The 2014 Bay Area Classic was another amazing event, filled with the top talent in the nation. Check out this video from the contest, featuring Ky Zizan, James Reed, Charles Haycock, Eric Koloski, Tyler Severance, Tessa Piccillo, Paul Dang, and more!
Five More Tutorials from Tyler Severance for 5AMAY!
To celebrate 5A May YoYoNews, YoYoExpert, and Tyler Severance have teamed up to bring you some exclusive tutorials with motivation to learn!
Here is Round TWO!
Buddha Redirect, Floating Beesting, Danny Rejection, Danny Front/Back Door, Dana Bennett Mach 5!
If you learn any of the tricks you can score an exclusive discount on a SuperNova via YoYoExpert. (Tyler’s signature yo-yo!) See Bottom of Post!
Dana Bennett Mach 5
Danny Front/Back Door
Danny Rejection
Floating Beesting
Buddha Redirect
Details on how to score the discount is here:
http://yoyoexpert.com/blog/5a-may-supernova-discount/
5A May ‘Trick Challenge’ for SuperNova Discount
Sponsored by YoYoExpert
5A May – Tyler Severance – NEW 5A Tutorials & YoYoExpert SuperNova Deal!
To celebrate 5A May YoYoNews, YoYoExpert, and Tyler Severance have teamed up to bring you some exclusive tutorials with motivation to learn!
Throughout the rest of the month Tyler will be releasing 5A tutorials and if you learn any of the tricks you can score an exclusive discount on a SuperNova (Tyler’s signature yo-yo!)
Details on how to score the discount is here:
http://yoyoexpert.com/blog/5a-may-supernova-discount/
5A May ‘Trick Challenge’ for SuperNova Discount
Punching Bag
Infinite Redirection
Atsuhi Yamada Tangler Variation
Underwhip Repeater
Seth Peterson Body Trap
Tyler Severance In The News
Tyler Severance landed a nice interview in the Shawnee Dispatch to promote the YoYoFactory 80-70-80 tour’s upcoming appearances in Kansas City, Kansas and the surrounding areas on March 24th – 28th.
Tyler, Clint Armstrong, and Joe Wilson will all be appearing at area schools and Go Big Skill Toys, and working hard to create more new yoyo players.
Severance said the goal of Team YoYoFactory, which is made up of a group national and world yo-yo champions, is to change the negative perceptions that exist about yo-yos and yo-yoing.
“We want to show them that yo-yos are so much different now,” he said.
The main difference is how yo-yos have evolved with the addition of the ball bearing in the middle.
“Now you can learn and do the same tricks we are doing with the same yo-yo if they practice,” he said.
Severance, along with his YoYoFactory teammates, Joe Wilson and Clint Armstrong, plan to bring that message to Shawnee later this month for a weeklong visit.
Team YoYoFactory will be appearing at Go Big Skill Toys, 12156 Shawnee Mission Parkway, from March 24-29.
YoYoFactory – 80-70-80 Tour
YoYoFactory is back on tour! The gang has loaded up into the van for another run at traveling across the United States and teaching new players about the art and sport of yoyoing. Here is a list of tour stops…keep an eye on their Facebook page for more details.
- Feb. 24th – 28th – Nevada City, CA
- March 1st – California State YoYo Contest – Sacramento, CA
- March 3rd – 8th – Salt Lake City, UT
- March 10th – 21st – Denver, CO
- March 24th – 28th – Kansas City, MO
- March 31st – April 5th – Chicago, IL
The van rolled out of our base in Phoenix Arizona Feb 19. It wouldn’t be a road trip without some unexpected delays and a new water pump (to replace the one we just replaced!) saw us get to our staging point in SF a little later than expected. The crew onboard, Clint, Joe and Tyler would be de-touring to Seattle for PNWR to collect Ann and get to our first official tour stop, Nevada City California. Where you say? Nevada City Its a small Gold Rush town located 60 miles NE of Sacramento. Why? Why not! The store owners at Mountain Pastimes were super enthusiastic about having us out so here we are!
YoYoFactory Presents – Santa Cruz Week 2
YoYoFactory released their second tour video from this Fall, this one tracking the guys through their tour stops in Santa Cruz, California. Tons of great stuff in here, and a great look at YoYoFactory’s super effective promotional tours.
YoYoFactory Presents: Chico Tour / Week 1
Just before the 2013 US National YoYo Contest, YoYoFactory sent a team through Chico to demo a local schools and drum up interest for the big event. Here’s a tour video they put together from that week of promotions!
YoYoFactory Presents: A Day At The Pier
Happy Thanksgiving! YoYoFactory decided to reward our sloth with a new video from some of their top players enjoying a day at the pier, and throwing down an absolutely stunning array of tricks. Featuring Tyler Severance, Patrick Borgerding, Clint Armstrong, David Ung, and Paolo Bueno.
YoYoFactory in Santa Cruz
If you’re in the Santa Cruz area this week, YoYoFactory is doing demos and shows! Come join Tyler, Clint, Jason and Cory to learn tricks and win prizes.
Thursday, October 9
3:30 – 6 pm
Kaleidoscope
828 Bay Ave Capitola, CA 95010
(831) 475-0210
Friday, October 10
3:30 – 6 pm
Capitola Hobby
3555 Clares St FF
Capitola, CA 95010
(831) 462-3555
Saturday, October 11
11 am- 2 pm
Kaleidoscope
828 Bay Ave Capitola, CA 95010
(831) 475-0210
4 pm – 6 pm
Capitola Hobby
3555 Clares St FF
Capitola, CA 95010
(831) 462-3555
Sunday, October 12
11 am – 3 pm
Monarch Butterfly Festival
Natural Bridges State Beach
(End of West Cliff)
2013 US National YoYo Contest – 5A Analysis
The 2013 US National YoYo Contest wrapped up this past weekend, and YoYoNews is looking back at each division and bringing you post-contest analysis.
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The 5A division at this years US National YoYo Contest suffered from the same problem as nearly every other division this year: most of the competitors were pretty good for a State or Regional level, but just couldn’t hold their own on the National stage against former champions. As a result, the division had no real momentum. Dylan Benharris got on stage with a routine that started with thirty seconds of tricks from 2001, and a routine that ended :40 early; Shannon Jackson started his routine with a change-out, up-and-coming player favorite Chase Baxter started missing tricks early and then kept going back after them for second tries, and the normally composed Shane Lubecker looked like he was struggling to remember his routine. None of these guys are bad yoyo players by any means, but none of them seemed prepared for what they came to do…and that was get on stage and challenge Tyler Severance & Miguel Correa, two players with multiple National titles. The most exciting moment of the entire division was Jake Elliot’s inspired rebuild of his World YoYo Contest routine with fresh pacing and a lot of the throw-away tricks removed for a leaner, meaner freestyle that ended in Jake’s first National title and a much-needed injection of fresh blood into the counterweight play winner pool.
The counterweight division has been suffering for years now, with legal wrangling killing pretty much all meaningful promotion of the style. The result is a waning interest in behalf of competitors, and what we saw at Nationals this year were two former Champions who are still holding their own but quickly aging out of the competition circuit and only one new contender coming up to represent the next generation of champions. At this rate, it’s pretty likely that 5A will be completely stagnant by 2015 and dead in the water by the time the Duncan counterweight patent expires in 2020.
But for now at least, we have three amazing routines by players at the top of their game, and a field of dedicated hopefuls that might stick around long enough to see this division return to its former glory.
2013 US National YoYo Contest – 5A Division Winners
1st Place – Jake Elliot
2nd Place – Tyler Severance
3rd Place – Miguel Correa
Three Minutes From The Cup – Top 5A Contenders
Nationals is coming up fast…the best players in the United States will descend on Chico, California for their moment on stage to compete for the title of US National YoYo Champion. All this week we’ll be featuring our top picks for each division!
5A (Counterweight) Division
Tyler Severance – 2x National Champion
Defending US National 5A Champion Tyler Severance showed up with one of the best 5A routines of all time at this years World YoYo Contest, and he is definitely at the top of the game. Severance has shown in recent years that he’s getting steadier and steadier on stage…where in the past you could see his pacing start to slip towards the end of his routines, now he stays steady and true until the end. Tyler is first in line for the cup this year, and everyone else is going to have a hard fight ahead of them to take his title.
Miguel Correa- 4x National Champion
Miguel Correa sat out most of the 2013 contest season to re-focus on work and family, but his level of play is so high that it might not make a difference. All it takes for Miggy to win is for him to wake up feeling good…with him in the mix, everyone better bring their A-game. That said, his teammate Tyler Severance is his #1 competition…we know where Tyler’s play is, but Miggy is coming in with some mystery around him which should make for an exciting head-to-head between these two reigning champs.
Sebastian Brock
Sebastian Brock is one of the best 5A players that no one ever talks about. Sebby has said himself that he doesn’t have as much confidence in his 5A play as he does in his 1A routines; but he seems to be the only one with that opinion. His counterweight tricks are clean, inventive, and stand out from the field in a way that crowds like and judges can follow. As the 2010 National Champion in the 1A division, Sebby is in a good position to be one of the incredibly few people to win a national title in different divisions.
Jacob Elliot
Relatively new on the scene, Jacob Elliot made a lot of noise at Worlds with his incredibly fast and seemingly out-of-control style in the 5A finals. His freestyle had people flinching at the back of the room, waiting for a yoyo to shoot off the stage. But it never did, and the question for Nationals is: will his speed help him rack up the points to win, or will he outplay the judges’ clickers?
Chase Baxter
Chase Baxter is an up-and-coming talent who is quickly becoming a fan favorite. He’s got an easy-going style on stage that makes him easy to score, but his consistency just isn’t there yet. If he has a good day in the park, Chase could go clean and hit Top 5…but he’s a wildcard and it’s hard to tell what he can do.
Shane Lubecker
Shane is another up-and-coming player who made a strong showing at Worlds in the counterweight division. His trick density isn’t quite there yet, but he’s got some really original stuff and when he’s on his game, his trick construction and pacing are really nice. Judges score what they can follow, and Shane is good at playing to the judges. He’s a contender for sure, but he’s going to have to go cleaner than he managed at Worlds if he wants a shot at Top 5.
2013 Bill Lebowitz Classic (Southwest Regional) Results
The final regional competition of the 2013 United States National Yo-Yo Contest qualification process finished up on Saturday and we have the full results. The contest was a great success with an improvement in the judging and an increased attendance from the previous year. We will update the 2013 Semi-Finals for the National Contest, check here.
On to the results,
5A
In 5A, National Champion Tyler Severance took the seed and looks to defend his title in the next three weeks. Paolo Bueno, 1A juggernaut, who is heavily influenced by Tyler in 5A, took second and closed the gap from the last contests he has competed against Tyler. Finally, Shannon Jackson of Arizona, loved by many and a consistent name in 5A, qualified for Nationals and took the third place honors.
- Tyler Severance
- Paolo Bueno
- Shannon Jackson
- Michael Nakamura
- Dylan Benharris
- Ryan Gee
- Ryan Ayes
- Newman Becker
Bold indicates seeded to semi-finals at the 2013 National YoYo Contest. Full results:
4A
4A saw World Champion Michael Nakamura easily take top the spot despite a few (wind-aided) errors. Up and coming youngest Julian Grunauer took home second place with an extremely clean first half of his routine; with more and more experience, look for Julian to finish stronger with a clean second half in contests in the future. Finally, Stephanie Haight took home the third spot home and bolsters YoYoJams 4A roster and more young talent.
- Michael Nakamura
- Julian Grunauer
- Stephanie Haight
- Ty Goldman
- Yusuke Moriki
- Ryan Ayers
- Newman Becker
Bold indicates seeded to semi-finals at the 2013 National YoYo Contest. Full results:
3A
3A pitted #2 and #4 from last month’s 2013 World YoYo Contest against each other and Alex Hattori won this time around with a great routine. Continuing his trend of ultra clean routines, Alex has put together 5 minutes of near flawless yo-yoing and has had a strong 2013 after a rough 2012. Look for Alex to be a huge contender going into the 2013 US National YoYo Contest. Patrick Borgerding had a relatively clean routine sans an extremely long switch out after an ugly knot. Yoshi Mikamoto edged out Newman Becker for third place. Newman has been steadily improving his 3A and looks stronger and stronger each year.
- Alex Hattori
- Patrick Borgerding
- Yoshi Mikamoto
- Newman Becker
Bold indicates seeded to semi-finals at the 2013 National YoYo Contest. Full results:
2A
National Champion Patrick Mitchell won despite an exploded yo-yo and a restart–testimony to his skill and he looks poised to defend his title this year. 2A veteran Yoshi Mikamoto took second honors and nearly edged out the National Champion. Finally, Yususke Moriki took home third place–everyone’s favorite jokester and always entertaining 2A player.
- Patrick Mitchell
- Yoshi Mikamoto
- Yusuke Moriki
- John Huber
- Path Yath
Bold indicates seeded to semi-finals at the 2013 National YoYo Contest. Full results:
1A Rookie
This year saw the addition of the rookie 1A division, a trend that many contests are now adopting, which was a good opportunity for the next generation to get on center stage. It is always awesome to see how fast everyone is improving and growing!
- Ryan Lagrou
- Lucas Madison
- James Martin
- McCando Kao
- Jose Pineda
- Spencer Rawnsley
- Daniel Walling
- Elijah Ortencio
1A
Anthony Rojas. Look out. He is a clean three minutes from being the US representative at the 2014 World YoYo Contest in Prague next year. A beautiful display of control and innovation with a hint of artistry and even a bit of swagger (brush your shoulder…). Anthony is a definitely the biggest crowd favorite in the US–last year at the National Contest when Anthony switched out there was an audible sigh of sadness from the crowd. In second, 4A Champion Michael Nakamura proved he should be considered a threat on all fronts. He has improved drastically even since Worlds and will make a run at qualifying again for the finals after his finaling at Worlds. Finally, Paolo Bueno took home third with yet another extremely innovative routine with his (becoming) trademark 3D tricks. He continues to improve and will certainly be a threat for the 2014 World title after a very strong year this year.
- Anthony Rojas
- Michael Nakamura
- Paolo Bueno
- Paul Dang
- Wilson Van Gundy
- Eric Koloski
- Ty Goldman
- Keiran Cooper
- David Ung
- Clint Armstrong
- Yusuke Moriki
- Dylan Benharris
- Tyler Goldenberg
- John Huber
- Ryan Gee
- Matt Leoun
- Paul Yath
Bold indicates seeded to semi-finals at the 2013 National Yo-Yo Contest. Full results:
Anthony Rojas
Michael Nakamura
Paolo Bueno
Thank you for a great event and see you next year!
YoYoFactory Supernova 2013
Tyler Severance has a catalog of signature yoyos dating back to 2008. He is now on his 7th YoYoFactory model with the release of the NEW Supernova. Each yoyo offers indications of the evolutionary direction of Tyler’s play. Some of the design elements remain not fully explored offering room for improvement and refinement. The NEW Supernova captures the essence of these models again to bring a new playing experience to the line. Weighting has been a little more consolidated and brought out a touch to provide more stability reflecting a shift in Tyler’s play to longer combos and more horizontal play. The rim shape looks more like the 2010 Severe than the later Supernovas, and the drop off from the bearing is the most prominent it has been since the 2009 editions with no wall really needed for control thanks to the weight distribution. Standard configuration has it coming with a SPEC X, while not Tyler’s choice for competition it is what he suggests for every day play. Rather than release colors, Tyler will be releasing Supernova in a series of themed editions, the first two will be available August 9 at select retailers with a full release scheduled later this August.
Top 5 Counterweight 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.
Today we rank the Top 5 Greatest Counterweight Players of All Time. Since our very own Steve Brown debuted his idea at the Bay Area Classic nearly fifteen years ago, the style has evolved tremendously. The evolution bred countless tricks that have brought a certain level of magic to stages across the world. From ‘astro’ to sideways counterweight, finger grinds to slack combos, counterweight play opened many doors in the world of yo-yo and gave these five individuals a medium to create an enduring legacy.
5. Rafael Matsunaga – 
- 1x World Champion, 1x National Champion
The first player outside of the United States and Japan to win a World title in the modern era, Rafael is a legend of counterweight. Innovative in the early stages of counterweight at the World level, much of the mounts and concepts are indebted to Rafael. Promoter, entertaining and organizer, even since retiring from competition, Rafael has remained an important figure in yo-yo.
4. Makoto Numagami – 
- 1x World Champion, 1x National Champion, 3x Regional Champion
Makoto won every major competition to be won: regional, national, continental and world. Highly competitive in the X-Division era and capturing his own World title in 5A in 2004, Makoto was one of the biggest competitors of the early decade. He was highly theatrical in his performances and brought a lot of energy and passion to the stage in his routines. Makoto will always be remembered for his contributions to freehand in its early development.
3. Tyler Severance – 
- 1x World Champion, 2x National Champion, 18x Regional Champion, 13x State Champion
Tyler took home the World title in 2007—the last before the Takuma-Taskeshi era. Just recently winning his second National title, Tyler is still actively competing and seeking to add to his absolutely massive list of accomplishments. Tyler is well known for his intricate tangler and wrap combos which transcend counterweight influence; his creativity is undeniable with a resume to back it up and thus earns a spot as one of the top counterweight players ever.
2. Takuma Inoue –
- 1x World Champion, 2x National Champion, 4x Regional Champion
The only person to even come close to Takeshi—losing by less than a point in 2012—Takuma is a legend of 5A. With his own World title in 2010, Takuma is a loveable performer known for exclaiming ‘THANK-YOU’ during his performances. Takuma is a highly dedicated competitor. His tricks are all extremely high risk and his accuracy when performing them is just one reason why he is one of the greatest 5A players of all time.
1. Takeshi Matsuura –
- 4x World Champion, 2x Asia Champion, 5x National Champion, 4x Regional Champion
Not even a teenager and Takeshi had begun cementing his legacy. The youngest to ever win a World title at the age of 11, Takeshi was not done there. Recently capturing another Japan National title, he seeks his fifth World title going into the 2013 World contest. Takeshi is a performer in the fullest and his tricks, often performed to near perfection, compliment every aspect of his routine—every time. Takeshi is and will remain the greatest 5A player of all time for the foreseeable future.
Honorable Mentions: Maya Nakamura (World Champion), Steve Brown (counterweight play inventor), Miguel Correa (4x US National Champion), Sterling Quinn (top US competitor).
Who do you think are the greatest counterweight 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.