posted Mar 21st, 2017 - The A Class has always been a stepping stone for beginner 4-way teams to move from the required individual flying skills of the Rookie Class to the first technical challenges of the piece flying art in the dive pool.

The Rookie Class applies only the 16 random formations in 3-point sequences, while the A Class dive pool brings the first eight blocks to the teams. Two of the blocks (7 and 9) also require mostly individual skills, even though new challenges are added, such as cross-referencing and synchronization of individual turns.

The other six blocks (2, 4, 6, 8, 19, 21) introduce different kinds of piece-flying and maneuvers to the teams who have left the Rookie Class behind. The sequences can also get slightly longer than in the Rookie Class (3- or 4-point sequences).

The next step after the A Class brings all other blocks to the team repertoire that don't require additional memory caused by slot switchers (3, 5, 10, 12, 16, 17) in 4- to 5-point sequences. The three NSL categories behind the AAA/Open Class have been adopted by most skydiving federations and events.

World Challenge 2016			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	A Class		9,C	L,7	19,8	B,H,A	O,2	K,M,6	P,J,F	E,Q,4	G,D,N	21,N	Total	Avg
1	Pro Team Extended	FI	37	26	19	47	24	31	49	22	31	19	305	30.5
2	Phoenix	CZ	24	20	9	23	16	19	34	17	17	15	194	19.4
3	Brain Storming	IT	19	15	11	23	17	19	35	17	15	14	185	18.5
4	One2Three	PL	19	20	12	24	15	16	32	15	13	13	179	17.9
5	HF Juniors Cubs	CZ	18	15	12	21	12	17	30	15	15	12	167	16.7
6	Alakran	ES	16	17	12	23	13	16	25	15	13	13	163	16.3
7	Aerokart Ak'demie	FR	15	16	11	18	12	16	27	14	15	14	158	15.8
8	Offaly SlowSpeed	IE	15	16	10	24	14	15	25	11	10	13	153	15.3
9	Levitation	ZA	13	14	10	24	11	16	25	14	13	12	152	15.2
10	Les Pierres qui Tombent	BE	13	12	10	16	12	16	22	13	12	11	137	13.7
11	Alate	AE	13	13	11	20	11	15	20	10	13	10	136	13.6
12	99 Problems	UK	15	11	9	19	14	12	18	14	12	10	134	13.4
13	HF Juniors Flies	CZ	13	14	10	17	12	16	19	14	10	7	132	13.2
14	ChatterChaps	UK	16	12	6	18	9	11	22	13	11	11	129	12.9
15	Dive Hard 4.0	UK	14	13	9	18	6	14	21	14	7	12	128	12.8
16	Falling Stones	UK	11	12	9	15	11	12	22	12	5	9	118	11.8
17	4getful	UK	9	8	5	11	8	10	12	7	6	9	85	8.5
18	Dock-Ness Monster	UK	5	9	3	8	6	5	7	6	3	4	56	5.6

The A Class competition has been a very popular event at the World Challenge since its introduction in 2011. 19 teams has been the record number since 2014, and 18 teams competed in this category last year.

The nature of the A Class as a stepping stone in the progression of teams changes the field of teams year after year. Rookie Class teams move up into the A Class, and A Class teams are eager to learn the next set of eight blocks in the AA Class.

The A Class leaderboard of the World Challenge 2016 is showing the teams who are coming back for the World Challenge 2017 in the AA Class, with one exception.

Last year's A Class winner Pro Team Extended skips the AA Class and competes in the AAA Class. 4-way Junior Kalle Pohjola is not in the lineup this year, and his parents Outi and Kimmo Pohjola are experienced AAA Class competitors. They have Emilia Sormunen and Eija Suvala completing the lineup.

World Challenge 2017			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	A Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
-	Reunited	NO	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Random	IT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
-	Olczyk Flyspot Team	PL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

None of the six teams on the top of last year's A Class leaderboard will come back in the same category. Brain Storming (Italy), HF Junior Cubs (Czech Republic) and Alakran (Spain) will measure up against each other in the AA Class of the World Challenge this time. Phoenix (Czech Republic) and One2Three (Poland) have not signed up yet.

This situation leaves the new A Class competition in Bedford wide open. The Olczyk Flyspot Team, with a complete family lineup, moves up after two years in the Rookie Class. The World Challenge 2017 will be the first time for the Olczyk family to compete in a foreign flying chamber.

The same counts for Reunited from Norway who have competed only in their home chamber in Voss so far. Marco Arrigo is player coaching Random in Bedford, a 4-way team from Italy.

There is still plenty of time for A Class teams to join the international 3-team field and sign up for the World Challenge 2017. It seems like the medal positions are wide open after last year’s best teams will not be back on the A Class leaderboard...