The Bodyflight World Challenge is less than a month away and the excitement is building.
#2-way Dynamic Format
The Dynamic meet is being run as usual by Adam Mattacola, who has decided on a format with separate speed and free round competitions. One entry fee covers both (speed and artistic) competitions, so teams can enter either or both, whichever they wish.
##D2W Speed Competition
The results of the Dynamic Speed rounds only will determine the winners, so the fastest team will take the gold and £2,000 in prize money (about $3,000). The dive pool used will be the same as at all other competitions this year, this has now been standardised. The first speed round will decide the positions in the head-to-head battles for the subsequent rounds. Teams are gradually knocked out until ideally the fastest 2 teams meet in the final.
##Why this format?
The format of a separate speed competition with no requirement for a free round makes it very accessible to teams who don’t have the hours of time it takes to put a free routine together. Previously you had to have a good free routine to stand a chance of getting through to the final. Now, two people can get together and enter with as much or as little practice on the dive pool as they wish, and the opportunity to do well if they are strong flyers. Because the pool is the same D4W pool as used in every other competition, this is a good starting point and training ground for 2016. It also takes any subjective element out of determining the winners, they will be the quickest team.
You should always compete as much as you can, this is going to help in everything you do in the future
##D2W Artistic (Free)
There will be a separate single-round competition for Artistic Freefly, which is effectively a 2-minute Free Round. The winners of this round will take £2,000 in prize money – not bad for 2 minutes! Competitors have the option of flying their routine to music, which will be heard outside the tunnel as well as by the flyer. Music may add impact to their routine but is not required. The judges will choose the overall ‘best’ performance, ie, the act that impresses them the most, this may or may not include a musical element.
##Why this format?
The single-round artistic competition means we only see the routines once, for maximum ‘wow’ factor. The judges all vote on who they consider the winner. Teams don’t have to enter unless they wish, so those not competing can relax and enjoy the show. For those teams that already have a free routine this is a great opportunity to enter a competition with a smaller field, and where busting a speed round does not mean disaster.
#4-way FS
The 4-way will as usual be split into 5 categories – Rookie, A, AA, AAA, and AAA female – with medals in each category and a £10,000 cash purse for the winners of AAA. 23 countries have already signed up and there is a large international field in AA and A, with (so far) 12 countries registered in each category. Nine Scandinavian teams have entered and six French. Bodyflight has warned they may have to cap entries, as it’s hard to accommodate many more than 100 teams… so if you fancy entering, do so now. If you’ve never been to the World Challenge, you need to come and see the atmosphere makes it so world-famous, with more teams entering every year since its inception.
As well as the formal prize money, the judges will be awarding spot cash prizes, to those teams who deserve it though their work ethic, team spirit or sportsmanship. Last April, Chatterchicks won a £1,000 spot prize at the Challenge, which they reinvested in their training, winning the Rookie category at Bodyflight Revenge, six months later.
#World Challenge TV
World Challenge TV will be running on the Live Stream with commentary, interviews, live scoring and more, using the talents of Rai Ahmed (NFTO), Lesley Gale (Skydivemag.com), Kurt Gaebel (National Skydiving League), Ged Parker and more guest stars to guide us through the day. World Challenge TV will make its first broadcast on the practice evening, Thursday 31 March, then cover the competition in full, Friday 1 – Saturday 2 April.
For more information visit the World Challenge pages, and Like their Facebook Page
