posted Jan 28th, 2012 - It is wide open so far whether the World Challenge 2012 will include a Super Sequence this year or not. So far, roughly half of the audience would like to see a sequence of only random formations, while the other half would like to follow the IPC rules for a competition draw.

Something else will be different this year, and the list of teams shows what it is. The female lineups will have their own leaderboard for the first time. Host Paul Mayer decided to apply the IPC categories from here on, which require separate leaderboards and medals in 8way, 4way Open and 4way Women.

This step finally completes all current options in the 4way event at the World Challenge (AAA/Open, AAA/Women, AA, A, Rookie).

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Following the IPC categories is the simplest explanation for this move, as the international female 4way category is very competitive. Paul Mayer also has already more female 4way teams registerd than there were at the World Cup 2011. That's more than enough reason for a separate leaderboard.

It was only a matter of time when the female 4way category would need its own place at the World Challenge. The participation between 2007 and 2011 (1-3-3-4-4) has grown parallel with the total number of teams at the event, and the World Challenge 2012 will have two or three more teams in the female way category for a total number of six or even seven.

Six teams have signed up for the competition so far, and they are from five different countries. The field includes the reigning world champions from France, Aerodyne Deep Blue Defenders, and bronze medalist of the World Cup 2011, Polaris from Norway. Both teams will come to Bedford after posting their first 2012 scores a few weeks earlier at the Shamrock Showdown 2012.

World Challenge 2011		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA 4way Women	10,C,5	20,P,2	H,M,Q,K,A	L,J,16,12	E,7,15	O,11,22	14,B,17	6,13,9	4,3,21	1,G,8	Total	Avg
9	Aerodyne DB Defenders	21	21	44	20	27	19	25	21	19	19	236	23.6
19	Polaris	16	17	38	17	23	17	19	17	15	13	192	19.2
22	Brit Chicks	15	17	31	17	20	15	19	17	17	16	184	18.4
23	Bodyflight Aerodyne	15	15	37	17	17	17	16	18	16	15	183	18.3

Germany's top team ISB Air Remscheid will compete for the first time since March 2011 with the complete lineup and challenge France and Norway in Bedford after the long break.

French national manager Jeremie Rollett is sending a new B-Team that consists of four female competitors. It seems as if he plans to be prepared even better in the future to feed the national lineup in the female 4way category if a personnel change becomes necessary. The new female B-Team will have the opportunity to compete side by side with the Aerodyne Deep Blue Defenders.

Christy Frikken and Hannah Betts bring the first lineup of their new project in the female 4way category, Perris Wicked, to Bedford for their first competition together. Hannah Betts visits her homeland where she was a member of the UK lineup that won gold medals at the World Meet 2008 in Maubeuge. Christy Frikken is very familiar with the facilities after competing there with Perris Fury several times. She still owns the 66-pointer record score for a single round.

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The NSL News mentioned earlier that the Brit Chicks have a new 4way lineup with former Kaizen member Jo Hawley in the Center Inside slot. The Brit Chicks will focus on 8way this year, but the new 4way lineup will still compete at the World Challenge 2012. UK's official national team, Bodyflight Aerodyne, is not registered yet but will most likely defend the British home turf together with the Brit Chicks.

It will be an exciting meet in this category, as well, and the teams will get additional attention with their own leaderboard and jump order. Paul Mayer has recently worked together with the NSL News to create a flying order that considers the scoring level of the teams as much as possible.

The teams in the female 4way category will also be grouped together, which will make it easier to find and follow them and watch their separate competition.