Spinworkx Around the World: England (London)

Have you ever been to England? If not, you should! It was our first trip over to Europe, and our first stop was at London, England. One of the things we loved about Europe was the weather. It was sunny, yet cooling at a nice comfortable 25 degrees. There is just so much to do in every country, and in England, it was no different. We had to choose a few places to go and explore, and forgo certain others.

One of the cool places we went to was the Seven Sisters Park that was on the outskirts of London. Following that, we went to all the usual touristy places such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament House and of course, the lovely Hyde Park. Check out some of the photos we took!

Spinners promoted to Pro 2014 - Brena Cheong

The Spinner Division is really tough to progress from, and Spinners each and every year do their very best to try and win their respective divisions in hopes of being able to be promoted to Pro. We have seen some Spinners practicing even harder than the Pros, and this year, we have promoted 2 Spinners to Pro.

The first Spinner promoted as showcased in the last blog entry was none other than Wee Teng Ee. The second Spinner to be promoted is one of the fastest learning 1A players we have met in recent times. If that issn't amazing enough, this Spinner is a girl who continues to amaze, and place higher than, many other guy Spinners in local contests.

Without further ado, the second Spinner to be promoted is…

Brena Cheong

Photo taken by: Andrew Lin

Brena has been playing for less than 2 years and she has already managed to place very well in contests here in Singapore, even winning the 2014 SYYC Spinner division 1A. Not only is she proficient in 1A, she dabbles in other divisions like 4A and 5A as well. She is so good that even some of the Pro players fear to go up against her in contests. Her consistency and ability to hit tough 1A combos makes her a player to watch out for at future contests. We are proud of what Brena has accomplished thus far, and we are certain that she will progress even further in time to come.

We got to speak to Brena about her recent promotion to Pro and here is what she had to say.

Spinworkx Crew: Hi Brena, thanks for doing this interview with us. So tell us, how did you feel when you won SYYC 2014 Spinner 1A Division?

Brena Cheong: Honestly, I was shocked! I had no intentions of winning it, and I just wanted to have fun and do the best I could.

Spinworkx Crew: I see. But how long did you practice each day before SYYC?

Brena Cheong: Well, everyday was different. I would only practice after I was done with my school work as I believe in striking a balance between school-work and yo-yoing. So to answer your question,  about 1 - 2 hours a day.

Spinworkx Crew: So after putting in that time and effort into your routine, were you confident about your freestyle at SYYC?

Brena Cheong: I wasn't really confident as anything could happen on stage, but I believe I did the best I could do.

Spinworkx Crew: Nonetheless, it was an awesome 1 minute freestyle. What happened on the last day? Why couldn't you take part in the 3 minute 1A Finals?

Brena Cheong: The day of my Finals freestyle, when I got out of bed, my right knee locked up due to an injury I have and I could not move my right leg as it was painful. It happened many times before but it was unfortunate that it happened on that day. I went to the doctor recently and he told me with approximately 6 months of rest and physiotherapy, I will be able to fully recover. Next year, if I qualify for Finals once again, I will be ready to take the stage. No excuses!

Spinworkx Crew: And we are really looking forward to you doing a 3 minute freestyle on stage! How do you usually practice your freestyle each time?

Brena Cheong: I would just turn on the music I use for my freestyle and play. That's about it.

Spinworkx Crew: Do you create your own tricks for your freestyles?

Brena Cheong: I do create my own tricks but most of the time, I learn tricks and combos from friends or on YouTube. However, as I progress, I tend to do more of my own tricks rather than somebody else's.

Spinworkx Crew: So how do you create these tricks?

Brena Cheong: Most of the time, the tricks I create will be from mistakes I made from doing other tricks. From there, I just build on the trick and see what happens from there.

Spinworkx Crew: So after winning Spinner 1A at SYYC 2014, are you looking forward to being in Pro and going up against all the seasoned Pro players?

Brena Cheong: Yes I am! A little scared, but really looking forward to it.

Spinworkx Crew: How do you feel being promoted to Pro?

Brena Cheong: Kinda having mixed feelings about it. I was happy that I got promoted to Pro, but at the same time I felt that many of the other Spinners deserve to be promoted too.

Spinworkx Crew: Lastly, any advice for current Spinners?

Brena Cheong: Try not to focus so much on winning or beating other players. The important thing is to have fun and to do your best. Keep spinning!

Spinworkx Crew: Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, Brena. All the best for your future competitions, and all future endeavors!

Spinworkx would like to congratulate Brena Cheong on her recent performance in the Spinner 1A Division, and being promoted to Pro, during the Singapore Yo-Yo Championships 2014 and Asia Pacific Yo-Yo Championships 2014. She is a testament that girls can be as good, if not better, than guys!

Spinners promoted to Pro 2014 - Wee Teng Ee

With SYYC 2014 over slightly more than a month ago, we have determined the Spinners that are moving on to Pro for the 2014/2015 contest season.

Last year, we only had one Spinner that was promoted (Ian Loh), and in the 2013/2014 contest season, he has showcased how he was able to go up against the big boys, managing to even win the 5A Pro Division at SYYC 2014, and do well in the 1A Division as well.

For this year, we have promoted 2 Spinners. First up, is none other than…

Wee Teng Ee

Teng Ee has been playing for a few years now, and to say that he has improved tremendously is a big understatement. Just a year ago, he was still learning basic Offstring maneuvers and whips. Now in 2014, not only has he done well in the 4A Division in recent contests, he also managed to qualify for the 4A Division at the Asia Pacific Yo-Yo Championships 2014. His 1 minute routine amazed us all, and he progressed on to the 4A finals. Teng Ee is not only proficient in 4A, but he is also working on his 1A and 2A Divisions, looking to challenge for placings in Singapore contests.

We got to speak to Teng Ee a bit about his recent promotion to Pro and here is what he had to say.

Spinworkx Crew: Hi Teng Ee, congrats on being able to qualify for 4A Finals at AP2014, and also winning multiple Spinner Division titles at SYYC2014. So, how did it feel like when you heard that you qualified for 4A Finals at AP2014?

Wee Teng Ee: I felt like I was in a dream! I knew that my prelims was quite solid and i didn't make too many mistakes, but I also didn't expect myself to qualify. I felt like I was gonna explode with happiness! I was just so extremely happy!

Spinworkx Crew: (Laughs) We can really feel your excitement about making it for 4A finals. It is definitely no easy feat. Well, how long did you practice each day before AP2014 / SYYC2014?

Wee Teng Ee: Well, before AP & SYYC, I was having my exams so I didn't have much time to practice super hard. Everyday i would try to practice my 1 min routine during my school recess and maybe about 1 hour at home after school.

Spinworkx Crew: Did you feel confident about your 1 minute routine?

Wee Teng Ee: To be honest, I wasn't confident for the 1 minute freestyle at all because 2 days before AP2014 / SYYC2014, I changed my routine alot! But despite that, I remembered what Kenneth Bay told me. He said that I just have to believe in my tricks, be confident about it and everything will be fine. When the music started, I was in my own world. I was in 'the zone' and I believed in myself and my tricks. Thankfully, I managed to do pretty well!

Spinworkx Crew: What about your 3 minute freestyle at AP2014 / SYYC2014? What happened?

Wee Teng Ee: For my 3 minute freestyle, I wasn't very prepared as I only started practicing for it a day before. I NEVER expected myself to qualify for SYYC finals, much less AP finals. The night before, I practiced from about 9pm to 1am, nonstop. Before that, I was still planning it out to prepare myself as much as possible. In the end, I think I did ok. I played it very safe though due to the lack of preparation.

Spinworkx Crew: So now, having a taste of 3 minute freestyles, are you looking forward to being in Pro and going up against all the seasoned Pro players?

Wee Teng Ee: Well, I guess I am because it's going to be something new and I will be able to compete with Spinners I idolise. This will help me to see where I stand and this will help me to continue to improve myself.

Spinworkx Crew: How did you feel when you were promoted to Pro?

Wee Teng Ee: I felt like it was very surreal. Sometimes when I think about it, I keep thinking that I may never get into Pro, so when Hans messaged me to tell me I was promoted to Pro, I was really really happy.

Spinworkx Crew: Well, be sure to keep progressing and do us all proud in Pro. Lastly, any advice for current Spinners?

Wee Teng Ee: My advice to all Spinners is to always persevere. You must believe in yourself and always tell yourself that you can do it. Always stay humble and be willing to learn, and you will soon excel in the Division that you love the most.

Spinworkx Crew: That is great advice, Teng Ee. All the best for your up-coming freestyles for the 2014/2015 contest season. Once again, congrats on making it to the Pro division, and keep chasing your dreams!

Spinworkx would like to congratulate Wee Teng Ee on his recent performance, and being promoted to Pro, during the Singapore Yo-Yo Championships 2014 and Asia Pacific Yo-Yo Championships 2014. 

Eastern State Throwdown 2014 Registration & Information

The Eastern State Throwdown 2014 is up next, and it kicks off the 2015 contest season. EST comes right after the biggest contests of the year, the World Yo-Yo Contest & Asia Pacific Yo-Yo Championships, so we are bound to see some new and awesome tricks from the best in Singapore. EST is always a battle for the Singapore players to get the coveted seeds for the Singapore Yo-Yo Championships 2015. Who will get the seeds for SYYC 2015? Join us at EST 2014 at the UPCC Theatrette and find out for yourself!

The West-side guys will be taking part in 1A & 4A and the East-side guys will be taking part in 2A & 5A Divisions.

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Where: Ulu Pandan CC (170 Ghim Moh Road), Theatrette on Level 5

When: 13 September 2014

Time: 1pm

Registration fee: $10 for each competitor

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EST 2014 has the following divisions available for participation.

- Professional 1A & 4A Division (West Side Competitors) (3 Minute Freestyles)

- Professional 2A & 5A Division (East Side Competitors) (3 Minute Freestyles)

- Spinner 1A & 4A Division (West Side Competitors) (1 Minute Freestyles)

- Spinner 2A & 5A Division (East Side Competitors) (1 Minute Freestyles)

Spinners Promoted to Professional Division from SYYC2014:

- Brena Cheong (Champion at SYYC2014 1A Spinner Division)

- Wee Teng Ee (Qualified for AP2014 finals)

**For newly promoted Spinners, take note that if you do not wish to be promoted to Pro, or feel that you should still have more practice before moving on to Pro/do not have enough tricks to make up a 3 minute freestyle, you may choose to remain in Spinner Division for the 2015 Competition Season. However, you still have a shot at qualifying for the 3 minute freestyles at SYYC 2015 should you decide to remain in Spinner. (Format for Singapore Contests)

Getting there:

To register as a competitor for EST 2014:

REGISTER HERE!!!

After submitting your registration, please send/submit your music to customerservice[at]spinworkx.com (change the [at] with @) with your music labeled as follows: Name_Division_Category (E.G. ColinWan_4A_Pro 3min)

For any enquiries regarding this event, or if you wish to volunteer during the event, feel free to drop us an email at customerservice[at]spinworkx.com

Register today, practice hard, and we will see you soon!!

Keep Spinning! ~

Photos courtesy of: Tony Wong-Jensen (Uncle Tony)

SHOWCASE Vol. 4 Freestyles

1A Champion: Christopher Chia

X Champion: Sean Hung

Check out the rest of the freestyles here:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgjCTH_Essz0mUrFIY8HEgjuWQB1S2T3l

SHOWCASE Vol. 4 Results

SHOWCASE Vol. 4 Sequence List

SHOWCASE Vol. 4 Sequence List is out!

For more information on TS and PS, check it out on the Asia Pacific Rules page.

http://www.asiapacyoyo.com/Asia_Pacific_Yo-yo_Championships_2014/AP14__Rules.html

SHOWCASE Vol.4 (17 August 2014)

SHOWCASE Vol.4 is up this weekend!

The fourth installment of the yo-yo freestyle throwdown/contest that everyone loves is back again.

SHOWCASE Vol.4 is coming up and who is going to take it this time around? Join us, show off what you have got, and show off your new tricks inspired from AP / Worlds!

What:  SHOWCASE Vol.4

When: 17 August 2014 (Sunday)

Time:  5pm - 8pm

Where: Recognize Studios at Orchard Central

Who: Absolutely anybody can take part

There will be 2 separate freestyle events for SHOWCASE. There is the usual 1A Division and the combined X Division.

Read up more info on the webpage here:

http://www.spinworkx.com/showcasefs/SHOWCASE/Divisions.html

Register for SHOWCASE here:

http://www.spinworkx.com/showcasefs/SHOWCASE/registration.html

Take note! For SHOWCASE Vol.4, the rules are just like Vol.3. Competitors will be judged based on Technical EVALUATION and Performance EVALUATION, and will be scored accordingly by the judges. We have noticed that many players have great technical routines, but keep losing out to other players at contests and the reason for this is due to their lower Evaluation scores. 

For SHOWCASE Vol.4, we want players to focus on fine-tuning their Evaluation scores for the up-coming competition season, starting with EST (Eastern State Throwdown) in September.

We are excited to see everyone come together and throwdown without the added pressure of needing a 'seed' or attaining a high rank. At SHOWCASE, Spinners will be able to show-off their banging tricks, mind-boggling combos and essentially get to showcase all the cool tricks they've got.

Once again, we are requesting for community-based volunteers to judge at the event. This benefits the volunteers as they get to learn how to judge AND they get to learn how to improve on their own freestyles by understanding how freestyles are clicked and scored. (If you wish to volunteer as a judge, fill in the registration form as well). 

For all who are taking part at SHOWCASE, do note that all Freestyles at the event are 2 minutes long, instead of the usual 1 minute or 3 minutes.

Sign up for SHOWCASE Vol.4 today!