YoYo Related News From Around The World
YoYoFactory has released their limited titanium version of fan-favorite yoyo, the Shutter and it’s pretty fantastic. It plays similar to the original, but with it’s own unique feel and of course that amazing *ting* that you can only get from titanium. And sparks, lots of sparks.
And such an epic Shutter release of course means we get some new video from Gentry, which is always a good thing. Check out the champ in action!
Yoyo used is the YoYoFactory Titanium Shutter.
All good things in this new video featuring Sam Shamia…solid tricks + great shooting and editing = good times!
Yoyo used is the CLYW Igloo.
Ernest Kahn consistently makes up some of the most fun and interesting tricks you’ve ever seen. Word is he just filmed a grip of Cabin Tutorials for CLYW, so we can expect plenty more like this one. Nice!
Yoyo used is the CLYW Igloo.
Alec Campbell is launching his own brand soon, called “Heaven Sent“. Produced for Alec by CLYW, the first production model is called the Creep, and will be available soon. In the meantime, we’re getting plenty of weirdly cool videos and teasers on Instagram. Specs, pricing, and more info coming soon!
Full disclosure: I have a prototype Creep, it’s my favorite, I competed with it at Worlds, I haven’t been this excited about a yoyo release in a while.
You don’t see a lot of yoyo players throwing to jazz for a few reasons, not the least of which is that many of them simply don’t have the chops for it. Eric Tran-ton has the chops for it. Settle in and enjoy one of the best videos of the year.
Yoyo used is the UNPRLD Ignite.
Is there ever a day that we don’t get some kind of awesomeness from the Czech Republic? Is it even possible for that country to go a week without massive yoyo goodness exports?
The latest goodness comes from David Stejskal and Honza Votrubec, and you’re gonna love it.
Yoyo used is the Basecamp Expedition.
Nehemiah Peterson dropped a new video (shot and cut by Alec Campbell, so that’s pretty rad) with some great new tricks. Sweet!
Yoyo used is the Basecamp Expedition.
Ben Conde documented the first Basecamp trip and lemme just say right now: I am now really, really jealous and wish I could have been there. Absolutely amazing!!
Featuring Ben Conde, Ben McPhee, Chris Mikulin, Alec Campbell, a bear, and more nature than you can shake a stick it.
Yoyo used/abused is the YoYoFactory Flight.
One Drop YoYos announced their latest release, the Marquis, is a one-time production run that will only be sold as a blind box. For those of you who don’t collect vinyl toys, that means that each box is sealed and you have no idea what is inside. They’ve laid out the odds of getting each color/finish of the Marquis, plus the odds of getting a super-rare titanium version. Sweet!
Check out their comments about the project, pics, full specs, and video of Paul Dang giving you the what what, all below.
The Marquis is our first yo-yo model to be released in a blind box. Limited to only 400 yo-yos, featuring a variety of finishes as well as five Titanium variants in the mix. They’re all sealed up and randomized so even we don’t know where they’re all going to end up! Imagine picking up a pack of your favorite trading cards, but instead of cardboard, you get a sweet playing yo-yo. With an assortment of finishes, you’re bound to find YOUR ultimate prize!
Remember when you thought all that math you learned in class wouldn’t help you in life? Think again! Here are the different editions and your chances of scoring them:
The yo-yo itself pays homage to the Halifax prototypes of years back with it’s undersized manner and angular design. The jewel-like look and feel inspired it’s name. It’s a nimble little gem, but with a profound presence on the string. It’s small enough to slide into your pocket when you’re going about your day, but big enough to shine when the moment is right.
Continuing our commitment to deliver great value, each sealed box will retail for $49. We understand how many hours of labor you guys have to go through to afford a new yo-yo. Your work doesn’t go unnoticed. You deserve a little break and some fun while you’re at it!
The anticipation in cracking one open is real. Will you be the one to own a Titanium Marquis? Only one way to find out. Good luck and enjoy!
*Titanium Marquis shares the same weight and profile as it’s aluminum counterpart, but has a redesigned inner cup, and takes 19mm Flow Groove.
Nicolo Rossetto brings some truly lovely tricks to our screens with this latest video. The combo starting at 0:53 is especially nice, may want to rewind and watch that one a few times.
Yoyo used is a new prototype by Oxygene.
The latest releases from German-based iYoYo are a titanium monometal and a titanium/steel bi-metal. Huge jumps for a small company! Check out pics and full specs below…both models are available now!
This took us about 5 Prototypes before we got it, where I wanted it to be. You can feel our extensive effort the moment you open the beautiful black metal box.
Precisely machined Titanium with polished rims for that classy look. This thing’s got some power! Every single piece is hand tested and powered by a Pixel Bearing!
During my recent trip to China, I wanted to finish three projects.
This is one of them – the most difficult one.
When we were coming along with our 2nd Titanium yoyo, I knew I wanted to push it even further. I wanted to give a Bi-Tanium a shot.
So we sat down, went back to the CAD drawing board and used FiRROX as basis. Titanium, however, can be machined so much thinner that it allowed us to make most parts of the yo-yo half as thin as FiRROX’, and cramming it into the rim.
The result is such a powerful beast, I have rarely had something like that in my hands. TiSSOX was born.
Every year (well, nearly) at the World YoYo Contest, a handful of players carve out a spot for themselves to hold an anti-competition. It’s not that they are against yoyo contests, it’s that there are a lot of players who just aren’t built for them, but do some legitimately amazing stuff nonetheless. Yoyo play is vast, and while we’ve done a fairly good job at figuring out how to quantify and score it, there will always be players who’s style and aesthetic just doesn’t work inside of that system. And that’s why the Alternative Freestyles exist: to give a platform to people who need a different place to showcase their skills.
This year’s Alternative Freestyles were supposed to be held on the main stage as the focus of the third after-party, but communication and scheduling issues moved it to a conference room after finals were over. Check out the three “Judge’s Pick” freestyles below (and a bonus pick from me, because it’s my site and I’ll do what I want), and then head over to the full playlist on YouTube to see everyone who entered.
“It was really difficult to choose one person with the plethora of amazing names, but Chris was the first person to go up and boy did he throw down something special. His performance was just beautiful to watch, the music was happy and elegant as he threw down some gorgeous and innovative tricks that unified everyone at the start of the event and made everyone feel as though they were watching something special. The bangers didn’t just make me clap but they made people excited and happy that someone could do something so fun and exciting. It made me feel legitimately emotional to watch and I could not be happier to have been able to witness that performance.” – Sebastian Brock
“There is something really special going on when you watch someone else yoyo. I feel as though Alternative Freestyles this year was incredibly educational and fun, so my choice based on that is Isaac Sams. His yoyoing is extremely refreshing to watch, and the direction he chooses to take with his tricks is not only unique, but fundamental as well. On top of all that, he seems to be really enjoying himself which in turn really lends to how he sells his tricks.” – Stephen Fuentes
“I really enjoyed watching all of the freestyles, but my favorite routines were: Chris Rodrigues, Isaac Sams, Ivan Maslin, Riccardo Fraolini, Mark Mangarin, Yuuki Spencer, Shane Lubecker and Sebastian Brock. If I had to pick only one favorite freestyle, it would be Sebastian Brock’s freestyle, because in addition to his crazy and unique tricks his presentation and his tricks together with the music were very inspiring, peaceful and relaxing to watch, so I really felt like it had a story to tell.” – Janos Karancz
“I love watching through the Alternative Freestyles. So much talent in there, and I love watching players just *play* without the pressure of a contest or judges. I’ll argue to the death that Hiroyuki Suzuki is 1000% better when he’s not on stage, because the tricks he chooses are so much cooler. Mark Mangarin occupies this strange and wonderful grey area for me: I think if he took it more seriously he could legitimately start destroying contests, but at the same time it’s his cynicism about modern yoyoing that pushes and informs his trick creation and his tricks are just stupidly fun and amazing. I love hearing people complain about his Cabin Tutorials being hard to learn because Mark is left-handed….no dude, they’re hard to learn because his tricks are awesome, ha ha! The way he builds and paces his tricks, the geometry that he uses in his body moves, the fact that you never quite know what direction the yoyo is headed next…he’s the visual equivalent of Fugazi to me, and I absolutely love watching him play.” -Steve Brown
Core YoYo Co. just dropped two more player profiles, featuring Ray Godefroid and Logan Willis. Great companions to the recent video of Gee Cheung, and holy crap are they gonna do these for every single dude they gave a Core shirt to? Sweeeeeeet.
Paul Dang strapped a camera to his face and put together this “day in the life” look at his average day working for One Drop YoYos. I personally think this was heavily edited to remove a lot of stuff…there is no way Paul gets through a day without giving out at least a hundred high-fives. Maybe even two-hundred. That guy is a high-five machine.