Congratulations, Someone! (YYE and I are gonna have to learn your name to send you your well-earned prizes.)
As you probably know, Logi bowed out of the 14th Round, primarily due to a lack of equipment that could handle 2-handed loops. In a way, it’s anticlimactic for these guys to hit Snap-Start to Archery Flip, but have something like Loops decide it. In another way, it feels totally appropriate given the dichotomy that fixed axle represents. It’s always split between the tricks of the past and of the future (and only able to be experienced in the present).
Someone killed this contest for its entire duration. Sometimes it seemed like he wasn’t even challenged. My favorite rounds were the ones where he was.
He had pretty much given up on this round. I love the shocked exhilaration on his face and his parents’ hooting and yelling. You could tell he wanted to hit that trick with every fiber, and a lot of times it takes that.
I was totally amazed (I think a lot of people were) by the super-fast head-to-head Someone and Logi went through between rounds 11-14. It seemed like they were pushing each other, but also pushing ME to get harder tricks out faster. And these tricks weren’t pushovers. They hit some gnarly stuff and sped right past some incredibly strong players in the process. The whole time I was thinking “Why aren’t they waiting to the last minute to post their hits? It’d give them more chill-time and maybe psyche out the other player.” But then I realized that they were posting immediately because they were stoked. They COULDN’T WAIT to post the insane combo they just hit or to see the next one. That made it clear we had the right guys in the final. I wish we could give prizes commensurate with the incredible amount of hours they (and a lot of players) poured into this, but yo-yoing is primarily its own reward - which is good because it will save Andre and me a lot of $.
I know I ticked some people off with the decisions I made in running the contest. What yo-yo’s would/wouldn’t be allowed, tricks that were too tough or too easy, and then accelerating the pace were all subjects of contention and controversy, and I apologize if I messed up. I really wanted to create a contest that was fun and crazy-challenging and have the best possible players go the furthest. I do feel that happened. (Honestly, I’m still not sure what I’d have to do to get Someone out… Archery Varial???)
SINCERE THANKS to everyone who entered. It was inexpressibly fun to watch so many people trying (and nailing) these tricks. I know a lot of players really pushed their limits, and in the process took it farther than I thought it would go. I really hope that it got some to enjoy playing fixed more and made them want to come up with their own tricks. SINCEREST THANKS to YoYoExpert - to Andre and Garrett - for coming up with the idea and for giving me the perfect way to do it. Andre has been a huge support to me for years, and his tacit approval of fixed axle as a worthwhile style to try means the world.
Wishing everyone who tried this and anyone who followed along a great holiday weekend. Throw some fixed axle if you’re not too burnt out.
Thanks again for the awesome contest. Hoping and looking forward to another one hopefully next year. This contest made me decide to go through each week of the Fixed Axle Friday section on yoyonews until I get each one down. Really want to fine tune my playing, thanks again!
Also, a HUGE Congrats to Someone and to Logi! You guys both killed it the whole contest! Hopefully there will be another fixed axle contest at Worlds next year and we’ll see you both there!
Ed Haponik and YYE are amazing for putting this on; thank you guys so much!
Logi is insanely skilled, I gotta say. He literally learns almost any trick within 30 minutes. Two handed looping is just a trick you kinda gotta pick at throughout the years, not to mention I was lucky enough to be able to use 2 proyos.
But honestly all you guys are awesome.
I seriously can’t believe that I hit some of the stuff I did. Half of these 14 rounds I though I was a goner, ESPECIALLY the one Ed posted. Man it feels good to land something like that (I’ve learned you gotta do it in 30 minute sessions to avoid frustration.)
Thanks again guys! I’m stoked Hope to see some of you guys at Nats maybe, especially Logi (Hopefully I’ll be able to go, never know)
I really was tempted to wait and post at the last minutes, but I was, like Ed said, super stoked and wanted to get it out there and also I really wanted to encourage Someone to get to the next round because I couldn’t wait to see what Ed had next.
Round ten pretty much had me thinking it was all over. I didn’t say this before, but I spent two hours standing in the rain trying to hit it with no luck, one hour inside hitting the ceiling every time I tried a shoot the moon, and 3 hours in various locations(including the dark at 10pm) being distracted by a 5-year-old kid who wanted my attention DESPERATELY. And after all that, I discovered I was landing my shoot the moons wrong, making the next part impossible.
I’m glad I didn’t give up cause those last three rounds were a blast!
Congrats and there should be more contest like these especially for looping and other dying styles. And another good point of this contest is that I didn’t knew these many players play fixed axle on these forum and same goes for looping. I think fixed axle misfits should be called fixed axle king.
Also, I forget to say, in case you haven’t noticed Ed, you’ve spread the amazingness of fixed axle play very well. I’ve seen bunches of BST’s titled “LF: Fixed Axle” (Inspired by fixed axle challenge).
You’ve hosted a super fun challenge and rekindled the love for woodies.
Congrats Noah, I’m stoked how far you guys took it. Especially in that whirlwind of the last few rounds. Ed started it and you guys helped it along greatly. Feels like a new era of fixed has breached the horizon for real.
