Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

YES

8 (42.1%)

NO

8 (42.1%)

Won't know until close to the date

3 (15.8%)

Total Members Voted: 19

• National Spin Top Championship at the Whirled Festival of To: August 24, 2019

[Austen]

Another great year at Miamisburg in the books! I really enjoyed hanging out and spinning tops with everyone. It’s always great to see everyone. Telling and hearing stories at bullwinklea was very fun! I’m thinking next year perhaps karaoke at bullwinkles? I’ll even wear my black shirt😂

[Eli Hickerson]

Big thank you to everyone! I didn’t put a lot of time into a routine and I kinda just winged it. It was a pretty sloppy performance and I forgot to do some tricks that I intended. I hit a few pretty cool things so I’m fairly happy.

[ta0]

I'm at the Dayton airport looking back at another wonderful festival and nationals!

Saturday started early, with John Markus, Mailman and Butterfingers spinning in the lawn in front of the church at 8:30 AM. The weather was so good that we stayed there for six hours until it was time for nats.
The battle with Lombok gasings was a hit. It took a while for everybody to get the overhand discus throw right but we did. Those guys are pretty massive and battle took a new dimension. Here is damage caused by a direct hit by Mark Hayward's gasing on mine, although his should have been a target and mine the stricking:

[ta0]

People started to arrive to the lawn: Renee and Betsy, the Hickerson trio, Mark L. from Toronto, Jay, Kirk and Rachel, Mark H., the Earl, Lynn. But after Jim Neff's car with the top on top of the wind turbine on top of the roof pulled in the parking lot, it became impossible to follow all what was going on. Add to Jim's inexhaustible collection of impossible spinning stuff, the Earl collection of unusual bikes, players testing for Spintastic patches or practicing freestyles, at least 4 ten-inch tops, flying Lombok tops . . .

[Jeremy McCreary]

Like Mike's sig says...

Happiness runs in a circular motion!!!

[ta0]

Butterfingers got his 24 patch, Lynn and Mark from the North got their 16 patch, and Mailman advanced in learning his remaining tricks.

For the freestyles we moved inside.
We tried the new judging criteria and I think the scores came out right.
Renee was the official time keeper 

At 5PM we moved to the stage by the river for the 20th Whirled Top Festival. While the local kids battled on sled arenas for real prizes, we battled for pride. We also had a good circle of roller coaster passers that at one time included a lefty catching with right lassos. A highlight for me was doing wheel of fortune with one of John's HDPE 10 inch tops.
It ended with the loud whiplashes and sometimes whistling of a large Chinese whipping top on stage that attracted a lot of attention.

[ta0]

At 8 PM it was time for the traditional dinner at Bullwinkle's that ended in a non-traditional way with Austen's stand up commedy, plus stories about his real Colombian adventures and recollections about some infamous two pieces of pizza. 

It was probably around 11 PM when the group arrived to the Spintop Hall of Fame, which is now even more over the top with Don Olney's collection. What a unique place full of unique objects and people!  There is now, of course,  a full section dedicated to The Toycrafter.

[ta0]

One of many surprising new items I found in the HOF was this prototype of the trophy that Steve Brown must have received at the first Spintop World Contest in 2000:





But what made The Earl happiest was when I found another Japanese set of very male koma's, as the ones I got last year 

[the Earl of Whirl]

Oh my!!!  I just woke up from a Sunday afternoon nap.  Man, was I in a deep sleep.  I know I had a number of top dreams but I can't begin to describe them.  What I can describe is that I constantly felt like I needed to do something.  It was weird to wake up and look around to see that nationals are over and I do not have to do anything else!

So, I am continuing to lay on the couch with my sore legs.  I tried my best to pace myself and sit as much as possible through the weekend but it still wasn't enough.  In fact, I look back and wish I had done more and had legs that were even more sore.  Many thanks to everyone for the great memories.  It always seems to be special when top spinners get together.  On this 20th anniversary of the Burg fest, it seems like there are even more reasons to be thankful. 

I am thankful for the great weather which was not too hot and not too wet.  I am thankful for the city and the use of their stage and park.  It is so nice to have them deal with the sound system.  We only have to arrive and use it, then they put it away.  I am thankful for a schedule that was already in place last year and everyone fit into it again this year.  That made everything a lot easier.  Of course, I am thankful for great top spinning friends and all they bring to make our spinning weekend so wonderful.  Thank you, everyone.  I think I will get up and start stretching out these tired sore legs.

[johnm]

Thanks Mike for hosting another fabulous fun filled festival day at the church, at the park, and at the Hall of Fame!
Thanks also to everyone who came to play.

A bunch of big top memories this year
Renee, SpinLynn and Mark each boomeranging Autograph for the first time.
Butterfingers boomeranging  his 8" Watts top.
John B. sneaking Figaro from the judges' table while they sat there scoring for the championship.

[Renee]

WireWalker to Heaven

[Renee]

What could go wrong?

[Renee]

Long wire walker, not the record setting run, but a fun angle.

[ta0]

Long wire walker, not the record setting run, but a fun angle.

I think this was the record setting run:

[cecil]

Congratulations my record was 121 feet. I will have to Waite till hip surgery is over. Maybe next summer I will try to beat it. 134 feet is getting there FANTASTIC