What great worlds!
I want to start my reports about worlds by talking about the members of this board I met for the first time.
PPLGrande is such a great guy, always ready to help. I still cannot believe he started learning tricks just 3 or 4 months ago (he knows boomerang from when he was a kid). He is already regenerating and he was seen teaching "the experts" how to do Gerardo's El Mejor Truco. He says he may be freestyling next year and I believe it! As he lives in Orlando he should become a fixture at worlds.
Another member who we should see at other worlds is Yocephus. He was really enjoying worlds even though he was a little too shy throwing tops. He is easily distracted by his other hobby: photographing sexy women (and there were some walking around the hotel).
WaxyAxle was all smiles. He is still more a yoyoer than a topspinner, but we will change that. I hope he comes to Miamisburg.
Other players I met in person for the first time:
Lorenzo Sabatini was difficult to track the first couple of days ("Where is Lorenzo?" was heard many times from the players who had ordered Strumbol8's). But when tracked down he was very enthusiastic about tops and easy to talk too.
The first day two Czech guys, I believe Petr Kavka and Zden?k Hýbl, approached me and wanted to try our tops, specially Petr. I took a picture of Petr with Figaro so he will soon be in the Gallery.
The Figaro gallery will grow by many names thanks to worlds. One I am very proud to have is Bob Rule, Mr. Yoyo, who once was also know as Mr. Spintop. He learned from Winters and Mills (disciples of Schreiber) and he says at one point he was the best player with the exception of Forest Larson, Val's brother. I also took the picture of Rick Osbourne, Royal spintop and yoyo champion from the 60s and demonstrator for both Royal and Duncan.
Predicting the future, among the inductees were 2012 world champion Kevin Newell (knewsthe1) and 2013 world champion Sam Neimeier. Don't laugh: Darren was first known to the spintop world outside Colorado when he appeared in the gallery one year and some before becoming national champion.
Other spinners who now have pictures for the gallery are Steve Brown (who had actually thrown Figaro years ago), John Higby (because I am sure he will eventually incorporate tops to his show), Dazzling Dave Schulte, Rob Tsou, and Stupendus. But not everybody who got a picture with Figaro will be in the gallery (I am thinking of a couple of "bad" girls
).
PS: I am sorry that the site was down this morning. It was an ip routing problem, the server was fine.