A fierce contest is expected tonight when the top teams from the Christian Faith Quiz go head to head at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.

A new team – Vashti Incorporated – has emerged as the favourite after gaining the top score on Tuesday night, but defending champions Shikinah Worship International Ministries (SWIM), made up of Ellington, Carrie and Carriki Weldon and Sharon Hayward, won't give up their title without a fight, said contest organiser Brenton Roberts yesterday.

Mr. Roberts said Vashti, led by contest stalwart Gilda Richards, was trailing SWIM by five points in their preliminary round on Tuesday before the current events segment of the contest, but then swept to the lead with a record 45 points in the round to finish on 200 points. SWIM added 20 points to finish on 180, while the Mighty Men and Mercy followed with 165.

Three members of Vashti, Valerie Ford, Jackie Bennett and Ms Richards, has perfect scores, as did Robert Harvey of MMM.

The result meant that Vashti and SWIM automatically qualified for the final with MMM left facing elimination, but they were thrown a lifeline when the third team contesting Thursday night's preliminary round dropped out.

That meant that the winning team on Thursday would proceed to the final and the fourth finalist would be whichever team had the highest score of MMM or Thursday's runner-up, Mr. Roberts said.

In the event, Hope and a Prayer, coached by Hope Lowe, came from behind iin the current events round to score 140 points and unseated Potter's Clay from St. Paul AME.

Potter's Clay was then eliminated as MMM had the superior score and the latter team, led by Robert Harvey who had a perfect score on Tuesday for the fourth consecutive round, will be in tonight's final at 7 p.m. in the Princess Room.