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[ta0]

Little boys should not enter.  At least that is what looks like based on these photos from Flickr:





So it would seem the contest was to see who spun the tops the longest.  I imagine the tops have a certain minimum weight requirement.  They may be standardized also in size. They look smaller  than the one used for tourists on other flickr photos (I believe by the guy in the photo below).  But still . . . .




Many more photos on the photo stream.







There were 3 ladies competing, probably on their own division:





A show break during the contest. Can you count to six while riding a unicycle?



I want this T-shirt.  Correction, I want to earn this T-shirt!

[the Earl of Whirl]

Those are some serious pictures.  They get me pumping but I may be too old anymore for this type of activity.

And there is that guy spinning multiple tops from his unicycle again!

[trompillo]

Wooow¡¡

[topper777]

these types of tops amaze me. i have seen videos where they are being thrown. my favorite part is when they run in the opposite direction pulling the rope. i guess you have to be quick!

[Trevor]

This elderly spintop performer is actually quite famous in Taiwan.

And while I was on a trip to Taiwan last year, I saw him perform at a tourist attraction spot in Taichung (centra Taiwan)!  I thought he was just some street performer and didn't realised he was that famous till I saw him on several Taiwanese variety shows on TV!

He does most of the traditional tops balancing acts and some juggling and usually for the finale of his performences, he will throw the giant top, which takes a lot out of his strength.  Wonderful to have seen him perform in person.

[jochs12]

Look at the arms on that guy!

[poptop]

Fantastic!  If I ever get to Taiwan, I'm looking for these guys.  It seems like the tips on these competition tops are bigger than I remember from previous examples of giant pull tops.

The shirts are great too!

[Larry D.]

these types of tops amaze me. i have seen videos where they are being thrown. my favorite part is when they run in the opposite direction pulling the rope. i guess you have to be quick!

Like in these 2 videos topper:
?(1)

[poptop]

Do we know if this style of giant pull top play/competition is unique to or originated in Taiwan?

The shape seems most like some Chinese tops I've seen; I wonder if this is also practiced on the mainland?

[jochs12]

By the way that he is struggling with the top it looks like it is solid.  We need to get some of our master top-technicians to put together a nice hollow top for him.  It looks like his is a good 75 - 80 centimeters tall.  For durability we could make a large "Soda Top" but with a plastic drum, maybe a "Texas Tea Top".  Imagine the better spin times he could get with a well designed larger top.

[czyoyo]

How would you even throw 6 tops at a time? Much less, on a unicycle! 

[lincolnrick]

I'd nominate this for the photo contest.



Pursuant to the contest rules (thanks Ta0) I withdraw the nomination 

[the Earl of Whirl]

Very impressive.  I really had to look hard to see those other tops at the ends of the string.

Throwing even one top on a unicycle is tricky.  Throwing three good size tops from one hand is something special.  Tossing six from a unicycle is quite a feat.

I admire his work!

[ta0]

I'd nominate this for the photo contest.

I am sorry, but I don't think either this gentleman or the person who took the photograph are members of this forum, which is a condition for being eligible. The other two conditions are that the photo was taken in 2012 and that it is top-related.

The tops look indeed a larger version of the smaller ones, but if they are originally from China or Taiwan, I don't know.

The largest tops weigh more than 50kg, apparently up to 100kg.  I don't know if they are solid or not.
I think the very flat tip is key in getting this tops to stand up while spinning.

[the Earl of Whirl]

If I were a good unicyclist I would be able to boomerang one of those big boys on my one wheeler.  Alas, that is something I still cannot do!!!  Today, though, the weather was really nice and I had some time so I tried something I have often wondered about.....unicycling backwards while having a spinning top in my hand.  It was sure slow going for a while but eventually I got to 15 meters.  Then I hit two lucky runs of 65 meters and 75 meters.  I am using a johnm roto top that Eric Wolfe turned into an open top bearing top.  Out of curiosity, I gave going forward a try and went 148 meters and 293 meters.  That seems to be about as far as I can go with a bearing top.  I have never tried regenerating on a unicycle but this activity sure has me considering it.

[Turegano]

woooooooow  fantastic   realy  is fantastic

[ta0]

I have never tried regenerating on a unicycle but this activity sure has me considering it.

Mm. I would say orbits or half-orbits so you can keep them high and not interfere with your knees.
But it would be a difficult challenge!

[cecil]

If it cant trick or fight who cares? This is a good way of breaking your back. Most of them are solid and one of them weighs about 230 pounds. True I would never want to get one these guys mad at me - but nobody wants to beat up an old man.

[cecil]

POP TOP - I'm still waiting for you to come by and throw ROSIE. I want to see it do the double body cork screw before I'm GONE.