		K,L,C,4		J,18,16		Total	Avg
1	Bubbles	RU	21	-1	33	-3	18	-1	33	-3	27		18	-2	150	25.0
2	Aerodyne Maubeuge	FR	24		27	-4	18		34		24	-2	21		148	24.7
3	No Mercy	PL	15		20	-1	11	-1	20	-2	16		11		93	15.5
4	Aviatrixx	US	15		25		13		14		0		12	-1	79	13.2

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Russia - France in 4-way Women at the FAI Tanay Mondial 2020

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There is no indication yet whether the Chinese 4-way Women team that won the FAI Indoor World Cup will also compete at the FAI Outdoor World Championship in Eloy. The same Hubei lineup claimed the silver medals at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2024, finishing 14 points ahead of the French Nephtys. The French team, however, enters the outdoor season with confidence and an experienced lineup in its second year together. Gaëlle Giesen returns to the outdoor team, replacing Elise Poindron, while Pamela Lissajoux, Alexandra Petitjean and Marie Pineau begin their fourth season of outdoor training and competition together. Godeleine de Saint Just continues on camera. This lineup already proved its potential by winning the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025, and the Nephtys believe they will be ready to challenge even the Chinese team should it appear in Eloy.

Without a Russian entry, China appears to be the only team capable of seriously threatening the French bid for the 4-way Women world title. The U.S. delegation will feature Ranch TNT SDAZ instead of the reigning world champions, XPG4, and the available competition results so far have not suggested that the new American lineup is ready to challenge the French team at the same level.

The situation across all Formation Skydiving events also explains Mathieu Bernier's cautious approach to double duties. In 4-way Open, Aethers must defend against the Golden Knights and NMP PCH HayaBusa. In 8-way, a fully dedicated Paraclete XP8 team will be waiting after focusing exclusively on the outdoor championship. In 4-way Women, the possible participation of China's Hubei lineup could create another high-level title contest. Those are the major obstacles that continue to discourage Bernier from assigning members of his 4-way teams to the national 8-way lineup in Eloy. Even without another double-duty experiment, France still has a realistic opportunity to return home with two world titles if Aethers and Nephtys can successfully defend their positions at the top of their respective events.

French lineups in 4-way Women between 2003 and 2016

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