The Duncan Yo-Yo Championships
I was ready to wrap it up for the day. It was near midnight, Karin and I had just finished watching Delecatesin on DVD, and I had to get up early for work the next day. I promised Karin that I’d be following her upstairs as soon as I “quickly straightened up the living room”, which in reality is code for “I’ll be upstairs after I channel surf for a few”, and she knows it.
There I was, alone and…well, alone. The wife had gone upstairs leaving me to my own devices. With thumb pressed firmly on the “up” button of the remote I scrolled through a myriad of infomercials, syndicated reruns, and strongman competitions, but paused when I saw something…unusual. At first I was unsure what I was watching. Was the twitching kid on stage writhing in pain or in the throes of religious rapturous fervor? Bewildered, I continued to watch for several minutes before I finally became convinced that what I was viewing wasn’t an alcoholic deep in the throws of a D.T. induced seizure, but rather a competitor in what was the 2007 Duncan Yo-Yo championship.
Fascinated and unable to turn away, from 11pm to midnight I was glued to the television watching these kids bounce, juggle, and twist their yo-yos through gyrations and practiced programs that at times blurred the vision of even the most eagle-eyed observer. At first I was confused, then amused, then I found myself cheering for some of these competitors as they leapt and convulsed their way through undulating, dexterous, whirlwind routines.
I’m the kind of guy who enjoys going to track and field meets and local power-lifting competitions. I hunt down and attend the small but important discus meets (my personal favorite spectator sport because you can get up and close to the competitors, and for the fact that my dad taught me how to throw). I enjoy lifting weights and participating in road races. Given all of this, even I could respect the skill of these competitors as they ran through complex and delicate yo-yo routines. Under the pressure of the lights, cameras, and a live audience these guys show what a little dedication and a metric ton of practice can produce. For such a niche scene these kids really shine, and for that a bow down to them.
