Sport Ladder Competition

The Sports Ladder Competition consists of two parts; 1S: String Trick Ladder and 2S: Looping Trick Ladder. Final scores will be based on the combined scores from each of the two ladders as described below.

The Sports Ladder Competition is designed to be a challenging and fair contest format beginning with easier tricks and quickly ramping up to much more difficult ones.

Scoring:

For the 2006 National Contest, a player is required to climb both the 1S: String Trick Ladder and the 2S: Looping Trick Ladder. The player may choose to start with either the 1S or 2S ladder. If a player chooses to try the tricks in only one of the two ladders they will be given a score of zero for the other ladder.

In both ladders a player is allowed only one attempt on each trick, successful completion of the trick advances the player to the next trick. If a trick is missed, the miss is noted, and the player also moves on to the next trick. The second time a trick is missed in a ladder, the player is retired from that ladder and will start the second ladder.

Successful completion of the tricks will be determined based on the judging criteria from the General Rules listed below.

The combined score from the two ladders will be used to determine the awards.

A player receives a COMBINED SCORE equal to the sum of the last trick made in each ladder. Highest score wins. Ties will be broken by the greatest sum of the first trick missed in each ladder, further ties will be broken by the greatest sum of the second trick missed in each ladder.

Awards:

Age Divisions are as follows:

• 10 and under
• 11-12
• 13-16
• 17-29
• 30-44
• 45 and over

Each age division will have only a 1st place winner.

In addition, there will be awards for the top 3 places overall - combining all age divisions in the Sports Ladder Competition.

General 1S & 2S Sports Ladder Competition Rules:

• The Sports Ladder Competition is only open to player’s not competing in any of the five National Championship divisions (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A & 5A).
• Read the trick descriptions carefully. All tricks are to be performed as described in the text and accompanying video.
• A trick is complete when the string is fully wound around the axle and back in the hand. (i.e. More than five inches of string remaining outside the yo-yo when caught is considered a miss.)
• If a yo-yo becomes bound up, the string breaks, the yo-yo comes apart, or otherwise malfunctions during a trick it will be considered a miss.
• Significant loss of control of a yo-yo during a trick may be considered a miss.
• On all 1S tricks, the yo-yo may be returned to the Throwhand utilizing a bind if you so desire. However, an unsuccessful bind attempt will be considered a miss.
• The yo-yo must be caught with one hand, the hand that originally threw the yo-yo, and not trapped against the body.
• Flipovers or string misses will not be allowed in the 1S ladder.
• A trick starts and finishes within the trick box. A player must keep feet planted on all tricks except trick number 22 "Staircase" in the 2S ladder.
• A throw made within the trick box counts as an attempt. Outside the 1S trick box a player may only toss sleepers and string adjustments. Outside the 2S trick box a player may only toss sleepers, forward passes, a few loops, a few hops and string adjustments.
• Practicing a contest trick outside the trick box during the judging session will be considered a miss.
• During the 1S ladder you may change your yo-yo only one time.
• During the 2S ladder you may not change your yo-yo during the first 15 one-hand tricks. After trick number 15, yo-yo(s) may be changed to perform the two-hand tricks. The same two yo-yos must then be used for tricks 16-25.
• An unintentional broken or knotted string may be replaced.
• A judge has the discretion to allow replacement of a yo-yo if the yo-yo is unintentionally damaged.