Thursday 19 May 2011

TSX Player Feature: Chua Wei Xuan

This week in the hot seat, we've got one of Singapore's versatile players, Chua Wei Xuan, talk about his love for yo-yos, how picking up the hobby has changed him, and what it takes to be a TSX member.


TSX Member: Chua Wei Xuan

Having started around the same time as local players such as Darrel Mitchell, Christopher Chia, and Wong Wei Da, Wei Xuan is one of the few players among the group who performs well in almost every category he's taken part in, claiming top five in all four categories during the Singapore Yo-yo Championships 2010, Wei Xuan has earned a reputation for being a highly versatile player, one which could give top competitors in certain categories a run for their money!


Chua Wei Xuan
Chua Wei Xuan

Name: Chua Wei Xuan
Age: 16
Playing Style: 1A, 2A, 5A Competitive
Favorite Brand: C3 Design
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Spinworkx
Obviously everyone has different reasons for getting into the hobby of yo-yoing, so what caught your interest to try a hand at this unique "sport"?
Wei Xuan
Like most players, I got into the hobby because it was fun, different, and most of all, it allowed me to experiment with my own style and create my own tricks. Not many toys out there allow you to get creative, yo-yoing on the other hand does exactly that.


We caught up with Wei Xuan during WCC 2011 where he was busy practicing for his 2A routine
We caught up with Wei Xuan during WCC 2011 where he was busy practicing for his 2A routine

Spinworkx
There's definitely a lot more to just walking the dog and braintwisters! So you've been playing for over five years now, and have become one of the top players in Singapore. So how has getting into this sport changed you?
Wei Xuan
Well the sport has allowed me to become more patient with myself. I've learnt that it takes perseverance in order to accomplish a trick, and that rushing into it gets you no where.
Another thing about this hobby is that it has allowed me to make lots of friends, not just locally, like the guys at TSX, SY Blog, and even the older days of Team Freelance, I've even gotten to know international players, like the guys from USA, Philippines, Japan, even Hong Kong!


Wei Xuan (Right) hanging loose at last years Spinworkx BBQ
Wei Xuan (Right) hanging loose at last year's Spinworkx BBQ

Spinworkx
True, every hobby definitely allows you to make new friends, in this case, having to meet with international players must have definitely been quite the treat!
So among all these people in the community, who is your inspiration and why?
Wei Xuan
There are a lot of people who inspire me in yo-yoing, but if I could pick one, I'd say Christopher Chia from yoyorecreation. His style and tricks are an eye opener, and gives me some sort of benchmark to work towards, allowing me to explore my own style through observing his.


Team yoyorecreation member Christopher Chia, one of the many inspiring players to look out for
Team yoyorecreation member Christopher Chia, one of the many inspiring players to look out for

Spinworkx
That's good! So what's your motivation in this hobby? What keeps you going to compete in so many categories and be on top of your game?
Wei Xuan
Well to be honest, a lot of beginners are getting better these days, the Spinner category is seeing a lot of players appear from out of the blue, and perform really well in various contests!
With so much competition coming up, I got to improve on my own skills to stay ahead of the game!


Tanglers are a piece of cake in the hands of Wei Xuan
Tanglers are a piece of cake in the hands of Wei Xuan

Spinworkx
The Spinner category sure is seeing a lot of competition lately, we can't imagine how things would be like another 2-3 years from now!
So how often do you practice?
Wei Xuan
Honestly, with school and other responsibilities, I seldom have time to practice. Whenever I'm free I'll just pick up a yo-yo and work on my tricks, some times I get too busy, I end up playing for about 5 minutes before I go to bed.
Spinworkx
So how does it feel now that you're on TSX, and in fact, I hear that you might be getting a really sweet deal real soon!
Wei Xuan
It's great to be recognized! To know that people out there acknowledge your performance and are willing to reward you for it. I feel great and look forward to improving myself even more now that I know people are watching out for players like us. Yes I've definitely got a sweet deal coming up, but you'll know it when you see it ;)


Wei Xuan becoming a TSX member at last years Spinworkx BBQ
Wei Xuan becoming a TSX member at last year's Spinworkx BBQ

Spinworkx
So do you have advice for any of the would be sponsored players of tomorrow?
Wei Xuan
Work hard! Prove that you are worth being on the team, it's not always about being the best at your sport, the attitude that you bring to the table is crucial as well, work hard and who knows, you might be a TSX member some day!
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Thanks again to Wei Xuan for having sit down with us for this Spinworkx Exclusive! We hope you enjoyed this article, check out more photos at our Facebook Page!
Also, check out this video of him from the SY Blog, featuring the C3 Darkstar from Hong Kong!

YoyoJam products coming your way

If you're unaware yet, we've got stocks from YoyoJam making its way to our store real soon, the Unleashed, a new 2A yo-yo by Joseph Harris since Sunsets, as well as the MicroMo, designed by master modder Mo Chavez, will soon be available at the Spinworkx Store!
Prices will be known as soon as the product hits our shelves so keep a look out!

UNLEASHED
The Unleashed is the next generation looping yo-yo from YoYoJam and National Champion Joseph Harris!
The Unleashed builds upon the success of YoYoJam's original premier looping yo-yo, the Sunset Trajectory, bringing it to the next level with huge improvements for two handed looping play!
Features include a new unique starburst response system that slopes out from the bearing seat to give you response when you need it but allow for longer spin while performing extended sleeping tricks like wraps and tangler.  The Unleashed also was given an added weight boost to improve stability and deliver longer overall spin time.
This yo-yo is the signature series of National Champion Joseph Harris and is a great choice no matter what your skill level.  Beginners will enjoy the great stability and ease of control while advanced players can adjust the gap to a wider setting for lower response and better sleep time.


MICROMO
The Micro Mo is the smallest high-performance yo-yo to come from YoYoJam!  Designed with guidance from the master modder Mo Chavez this is the best pocket sized yo-yo available!
A huge focus in the design of this yo-yo was to ensure no playability was sacrificed for the smaller size.  Even with its small size, the Micro Mo is a world-class player with amazing spin dynamics!  The bronze nickel-plated rims on its small polycarbonate body focus rim weight so precisely that this yo-yo is as powerful spinning as it is quick and nimble in your hands.
Micro Mo includes the Solid Spin axle system with silicone o-rings and delivers perfect, unresponsive dead-smooth play.
Don't judge a yo-yo by its size.  The Micro Mo is built to play with the best of them!

 
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