posted Feb 23rd, 2012 - Paul Mayer's decision to put the Super Sequence back into the hat and follow the IPC rules for the competition draw at the World Challenge 2012 did not deter anybody from signing up for the popular event. The host at Bodyflight Bedford had followed the majority vote, as the NSL News reported on 17 February 2012.

In fact, this year's event is already bigger than all previous ones at this point in time, as 66 teams are registered by now. There is still plenty of time, and it can be expected that the final number will break the 70 for the first time. 63 teams was the record number last year, and there just does not seem to be an end to the growth of the World Challenge.

The three additional teams increase the participation in the AAA Class from 40 to 43, including the seven female lineups, and the three other categories will most likely grow until the beginning of April, as well. The team numbers in AA, A and Rookie Class change naturally, as teams step up into the next higher category year by year, which is supposed to happen.

The World Challenge in 2006 and 2007 had only one category, except Valkyrie B who competed as the only team using a AA Class draw. 18 teams attended the World Challenge 2007 in the AAA Class.

The AAA Class number went up to 30 teams in 2008, and the AA Class had its first real competition with nine teams. Three AA Class teams of 2008 (Kaizen, Phobia, Escondido) competed in the AAA Class a year later. Only Phantom Force from Belgium and Team Future came back in the AA Class of 2009, while several other AA Class competitors of 2008 moved up into the AAA Class in different lineups.

The same two categories were applied at the World Challenge 2009, even though the British Parachute Association (BPA) had fully adopted all four competition classes since 2006. The number of teams went up to 37 in the AAA Class and ten in the AA Class, which were mostly new teams. Only two AA Class teams of 2009 came back in the same category a year later, including the Belgians.

Paul Mayer added the Rookie Class in 2010, and five teams attended for the first time. The AAA Class had 37 teams again, and the AA Class copied the 2009 participation too, even though most of the teams were new ones.

Gra4ity won the first Rookie Class competition in 2010 and moved up into the AA Class a year later, even though Paul Mayer also added the A Class to the World Challenge 2011. AA Class winner Usual Suspects did not compete in 2011 and comes back this year in the AAA Class. Unagi and Slot Machines moved up into the AAA Class of 2011, as well.

Five new Rookie Class teams attended the World Challenge 2011, including Paul Mayer's Black Majik backflying lineup with Joey Jones, and the first A Class competition had five teams signed up for the new category. The AA Class competition had record participation with 13 teams last year, as well as the AAA Class with 40 teams.

Raykipo won the Rookie Class of 2011 and is coming back in the A Class this year. Seven new Rookie Class lineups, including one of the Satori Academy teams Sunshine, are registered for this year's event for a new record participation in this category.

Kinetix from Ireland won the A Class competition in 2011 and has signed up for the AA Class this year, together with UK team Incognito, while Lockstock comes back in the same category. The A Class competition in 2012 has one more team signed up than in 2011 at this point in time.

Kinetix will face strong competition in the AA Class where ten teams are registered so far, including both lineups from Dubai, Asaar Red and Asaar Gold. Creeps from the Netherlands and UK teams Kryos and Eclipse have signed up for the record participation in the AAA Class with 43 teams this year.

The number of teams in the AA Class will probably go up between now and the beginning of April. It is the only category so far where the participation is lower compared to the previous record number of 13.

The World Challenge also includes a 2way competition in Freeflying with a category for pros and amateurs. Event manager Bryony Doughty said that she has still open slots in both events, especially in the amateur category where only two teams have signed up so far.

The professional Freeflying event offers a jackpot of of £6000 total (3000 - 2000 - 1000) and seven teams have signed up to go after the money at this point in time. The 4way teams in the AAA Class compete for a total of £11,000 this year (5000 - 3000 - 2000 - 1000) which matches last year's jackpot.