posted Feb 15th, 2017 - This is the time of the year when the 4-way field for the World Challenge begins to take shape. The event has been the unofficial indoor world championship for many years, even though FAI/IPC has now created its own indoor world cups and world meets.

This year's event is not only the grande finale of the 4-way duel between NMP PCH HayaBusa and Weembi Lille for the indoor top spot in the world, unless both teams qualify for the FAI Indoor World Meet at SkyVenture Montreal in October.

HayaBusa and Weembi will complete their third showdown within two months in Bedford. The Belgian world champions won by five points at the Wind Games, and they will try to defend the top position next at the French Indoor Nationals. Two weeks later, both teams will round up this meet triple at the World Challenge.

World Challenge 2017			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	NMP PCH HayaBusa	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Weembi Lille	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	SDC Rhythm XP	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Volition	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Chimera	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Pro Team	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	HF Flying Circus	CZ	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Telakka	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Equinox	LT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Corbas Coyotes JCM	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Antimatter	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Aladeen	HU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	HF Skycentrum	CZ	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Nova	SE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Reunited	NO	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

The power ranking with the currently registered teams is already showing teams from 14 different countries at a very early stage of the registration process. Only three of the teams have not attended a 4-way competition yet and are new to the World Challenge leaderboard. All other teams have their current power ranking positions according to previously posted scores.

The World Challenge 2017 will once again have a separate leaderboard for teams who compete in 4-way Women, and 2016 winner Volition recently announced that the same lineup will be back with increased training efforts.

The situation with the defending World Challenge champion in 4-way Women coming back even stronger could create a more complicated situation for the French Weembi Girls. They competed in 4-way Open last year and placed 2nd winning £2,000 prize money.

It will be impossible for any other team this year to get to the first two places, which will be taken by HayaBusa and Weembi, and the 3rd place will most likely be in contention by a few teams, as well. The French Girls still have enough time to decide for which category they will sign up.

SDC Rhythm XP mentioned during the NSL Live Talk that they will travel once again to Bedford to meet the international world class teams directly. Last year's 26.8 average was barely good enough for the 6th place, and this year's battle for the top spots will not be much different.

Chimera is currently set in 5th place after the 22.5 average at the Wind Games. The same lineup is going into the team's second year, and the 20.2 average at the World Challenge 2016 is history. The new scoring level could bring Chimera close to the Top 10 spots in Bedford.

World Challenge 2017			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AA Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	Alakran	ES	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Tahma	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Koloncok	HU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rank	A Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	Olczyk Flyspot Team	PL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rank	Rookie		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	Aeropotam's	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	ACT One	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Omega4way	PL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	CJ Rookies	DK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	3 Chicks & a Dick	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Reunited from Norway is stepping up into the AAA Class after two meets at home in the A Class. Nova from Sweden is new in the AAA Class, as well, after competing in the AA Class competition of the World Challenge last year.

Alakran from Spain will travel to Bedford for the third time and move up into the third category (Rookie - A - AA) this year. Alakran competed in the AAA Class at the Wind Games, and the 14.2 average indicates that the Spanish team could become a top contender in the AA Class.

The Olczyk family team from Poland is done with the Rookie Class after two 30+ average meets last year. The first A Class competition brings the four Olczyks, with parents and two daughters, to the World Challenge 2017. The two best Rookie Class teams at the ISR Grand Prix 2016 from Belgium will be challenged by another team from Poland, Omega4way. A Class team One2Three was the only team from Poland so far that visited Bedford for the World Challenge last year.