posted Oct 18th, 2013 - More news have come from Russia, and they will be very exciting at least for one other team.

Thunder may not have very serious competition in the AAA Class at the upcoming ISR Grand Prix 2013, however, the perspectives for great battles next year are very promising.

It seems as if an extension of the race between Thunder and Russia's 4way team Sportloto for the unofficial status as the world's best amateur team is in the works.

SportLoto has plans for a comeback with the original lineup, and it will happen early in the 2014 season.

World Challenge 2013		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Open Class	O,E,J,K,3	M,Q,A,14	4,6,16	8,18,N	H,19,12	2,7,13	11,C,P,9	15,D,10	L,F,17,G	20,1,22	Total	Avg
6	SportLoto (RU)	35	28(-1)	19(-2)	23	24	21(-3)	30(-1)	23	34(-3)	20	257(10)	25.7
7	Thunder (BE)	33(-1)	32	21	23	23	22(-1)	29(-1)	21(-2)	31(-4)	19(-1)	254(10)	25.4

Thunder	SportLoto

SportLoto has confirmed the trip to Bodyflight Bedford for the World Challenge 2014 and is working on the plans for the Paraclete XP Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Thunder has not announced the team's plans for the 2014 season yet. However, the world's best unofficial amateur team of 2013 has attended the same events this year and may copy the schedule for the spring of 2014.

SportLoto had a great start into the short 2013 season with the two indoor meets at Freezone and Bodyflight Bedford. First the Russian team challenged the national team and 4way champion Barkli at the beginning of March with a 3-point difference at the end of the 8-round meet.

Then SportLoto outscored Thunder for the first time at the World Challenge 2013. Both teams had competed for the amateur top spot throughout the 2012 season, and Thunder always had the upper hand. The first direct competition between both teams in 2013 had SportLoto on the top. Then the season was over for the Russian team.

Freezone 2013		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	G,10,N,O	14,K,2	8,18,22	7,15,E	M,17,A,21	13,J,20	L,11,F,9	3,C,16	Total	Avg
1	Sky Panthers Barkli (RU)	27	23	20	30	31	22	30	25	208	26.0
2	SportLoto (RU)	27	24	20	27	28	22	31	26	205	25.6
3	a.team4way (RU)	20	20	17	25	24	20	30	22	178	22.3

Barkli	SportLoto

Center Outside Andrew Kharitonov had work commitments that did not allow him to train and compete for the remainder of the 2013 season, and SportLoto went into hibernation, while Thunder completed five meets this year, with one more to come.

SportLoto has made new plans in the meantime, and they begin with indoor training in December. The team will meet earlier in November to finalize the plans for next year.

Point Dmitri Samochval will have a busy 2014 season. He has also accepted a slot in Barkli's 8way lineup where he will train and compete together with the Barkli 4way members. Then he may compete for Russian 4way medals with SportLoto later next year. Barkli's first 8way training camp is scheduled for November in DeLand.