posted Apr 17th, 2018 - The World Challenge has always applied a special set of rules and regulations that have been tailored to the event ever since host Paul Mayer launched it in 2006. Most of them are identical or similar with the FAI/IPC rules, and it is not very difficult for the visiting FAI/IPC judges to apply them.

Paul Mayer added the NSL competition classes piece by piece, which are not a part of the FAI/IPC format (A - Rookie), and offered the AA Class competition, as well, which has now become the 4-way Junior category at FAI/IPC indoor events.

The World Challenge included a default Super Sequence in the competition draw for several years, which added even more drama to the biggest 4-way competition in the world.

Host Paul Mayer has also worked intensively with the judges to make sure that the scores are posted accurately and timely. For this purpose he allows teams to apply for a re-judging if they felt being judged unfairly or inaccurately. A fee for this unusual service in 4-way competition added a hurdle that was still not very high. Paul Mayer's biggest goal was to make sure that the scores at the World Challenge are as accurate as possible, and he supports the approach from both sides, judges and competitors, at the same time.

World Challenge 2018			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class		10,H,F,13	20,6,22	12,1,11	4,M,G,J	9,B,P,A	N,C,8,3	K,7,L,D	18,19,14	5,Q,21	15,16,O	Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	31	25	25	38	62	32(-1)	47(-1)	26	31(-2)	32(-1)	349	34.9
2	Weembi Mix MF	FR	29	25	24(-1)	40	59(-2)	33	45(-1)	27	32(-2)	31	345	34.5
3	Arizona Airspeed	US	29	24	23(-1)	35(-1)	59	26(-3)	43	24	33(-1)	28	324	32.4
4	IFS-Moscow	RU	26	21	23	33	50	26	40	23	29	24	295	29.5
5	ACM Weembi	UK	24	21	21	29	48	21	36	21	25	23	269	26.9
6	Gavroche Weembi	FR	23	17	17	31	46	25	35	21	26	26	267	26.7
7	ISR FireFlash	BE	23	17	20	28	45	27	35	21	25	24	265	26.5
8	Chimera	UK	23	21	20	26	44	24	31	21	24	24	258	25.8
9	NFTO	UK	21	19	19	29	42	23	31	19	22	19	244	24.4

Paul Mayer announces his philosophy and the special re-judging rule at every year's opening ceremony, and there are still not many occasions when teams use the opportunity that they don't have at FAI/IPC events, where the judgment and score for a competition round does not justify a protest, re-judging or re-jump.

The re-judging option became an issue at this year's World Challenge, as the NSL News reported on 7 April. It received much more attention than usual since it happened to be the world record Round 5 in Bedford when Weembi Mix did not agree with the two point deductions in their attempt to post the highest score for a competition round in Bedford since 2010.

The new occasion lead to a podium discussion that Paul Mayer hosted live on World Challenge TV, with the NSL News, NMP PCH HayaBusa coach Gary Smith and co-moderator Lesley Gale, editor of Skydive Mag and Brit Chicks member.

Paul Mayer has picked up other controversial topics in the past to discuss them openly during the World Challenge, and the video clip is a review of the complete on-stage conversation.

Score sheet for Weembi Mix in Round 5

The rules and regulations of Formation Skydiving competition have recently been topics more frequently after a long quiet period. The suggested dive pool changes for 2019 made the headline on 21 March 2018 ("Slippery Road"), and the tie-breaker for silver medals at the FAI European Indoor Championships caused the next closer look at the FAI/IPC rules.

The re-judging situation at the World Challenge 2018 is unique and not related to FAI/IPC rules. However, Paul Mayer once again offered the opportunity to reflect on the general conducting of the sport and its future.

The details of the specific Weembi Mix case were not known and not correctly presented at the time of the discussion. Team member Roy Janssen informed the NSL News later that the team's request for re-judging was actually successful regarding the two originally assigned infringements. The judging panel agreed that their first call was incorrect, and Weembi Mix got the points back onto their account.

However, the re-judging revealed two other infringements that were overseen at the time of the first judging, and two other points had to be deducted. Weembi Mix ended up with the same total number of 59 points after the re-judging. ACM Weembi suffered even worse after their request for re-judging and had more point deductions than before after the second evaluation...