Check out some solid 2A play from Korean player Yoo Won Jun! (We don’t get enough 2A videos. More of y’all should learn 2A. When is Patrick Mitchell coming back?)
A Look Inside the YoYoFactory Loop 2020
YoYoFactory has spent years in search of the perfect 2A looping yoyos. From the original Loop 720 to the 1080 and now the 2020, it’s been a remarkably patient game of testing and iteration until finally they’ve built what is probably the greatest looping yoyos ever made to date, by any company. In this video, they break down how the Loop 2020 works, how and why you should adjust it, and how to handle the equipment end of 2A. Once you’ve got that sorted, you can move on to the 10,000 hours of practice. You know…the fun part. 😉
The YoYoFactory Loop 720 and Loop 2020 are available at YoYoExpert.
(And as a bonus, here’s a video where multiple World Champion Shu Takada shows you how he sets up his Loop 2020s!)
Shu Takada 2020 in Reykjavik
Shu Takada is one of the most talented yoyo players of his generation. Natural talent combined with thousands of hours of hard work have made him a World Champion several times over, but it’s his creativity and almost effortless trick delivery that keeps us coming back for more.
Yoyo used is the YoYoFactory Loop 2020.
2017 World YoYo Contest – 2A Finals Results
YoYoNews has full results and scoring breakdowns for the 2A Division of the 2017 World YoYo Contest. Congratulations to 2017 World YoYo Champion Shu Takada!
Shinnosuke Ishizaka × Crook
MOAR 2A VIDEOS, PLEASE!
Shinnosuke Ishizaka tears through some great 2A tricks in this new video. Good enough that I’m going to go grab some loopers and hit myself in the collarbone for an hour or two before I remember I’m no good at 2A.
Yoyo used is the YoYoMonster Crook.
Kuma Films presents: Looper Ft. Ryo Yamashita
The guys over at Kuma Films met up with Ryo Yamashita of Yomega to bring about a great showcase of how cool two handed looping can be.
Yoyos used are Yomega Raiders.
Check out Kuma Films other yoyo video featuring Chang Tzu Wei
Ryosuke Kawamura Presents: Shinnosuke Ishizaka
Watching Shinnosuke Ishizaka kinda makes you want to dust off those loopers, doesn’t it?
Yoyo used is the YoYoMonster Crook.
C3yoyodesign Announces New Looping YoYo, Initiator
C3yoyodesign has finally joined the 2A game with a new looping yoyo, the Initiator!
Scheduled for release at the 2015 World YoYo Contest in Japan this weekend, the Initiator is the result of a year of development and testing between C3yoyodesign and a team of champions in Hong Kong and Japan. The Initiator is designed to be fully contest-ready without any modifications for all skill levels of 2A players.
C3yoyodesign Initiator Specs:
Diameter: 58.62mm
Width: POM spacer 35.2mm
Width: Metal spacer 35.97mm
Weight: 53.25g
YoYoAddict Previews New Looping YoYo
YoYoAddict.com has dropped pics and more info on their forthcoming looping yoyo. Interesting to see smaller companies offering loopers, especially considering the small size of the 2A player base these days. Maybe this influx of new models will increase the general interest in the division?
Pics and awkwardly translated info below!
The most up-to-date version of the prototype of the looping yo-yo “LP” which sOMEThING by YoYoAddict came to publish the often test video. To a senior class of contestants from looping beginner, LP yo that target a wide range of players. Rather than the shape of a simple “child”, to create a convex part also accelerator around spacer POM Material completed repeated trial many times, was to reduce the loss of sleep and float the bearing. The bearings are exposed sufficiently in a state where the spacer is set.
Thought to be unnecessary gap adjustment significant in looping yo-yo, and the only possible gap adjustment of the minimum required some
made up into.
There is no need to tighten Dari force, the simplicity that can be state only the best replacement of the string and oil also basically appealing.
Body shape is straight general, response and Star burst. The simple design of world standard.Will This is the final version almost, through the adjustment of color and design, will be released.
Top 5 2A Yo-Yo Players of All-Time
As we gear up for the 2013 World Yo-Yo Contest, we take a step back to appreciate and admire the greats of years past. We will be posting the top 5 in each division in the weeks leading up to the World Yo-Yo Contest.
From the earliest days of yoyo demonstrators, beginning with the Flores YoYo Company in the 1920s, two-handed yoyo play was set as the pinnacle of skill. Demonstrators would whip out a pair of yoyos and kids’ jaws would drop and their parents wallets would open…it was the ultimate demonstration of mastery. With the intense development of 1A and the invention and popularization of the alternate styles, two-handed looping has lost its mystique a bit…but the top levels of play are nothing short of staggering. Two-handed looping remains one of the most visually stunning forms of yoyoing, and while the skill barrier for this division gets higher every year, those who have put in the time and work to master it continue to blow minds every year.
5. Matt Harlow – 
- 1x World Champion, 2x National Champion, 1x Regional Champion
Known for his blistering speed which shattered and destroyed many yo-yos and snapped equally as many strings, Matt infamously snapped a string one year and World YoYo Contest judge Dennis McBride took a yoyo at full speed, right in the chest. (In Dennis’ credit, he shook it off and kept clicking, establishing for all time that he was secretly a superhero.) Back when 2A was the measure of a great yo-yo player, Matt took the top spot at the World level. Matt brought a lot to the double looping division when wraps were just being introduced and tangler combos were in their infant stages.
4. Hiraku Fujii – 
- 2x Asia Champion, 2x National Champion, 5x Regional Champion
A staple in the 2A division for almost a decade, Hiraku has taken the top spot at Japan Nationals numerous times as well as consistently winning his Regional competition. His technical skill and choreography have remained superb for years. Once again, Hiraku could not top Shinji’s dominance, but his longevity in the division, placing third at the World contest in 2012, earns him a spot on the list.
3. Takuma Yamamoto – 
- 1x World Champion, 2x National Champion, 3x Regional Champion
The only person to put a blemish on the list of accomplishments of Shinji Saito, Takuma Yamamoto immediately earned a spot as one of the greatest. His technical 2A is unmatched today, above and beyond the best in the world right now, and his recent double-digit win at Japan Nationals only proves that notion. With several more National titles to back his 2008 World title in which he beat Shinji, Takuma is still a fiercely competitive 2A player moving forward.
2. Koji Yokoyama –
- 2x Asia Champion, 2x National Champion, 5x Regional Champion
Koji will be the highest ranked player to never win a world title—stymied by the greatness of Shinji. But it is undeniable, Koji was one of the most electrifying performers and toughest competitors. With an unmatched eight second place finishes in 2A on the World stage, Koji Yokoyama demonstrated great creativity and passion for the sport while maintaining runner-up for almost a decade and some would argue deserved the top spot in 2007. Winning the title at Japan Nationals and Asia Pacific only adds to this man’s great legacy.
1. Shinji Saito –
- 8x World Champion, 2x Asia Champion, 2x National Champion, 1x Regional Champion
Were you expecting anyone else? The single most dominant yo-yo player of all time. His near perfect record only speaks to his greatness. Technically skilled, innovative and overall endlessly entertaining—eight 2A World titles to show for it—Shinji Saito is the all-time greatest 2A player and has a strong argument for the greatest yo-yoer of all time. Period.
Honorable Mentions: Yasushi Furukawa (World Champion), Shu Takada (World Champion), John Ando (4x National Champion), Patrick Mitchell (2x National Champion)
Who do you think are the greatest 2A players of all time? Feel free to post your thoughts below!
As a reminder, these rankings take into consideration competitive players from around 2000 and on.
YoYoDrop / Blk Sens – Traccia
Blk Sens, a new Hong Kong-based yoyo company, has announced a new looping yoyo called the Traccia designed by Yiu SiuHo, the Hong Kong and China 2A Champion. Full specs are below, along with more pics of the guts and gap. It’s pretty interesting that a new company would choose to go with a looping yoyo…for this price I can only assume it’s a re-branded version of an existing yoyo already being made in China. Since it looks to simply be a fairly straightforward Raider clone, I think it’s safe to assume these will need heavy lube for modern 2A play.
Blk Sens Traccia Specs:
Diameter: 58mm
Width: 34.7mm
Gap Width: 1.7mm
Weight: 55.5g
Response: Starburst
Bearing: Yomega Small Bearing
Vortex ft. Masakazu Yamasaki
Here’s some great 2A play from Masakazu Yamasaki, promoting the recent release of the Vortex looping yoyos by YoYo Joker. The tangler that he rolls down his back at 1:46…gotta be honest, that scares the crap out of me but it’s SO GOOD! It’s actually really similar to an old hoop juggling move from the vaudeville days.
YoYoFactory Loop 1080 Promo Video
Looks like YoYoFactory put together another great promo video, this one for the YoYoFactory Loop 1080, the signature model of Shu Takada. Featuring Patrick Mitchell, John Ando, Paul Han, and of course Shu Takada. Thanks to Jayson at YoYo Acquaintance for the heads-up on this one!
New Photos: Duncan Hornet YoYo
Duncan Toys has released full photography of all colors of their new looping yoyo, the Hornet. Check ’em out!
