posted Oct 1st, 2010 - The status of the Fun Flag was updated by the NSL News in eight stories during the coverage of the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 2010. The Fun Flag made the headlines three times, and the last update was posted on 5 August 2010:

"The NSL News used the time after the jump planes took off and the landing for a new NSL Talk session with Joey Jones and Thomas Hughes. This NSL Talk included an update of the Fun Flag situation. Thomas Hughes reported that his successful effort to get the flag, live during another NSL Talk session, did not give the US delegation possession for a very long time. The German delegation managed to steal the Fun Flag despite a strong defense system supported by the Golden Knights."

It was pure coincidence that the same NSL News story also included a brief conversation with two members of the German 4-way team Paratec-Saar who had just successfully completed their pursuit of the unofficial 2010 world amateur title.

The Fun Flag once again changed ownership in Menzelinsk quite a few times, and one of the bluntest assaults took place live in front of the NSL-TV camera during an NSL Talk with the complete NMP-PCH Hayabusa lineup.

Thomas Hughes was the offender and used such a blitz attack strategy that the NSL-TV camera could barely capture the move. The NSL News story on 3 August 2010 and video clip included a Fun Flag visit at the Hayabusa tent earlier and then Thomas Hughes' successful theft during the interview.

Thomas Hughes and his Spaceland Blue members proudly presented the Fun Flag later in another NSL News story. Obviously, this was not the end of the story in Menzelinsk, as the Fun Flag eventually traveled to Germany. The new video, which was also provided by Thomas Hughes, shows how the Germans took possession of the Fun Flag. Parental guidance is recommended, it is a rough video.

World Meet 2010 in Menzelinsk: Battle for the Fun Flag

The NSL News has no information how the Golden Knights had taken possession of the Fun Flag. There was obviously good cooperation within the US delegation between Spaceland Blue and the US Army team. It was great to see the Golden Knights again with the Fun Flag since the whole story began many years ago when the US Army team represented the USA in 8-way and invented the Fun Flag.

However, the video shows how the Golden Knights are getting ready to fly the flag in the tent city of the competition site. The Golden Knights ownership in Menzelinsk did not last very long though. German language can be heard on the video's audio while the Golden Knights get the flag ready to fly.

The German assault begins shortly after the Fun Flag is leaving the US tent. Thomas Hughes reacts quickly and shows his running skills once again. He grabs the flag and runs out of everbody's reach, just as speedy as he did during the Hayabusa interview.

Tha battle was far from over. The US combat group with Thomas Hughes and the Golden Knights eventually brings the Fun Flag back to where it belongs, but the members of the German 4-way VFS team don't give up and now start a physical battle with the real warriors of the US Army team who returned at the beginning of this year from military services in Iraq.

The Germans may not have known this and attacked the Golden Knights no matter what. Brian "BK" Krause and his team mates casually defended the Fun Flag for a little while but finally gave up when the German freeflyers showed no respect for the Golden Knights and the Fun Flag.

There is no doubt that the Golden Knights could have protected the flag and its possession successfully had they used all their physical skills. The Germans were probably lucky that the US Army Commander was on site and cautioned his troops. The Germans fixed the Fun Flag up after ripping it during the assault and then provided the latest photo. Now they have to protect and nurse it until the international community visits Germany next year for the World Cup 2011.