posted Apr 26th, 2009 - The NSL News reported on 17 April 2009 that Team Future's siblings, Kayla and Justin Tinucci, competed in both 4-way and Freeflying competitions at the World Challenge 2009. The NSL YouTube TV video in the same story featured the flying kids in both events.

Kayla and Justin Tinucci were not the only competitors switching back and forth between 4-way and Freeflying this time. Thomas Hughes, who competed with XL at the tunnel competition, must have been inspired after watching the Tinucci siblings last year in Bedford.

The world class 4-way and 8-way competitor, formerly known as the "King of the Tunnel" at SkyVenture Orlando, decided to copy the Tinucci adventure and teamed up with Kimberly Worthington for the Freeflying event at the World Challenge 2009. Kimberly Worthington is a Skydive University instructor in DeLand.

Thomas Hughes developed his Freeflying skills when he was working as a tunnel instructor in Orlando in the late 90s, together with Airspeed's Eliana Rodriguez. They trained and competed in 4-way with Tunnel Rage and won the USPA Nationals 2000 in the AA/Intermediate Class. They both advanced to the top level of Formation Skydiving competition very quickly ever since and have made their home in this position.

The NSL News covered Thomas Hughes' competition with XL at the World Challenge 2009 already with the story on 20 April 2009. The NSL-TV camera also found Thomas Hughes on his way to the flying chamber in Bedford for a Freeflying round. He was playing with Team Future's Justin Tinucci while they were waiting for their turn.

The NSL-TV camera then followed team "Skydive University" into the chamber and captured Thomas Hughes' and Kim Worthington's final round of the Freeflying competition. The video shows that the 4-way competitor can still keep up with the Freeflying experts.

However, Team Future outperformed Skydive University in the Freeflying competition. Kayla and Justin Tinucci took 4th place and won £500, while Thomas Hughes and Kim Worthington finished in 8th place of nine teams.

Thomas Hughes was only playing at the World Challenge 2009. He will now go back to his more serious projects this year.

He is actually flying the Center Outside position for Spaceland Force XP and also competes with Paraclete XP in 8-way. Both teams have the goal to win the USPA Nationals this year and qualify as the US national teams for the World Meet 2010 in Russia.

Thomas Hughes is also coaching the US national team in the female category. The new lineup has just changed the team name to Spaceland Blue, and the NSL News will follow up with more information very soon. Sebastian Tempest is on his list of coaching projects, as well. The next round of the World Challenge 2009 will be uploaded soon and follow on NSL YouTube TV.