posted Sep 11th, 2026 - The Qatar Falcons completed three more rounds alongside the four other German 8-way teams at the national outdoor championship in Gera. They still managed to bring the team's first 20+ average across the finish line, despite two slow sequences in Round 3 and Round 7.

8-way experts can debate whether the Falcons would have been able to maintain their 20+ level throughout all ten rounds. Three heavily block-loaded sequences (12,E,19 - 5,2,3 - 13,15,14) could have helped them complete the competition with a better weather situation. Faster 8-way sequences are usually not created by a series of random formations, as is often the case in 4-way competition. Higher scores in 8-way are generated by shorter and quicker block maneuvers. Checking completion of formations and communicating it takes more time in 8-way than in 4-way, and well-trained 8-way teams know how to take advantage of the well-known blocks.

Only 8-way experts would be able to provide an adequate evaluation of the sequences with the eight missing blocks in the final three rounds. The NSL News will try to discuss the 8-way situation with an 8-way expert before the 8-way event begins at the USPA Nationals 2026, following the 4-way event next week.

Germany Outdoor Nationals 2026			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		G,O,N,C,P		1,J,F,A		18,7,20		10,17,4		6,B,16		L,11,22		8,Q,9		12,E,19		5,2,3		13,15,14		K,D,21,M		Total	Avg
G	Qatar Falcons	QA	22		25		16		18		23		21		15		-		-		-		-		140	20.0
1	Operation Grounded Eagle	DE	10		12	-1	9		12		14		5	-4	6	-1	-		-		-		-		68	9.7
2	Standard Saulgau 8-way	DE	6		9		8		8		10		8		6		-		-		-		-		55	7.9
3	Coriolis	DE	8		8	-1	5	-2	7		10		8		6		-		-		-		-		52	7.4
Rank	AA Class		P,6		B,N,13		16,C		18,K		M,J,19		3,1		5,F		Q,7		G,L,4		16,5		N,M,19		Total	Avg
1	Paranodon	DE	5		2		2		3		2		3		5		-		-		-		-		22	3.1

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Qatar Falcons at the German Outdoor Nationals 2025

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The fact is that the Qatar Falcons are almost two average points ahead of their previous outdoor competition at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025. Qatar coach Jérémie Rollett was able to maintain regular 8-way training for the Qatar Falcons despite the political troubles in the geographic Middle East region.

The coach and team members are accustomed to traveling extensively for training and competition, and their participation as a guest team in Germany was just another stop on their 2026 odyssey. The Qatar delegation is expected to field teams in 4-way Open and 8-way Open at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2026 next month at Skydive Arizona.

Without any training before Round 1 in Gera, Germany's 8-way pickup team Operation Grounded Eagle could not master the last two rounds as effectively as the Qatar Falcons. They were at a 10.8 average after Round 4 and finished with a 9.7 average after Round 7. That was still a better average than the one posted by the Airbus 8-way team at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025, at the end of a troublesome visit in the Netherlands.

Neither Airbus 8-way nor Operation Grounded Eagle will compete for Germany next month in Eloy. Operation Adler will be back in 8-way action after its 13.6 average performance at the Paranodon Cup 2026 in June.

FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open - Unofficial		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	Qatar Falcons	QA	19		20		14	-1	22		19		14		16		18		17		22		181	18.1
2	Prison 9	US	18		16		9	-2	17	-2	19		12	-1	15		15		11	-2	15		147	14.7
3	Mandatory Fun!	US	15	-1	13	-1	11		12	-2	14		12		10	-1	14		12		15		128	12.8
-	Netunos	BR	16		11	-2	7	-4	16		14		11		10		-		-		-		85	12.1
4	Bra Nok XP	US	13		11	-1	10	-1	13		13		9	-2	11		11		8		11		110	11.0
5	Airbus 8-way	DE	13		14		5	-5	15		9		3	-2	9		10		7		6	-2	91	9.1
6	Shinobi XL	NL	6		4		4		6		4	-2	5		5		1	-2	4		4		43	4.3
7	Cark8	UK	3		3	-1	2	-1	4		3	-1	4		5		4		4		3		35	3.5
8	Just M8S	UK	1	-3	4		4		2	-2	3		4		5		3		3		2	-2	31	3.1

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Qatar Falcons - Airbus 8-way at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025

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