News:

Voting for Directors

Main Menu

The corkscrew challenge at worlds

Started by ta0, August 03, 2009, 09:28:16 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

ta0

The second corkscrew challenge will take place at worlds. At stake are bragging rights and the Jim Boehm traveling trophy:











Lapin

Whooa ! awesome shape ! I wonder what would happen if you'll put an ancient coin (with a hole punch in its center) on the corkscrew ?

Eric

To everything turn, turn, turn..................

ta0

There is not time set yet. When would it be convenient?  I guess you, Alan and Dick will be pretty busy with workshops, meetings, world records, etc. but we'll find something that works for everybody. We may have stage time between the sports ladder and the world records to do it on stage (and this is a world record attempt, after all!). On the other hand, a small room full of top spinners would be more fun, I guess.


ta0

#4
I am told that last year there was some confusion about the rules, specially about the possibility of skipping levels and the number of possible misses (although the rules had been posted). This year we should follow more strictly the High Jump rules as published by the USA track and field as suggested by Jeff. I am inclined to also have players use the same string for the boomerang and the corkscrew, to make it more "pure". We may need to include something specific about breaking a tie (suggestions?)

The current record is 9 wraps by Alan Gray and Jon Gates.

The complete rules are below.

1. The Corkscrew will follow the description of the worlds ladder rules for this trick, except as explicitly described below.

2. Any throw-top can be used as long as it doesn't break any specific rules.

3. The top has to be started by a boomerang throw, without the use of any external (mechanical, electrical, etc.) starter help.

4. The top cannot have any special means of grabbing the string. The string will just catch the open groove or neck of the tip by wrapping around it (less than a full wrap and multiple wraps are allowed). The tip can be either fixed or have bearing(s) for lower friction.

5. The same string has to be used for the corkscrew than for the boomerang. The string can be of any length but the player may choose to use just part of it (e.g. for the boomerang).

6. The string has to be wrapped around the arm after throwing the boomerang. The corkscrew arm can be different than the boomerang arm.

7. The top has to end up spinning for at least 1 second on the hand that started the corkscrew. Any means of bringing the top back to the hand are allowed as long as they only involve manipulation with the string or body parts (without a re-start) and the top does not touch the ground.

8. Only the number of completed full rotations around one arm will count. Half-rotations, reversing the corkscrew, continuing around the second arm (bondage) or other parts of the body don't count.

9. At least 2 independent witnesses or judges and a video recording are needed to certify the record. The 2 witnesses can be replaced by at least 3 other contestants and peer-judged if there are at least 4 contestants.

10. If more than 3 contestants can be assembled at the same time, a system similar to the Olympic "high-jump" will be used:
Competitors may begin at any wrap count announced by the chief judge, or may pass, at their own discretion. Three consecutive missed attempts, at any number of wraps or combination of number of wraps, will eliminate the competitor.

11) If it is not possible to gather more than 3 contestants, each contestant will have the opportunity to try any chosen number of wraps, until they have 3 misses. The number of wraps to be attempted has to be pre-announced.

12. The winner will become the guardian of the Jim Boehm trophy for one year or until the future SPIN federation decides to have another corkscrew challenge. If the winner breaks the previous record obtained in a previous contest he will be proclaimed as the corkscrew world record holder.

Ketzaltlipoka

mmm...I see this photo and I am so sure that the man who (whose name I don`t know) wears the yoyofactory t-shirt he`s got in his hand a top. I am sure that top is a Cinco Estrellas Turbo.

silvertop

What a great looking bunch of folks!  After the struggles to get enough people  together to even have a contest a few years ago, ( can we find 3 people who can throw a boomerang, or do we just give Dale the prize?)  it is wonderful to see that big a group of people who  can do a specific trick!   8)
Don Olney
1237 E. Main St.
Rochester, NY 14609
topman@rochester.rr.com

ta0

#7
Yes, that is a great team picture. I believe everybody there knows how to regenerate a top  :o (except for Joe) It was taken by Carol, Jeff's wife, and is reproduced here without their permission  ;)

First row (from left): Tom Connolly, Catherine Sampietro, Jon Gates, Val Oliver and Eric Wolff.
Second row: Joe Hout, Matt Ritter, Mike Hout, Dale Oliver, Jeff Smith and Alan Gray.

The top that Alan is holding does look like a Cinco Estrellas Turbo, second generation, but it is actually a Yoyojam "Jon Gates" top.  I think the YYJ top was first.

Dick Stohr

This year would someone please be sure that I find out about the time and place.  I was very disappointed not to be there last year.
Practice hard and play safe.

Spinningray

I hear than Jon Gates won't be attending Worlds this year. I was really looking forward to winning that trophy this year. Guess I will have to wait until next year for the trophy. We can still hold the contest for bragging rights.

ta0

Jon not coming? That would be a bummer.
I wrote to Jon reminding him to send the trophy if he doesn't come. But even if the trophy is not there we can ran the challenge and the winner will get the rights to the trophy, even if he has to go to Denver and pry it from Jon's fingers. And of course, any record established will be official.