The history of WGI Winds may be short, but the division has already compiled a long list of achievements.

WGI Winds started in 2015 with only 20 ensembles performing at World Championships and has grown exponentially since, with 35 ensembles making the trip to Dayton, Ohio, in April 2017—there are over 45 registered for the 2018 championships.

Some groups, however, have taken it upon themselves to embody what they believe to be the future of what WGI Winds looks and sounds like—and oh yeah, they'll be doing the same thing at this year's WGI Winds World Championships.

Watch the 2018 WGI Winds World Championships LIVE on FloMarching—prelims begin on Saturday, April 21!

Rhythm X Winds

If it weren't for Aimachi coming to the 2016 WGI World Championships, Rhythm X would have three Winds Independent World Class World Championships to its name. The Dayton-based group has been leading the charge in the division since winds was announced and continues its reign of terror even now, in 2018.

Rhythm X earned its highest score at last year's finals with a 96.750. Interestingly enough, the group's score of 91.65 at last year's Mid-East Power Regional finals is lower than the 92.1 it earned at the 2018 Mid-East Power Regional finals on March 24.

Valley Christian Performing Indoor Ensemble

This is a group that popped up in 2017 as a Scholastic A group from San Jose. Valley Christian Performing Indoor Ensemble—or "PIE" as it's referred to—opted to move into Independent A for the 2018 season, a move that is pretty rare in the WGI world but can mean good things for the future of the program.

At finals in 2017, Valley Christian PIE won Scholastic A class with a score of 94.775, a higher score than any other Scholastic group has achieved at the three World Championships that have happened so far. 

A few weeks before the 2017 World Championships, Valley Christian attended the West Power Regional finals where they earned a score of 84.10. In 2018, the group earned an 85.65 at the same event.