posted Feb 21st, 2018 - The new NSL Power Ranking update of the World Challenge 2018 is showing three new teams on the AAA Class leaderboard, and it is pure coincidence that these three new teams are set right next to each other.

Eclipse, HF Flying Circus and Jetmax created probably one of the many exciting internal battles, which are always a part of the whole competition, by signing up at the same time.

HF Flying Circus and Jetmax have both been very active recently, while Eclipse attended the team's last competition in October 2016, the Bodyflight Revenge in Bedford. In fact, the NSL News reported the end of the team fairytale with the story on 18 November 2016.

Jonny Flowers continued with Chimera for the 2017 season when Chris Judd had to take a break due to injury. Chimera is back with the complete lineup this year, and Eclipse is also competing at the World Challenge with the original lineup. Jonny Flowers told the NSL News that the World Challenge has always been the team's favorite competition, and the reunion comes after missing last year's event. However, it is only a reunion for Eclipse, as the team has no plans for a real comeback.

World Challenge 2018			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Arizona Airspeed	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	IFS-Moscow	RU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	ISR FireFlash	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Odin Parachute System	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
6	Tenanine	MR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	Eclipse	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
8	HF Flying Circus	CZ	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
9	JETMAX	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
10	Alakran	ES	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
11	Jazz Republic	ZA	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12	Antimatter	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13	Falco	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
14	Aladeen	HU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
15	Eros	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
16	Barak	ES	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
17	Le 4 Cretins	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
18	Telakka	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
19	Blackjack	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
20	Nova	CH	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
21	White Squall	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Jetmax and HF Flying Circus will be challenging the experienced AAA Class team from Great Britain, who finished the team career with a 17.4 outdoor average at the UK Nationals 2016 and a 21.6 indoor average at the Revenge 2016.

The 2017 season was the first one for both teams in the AAA Class, which Eclipse had entered in 2012. The Belgian Jetmax recently posted a 20.2 average at the Wind Games, while HF Flying Circus broke the 20-average benchmark in a 10-round meet for the first time at the January meet of the World Tunnel League.

Both teams had also competed at the World Challenge 2017 where HF Flying Circus had the upper hand (199 - 177). Jetmax was still competing in the AA Class when Eclipse attended the World Challenge last time in 2016.

The World Challenge 2018 promises exciting competition in the other three categories, as well, as the NSL Power Ranking is showing.

World Challenge 2018			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	AA Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	Airbivores	FR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Tempo	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Ayro	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Tahma	FI	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Intrudair	HU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Fantastic 4	HU	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rank	A Class		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	Omega4way	PL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Aeropotam's	BE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	One Shot	IT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Oman Wolf	OM	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	The Flying Penguins	RO	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Nebula	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	4eigners	IT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rank	Rookie		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	MAD Team	PL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Ninja Turtles	DK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Annetastic	NO	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

The AA Class leaderboard is offering an interesting combination of teams on the expected top part of the NSL Power Ranking. Three teams with different category profiles may compete for top positions.

Arbivores from France has AAA Class experience after three meets in 2017 and the 17.5 average at the Wind Games. Tempo from Finland moved up into the AA Class competition after two years in the A Class and posted an 18.2 average at the Finnish Indoor Nationals 2018 this month. Ayro from Belgium competed in the A Class of 2017, as well, and has now signed up for the AA Class at the World Challenge. Ayro's A Class average was actually higher than Tempo's, and all three teams might end up on a similar scoring level.

The situation is similar in the A Class where Omega4way from Poland and Aeropotams from Belgium have very similar category profiles and scoring histories. One Shot from Italy will compete for the first time in the A Class and seems to have the potential to keep up after a 22.6 average in the Rookie Class at the ISR Grand Prix 2017. The Oman Wolf team has a 20+ Rookie Class average in the records, too.

Only the Rookie Class is not very competitive so far, as two of the teams have no scoring history, while the MAD Team from Poland has posted impressive scores at Flyspot.

The 8-way leaderboard has grown too. Eight Hungarian 4-way competitors are joining forces to compete with Intrudairz.