With great pleasure, I would like to announce that I have teamed up with YoyoExpert and a number of amazingly generous sponsors to present this year’s edition of our “Battle of the Elders”.
The contest will be open for entries for just over a month, giving you 5 full weekends (plus any in-between time) to get your videos ready. Barring any unexpected disasters, entries must be received by:
Sunday November 1 Monday November 9 at 11:59pm EST***
Details…
Oh the details…
There are so many details, which seems to get me into trouble. Sorry. 
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Eligibility: You must be 30 years or over before the closing date for entries. You can be from anywhere in the world. You must have a YYE account. Your post count and date of joining is irrelevant to your eligibility!
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Video Length: 1:34. Some will find this to be on the short side, but I have the judges to think about. 4 seconds at the beginning of the yoyo must display the contest graphic with all our sponsors (http://i.imgur.com/ms4rgDA.jpg).
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Format: This is a trick showcase video. Edits are allowed and encouraged though they are not strictly “required”. Your tricks can be across any category. Mostly 1A but with a 4A banger in your back pocket? Great. 3A has occupied your time and has become your obsession? Go for it. Fixed Axle is what “does it” for you? G’head!
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Divisions*: There are two divisions: “around” a year or under, and then… the rest. Yes, a person with a year and a half of playing will be going up against someone with potentially a decade or more of play. I’ve done it myself and you still have great odds. Even better this year, as you’ll see by the judging criteria.
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Judges: Judging will be by a panel of 5 AMAZING yoyo personalities (including National Masters, yoyo legends, and world-renowned players). Yes, I will tell you who they are. No, I’m not telling you yet.
Turn to page 3 for the announcement that our panel includes Steve Brown, Dazzling Dave, Daniel Dietz, Augie Fash, and Ed Haponik! -
Judging Criteria: For each of the “main” divisions, each judge will score based on a 10-point scale for three categories: Skill, Creativity, and Execution**
Let’s be extra-clear about the ultimate best proper way to enter!
- Send me a YYE private message with a link to your video and tell me it’s your contest entry.
- Tell me if you are under a year, or over a year of playing yoyo. I can usually guess, but just let me know.
- If you want to claim a 10-pack of Kitty strings at the contest end, let me know and also provide your mailing address!
Prizes! We have those! Not sure how to format this so that it’s easy to read, but here we go:
- “A year or under” and “Over a year” (beginner/advanced): 1st-3rd places, each with a package of prizes. At the time of awarding, a coin flip will determine which pack goes to which division:
1st pack 1: C3 Berserker SS, YYF Proton, MFD Accessories
1st pack 2: Green CLYW Borealis, OD Format:C, MFD Accessories
2nd pack 1: C3 Accelerator, YYF Equilateral, YYO Musket, MFD Accessories
2nd pack 2: C3 Accelerator, YYF Primo, YYO Imp, MFD Accessories
3rd pack 1: Duncan (Flipside, Torque, Pouch) plus YYO Imp
3rd pack 2: Duncan (Flipside, Strix, Pouch) plus YYO Imp
- “Well, I entered!”: FOUR random draws will mean that everybody can still win big!
- Hildy/Higby Currier, Laminated Currier, Hildy Bros Emmett, Duncan ProFly, signed Ed Haponik collectible trading card
- “77 Rules for Yo-Yo Players” set (booklet and one-of-a-kind ProFly), signed Ed Haponik collectible trading card, striped Hildy Bros. Currier, Duncan ProFly, Hildy/Higby Currier
- YYF Tactic, custom 3D-printed yoyo from Kyo’s Toys
- YYF G-funk, Duncan Echo2
- “Best Banger”: The best trick across both divisions. Our judges have seen a lot of bangers, so if you’re after this prize, make it good!
Best Banger: G Squared Nessie
- “Best Video”: Regardless of your yoyo skill level, you have the chops to put together an impressive video. The best video across both divisions receives a prize pack including (another!) premium metal yoyo. This is your time to shine, even if you’re not sure you can cop 1st place in the main divisions
Best Video: OD Downbeat, 2sickyoyos Bishop, YYE certificate $50.
- “People’s Choice”: Chosen by popular vote! The contest team reserves the right to decide if voting will include winning entries
People’s Choice: Axis Pulsefire, YYE Cert $25
- “Judges Choice”: An entry that otherwise did not win a major prize but which the judges collectively agreed was a standout video for tricks, videography, personality, or any other reason.
Judges’ Choice: KYS Pun, YYF Roll Model
- “People’s Chooser”: A draw will award a random voter (for the People’s Choice) category with a token of our appreciation!
People’s Chooser: 3X $25 Gift cards chosen at random and awarded to anyone voting for People’s Choice
Free Strings!
Every entry is qualified to receive a FREE 10-PACK OF STRINGS! courtesy of our own YoyoExpert just for entering. When you submit your video, just let me know if you are interested in claiming them and I will take it from there.
Sponsors!
This contest would not be possible in its current form without the contributions of our generous sponsors. They’re listed in the poster for the contest, but I want to mention them at least one more time (in alphabetical order):
2sickyoyos
Axis YoYos
C3yoyodesign
CLYW
Duncan
G-Squared
Hildy Brothers
King Yo Star
Kyo’s Toys
MonkeyfingeR Design
One Drop
YoyoExpert
YoyoFactory
Yoyofficer
All super amazing and enthusiastic right from the moment I contacted them about the contest. Couldn’t ask for a better set of new and returning sponsors for this year. Blown away. Prizes are indicated as being “over $1500”, but I believe a final calculation will have it closer to $2000 current calculations have the prize pool at roughly $2700! Unbelievable love from these companies right here.
Closing words(!)
A very important thing (to me): the spirit of this contest is simply FUN. The competitors in the past have loved seeing each others’ videos and have been very supportive and encouraging of each other. It’s our time to show the whipper-snappers that we can throw some tethered gyroscopes around, too! For some of us, it’s an excuse to make a video that motivates us even more than the prize pool. I’m sure everyone involved can’t wait to see what some of our 30-year-old-and-beyond members are capable of.
Footnotes:
- look, we probably all played yoyo when we were kids… maybe we walked the dog, rocked the baby, and did some inside loops and forward passes. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about years of dedicated play. If you rediscovered yoyo 6 months ago and are currently obsessed, but hadn’t played since you were a kid, you’re in the “under a year” division. If you REALLY need to be sure, drop me a PM.
** The crib notes for this are: Skill = difficulty of tricks and lack of mistakes; Creativity = originality of tricks and/or impressive reimagining of known elements. Execution = flow and timing, the apparent ease with which tricks are executed. Note that the criteria does NOT include a “cinematography” section. These categories are about playing yoyo. But do follow best practices to make your video clean and easy for the judges to follow!
*** video submission notes:
- Submission is done by using the forum’s PM function to send me a private message with a link to your video. You are welcome to post your videos here or to social media whenever you want. You do not need to wait for the deadline if you’re the “eager to share” kind of person like I am. You can, however, submit early but simply not share publicly until entries close, if that’s your preference.
- Unless I receive notification to the contrary, I will post submitted videos to this forum once everything wraps up.
- Winners will have their videos posted here and on social media.
- I’m not too concerned about which video host you use; I have also uploaded on behalf of competitors in the past… if you don’t know from video and are intimidated by the process, drop me a PM and I’ll sort it out with you!
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to update and modify any or all of the details provided with fair and sufficient notice.
Shortened link to this thread: http://bit.ly/1OouDdy
In addition to your pack of strings, the “random draws” are going to be totally legit. You might win something else! Also, 4 weekends to channel your inner Kubrick. Or at least your inner Tommy Wiseau.
I had to cut THEM off somewhere.