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World Open Kendama Festa 2016

Started by The Void, 19 February, 2016, 18:29:34

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KenSan

@Dimensions  My wife just had a quick look at this and @The Void is basically right. When is says version at the bottom they are different executions of the same trick but then sometimes for instance trick 7 the base cup scoop thingy it show two versions that are allowed, a quick and then the pirouette.
Some are obvious No-nos like the hand roll in trick 6 ie straight to hand roll, not grab tama one revolution then handroll, and same with the spiked exit.
Trick 9 whirlwind earth turn can be done standard or reverse and the super flamingo has a bunch of okays but the last one the spike is UFO like with the ken horizontal this is a no no.

The hanging one turn insta lighthouse the last one his back goes toward the judge so I believe it was a fail.

Trick 2 Juggle spike the last one he had fingers in cup and all over tama. Obviously not alowed!

Anyway hope this helps. (My wife is fed up of me asking her to quickly look at this now ::)   )
3rd place @ BKO 2016 Adv. Division. :-)

Dimensions

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KenSan

@Dimensions So when are you off to Japan and how long for ? Could you extend your ticket?
3rd place @ BKO 2016 Adv. Division. :-)

The Void



Rob's posting with #royalinjapan2016 on the Royal Kendama Instagram/Twitter. Follow that account to keep up with him.

Go @Dimensions !
If you don't want to BUY MY BOOKS 😉, then why not ask your local library to order them in, and read them for free? That would help too. Cheers!

Dimensions

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shalafi

Spanish Kendama Champion 2010, 2012, 2014-16
Depth Perception is Overrated.


Dimensions

#22
Couldn't do a write up yesterday as I got to my hotel super late and was pretty tired from the day, but here it is:

This was my first ever trip to Japan, so naturally I was extremely excited! On Thursday after a day of travel, me and my family landed in Osaka and took a train down to Kyoto where we found our apartment. The next day we visited the shrines and temples nearby which was fascinating and put me in to more excitement. IM IN JAPAN!!! Everything seemed so new and different it was hard to not be more excited.




Next day:
Had to wake up really early so I could catch a train to Osaka. Once I arrived, I was met by Mr Yano (head of JKA in the Osaka reigon) where he took me to the venue. I quickly met and practiced with Jacob and Tommy from Minnesota as the more people began to arrive. I was later approached by a JKA member and told that all the invited, overseas players had to be part of the opening ceromony. I assumed that meant that the stage would be packed full of Americans, but it ended up just being four of us (the others where from: Mongolia, Taiwan and Vietnam - I think it was just for those where the JKA sent a specific invite to, mine from BKO). Billy (Mongolia) spoke the best English as well as a little Japanese too, so he told me what was going on as the judges took to the stage and gave a few words. Still knowing very little about what was happening we were sent off stage, everyone clapped and the day had begun.

First up the school children competed, with a last man standing format. But before I could meet any new players, Mr Yano told me that I had entered the Free Program (freestyle). I was confused as I had been told by so many people that I had to fill in a form and send in a video of my run. But no. I was given a sheet of paper and explained the basic rules (but not judging criteria, which would have most definitely swayed the outcome of my actual run). I had to write down the tricks that I would do, and hand them in as quick as I could - the free program began in 20 minutes! I didn't really practice, as it was a combo of short tricks a lines I would normally do at the Dan Jam anyway.

All the competitors were put backstage and went up one by one, ooing and ahhring for lots of it. Unfortunately I had drawn second place to perform, even less practice time :( It didn't go great, I missed many of the endings and the tricks that I didn't get first time, I had to go again and again and again. I left and watched the rest (Max and Tomoya being the definite highlights for me).

We all left the stage and let the schools continue their contest.

After lunch the WKO practice contest began. First up I was against Oliver (USA), that went pretty well (apart from accidentally letting go of the tama during a scoop spike and throwing it at one of the judges - oops!). Then I was up against Chi Wai (Hong Kong). He was pretty damn nervous, I won on tap-back jumping stick. After leaving the stage he just sighed "Fuuuuuuuuh, I was nervous, your too good!" The competition continues with some surprises - Sweets losing in the first round (won the practice two years in a row) and Max beating Bonz on the tap back J stick.

I was in the final 8! The finalists were invited back on stage, to say a few words. I was up first, then looked across as Zack spoke, then Lukas, then I realised it was a Sweets pro next to a Sweets pro, Sweets, Sweets, Sweets, Sweets & another Sweets pro! It was me v the Sweets... Then I got knocked out by Zack... With the same trick I beat Chi Wai with. Ah oh well. The final ended up as Zack vs Bryson, with Bryson winning. Lots of JKA kendamas for him!


Next up I was told I had to do a quick performance. I had an hour to practice this time. I was sent back stage to see Bonz, Rolf, Ocean and a Japanese player who's name I never found out (Bad Rob!). Looking at it I assumed I'd be going first. Nope. Bonz was setting the bar for these Kendama performances... Holy Sh!t that was not just the best on stage Kendama I have ever seen, but the best Kendama I have ever seen. No one could top him after that.





Rolf was up next and did some of the most downright insane onstage juggles I have ever seen. Then Ocean killed it (lunar tre to rover anyone?) Then the Japanese kid slayed super hard too. The me. Hm, I was so overwhelmed by Bonz's performance I forgot most of tre tricks I was going to do. The fact that they played the wrong music didn't help too! (was someone fiddling with my phone?) But I guess some handcuffs and 123 spacewalk swap spike would do.

Sheesh. This is a lot of writing, I'll try and continue this tomorrow
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The Void

Thanks for the write-up, Rob. (I know it takes some time!)
Sounds like you've had a great time so far, and met loads of cool people. Quarter-Finalist in the warmup comp is really good going, well done, and top Royal Reppin'!
If you don't want to BUY MY BOOKS 😉, then why not ask your local library to order them in, and read them for free? That would help too. Cheers!

Dimensions

#24
After the main even finished and all the Americans had left, Mr Yano took the invited players (and Sakura Ono - last years champ) to a traditional Japanese restaurant. There we met up with loads of JKA members (I think there were around 40 of us in total). We began to eat, and everything seemed calm and quiet. Imada made a speech and gifts were given out to the main organisers of the event.

Then everything got hectic, Imada got up and gathered all the invited players to do Moshikame with him. A group of friends on the tables opposite us saw and got interested. Imada showed them the basics (big cup, spike, around Japan, lighthouse) then got me to show them too, but this time more complex stuff (hanging spike, bird over the valley, around the cosmos). They got more and more excited, and so did Imada. His enthusiasm for Kendama was so clear, I had never seen him with so much energy. He pushed me on to this group's table where they bought me a drink we then talked a little (one of them used to live in England, so could translate easily). I was a little bewildered and unsure what was going on. Imada later ran up again and whisked me away, the invited players were to race Speed Trick B. It was intense and difficult from the dim lighting, I had to keep turning just to see the hole. I won, everyone cheered and then we got up and left.




After we left the resultant all the players began to start clicking again, many of the JKA began to leave but Imada and Yano were watching us. Imada seemed most pleased, I was doing mostly stall tricks (Bird > Lighthouse > Lunar > In / Stiltwalk). Imada seemed to be very proud that I was taking my time on my tricks, I had learned from EKO! He kept shaking my hand and cheering after I hit the spike after each trick. Yano left and I was left with Imada, who walked me to my hotel.

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shalafi

It's great to read all these Rob!

Congrats on the top 8, that's a really good result.

But more important than that, it sounds like you are having a lot of fun, even thou you seem to be pushed from one place/stage to another :)

Keep enjoying your trip!
Spanish Kendama Champion 2010, 2012, 2014-16
Depth Perception is Overrated.

Dimensions

Just lost my write up for day 2! Damn! I'll redo it another time
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The Void

Sorry to be wise after the event, but yes, always compose long posts in a Notes app, or similar - you never know when a connection glitch might ditch your post into the ether. (I've learned that lesson the hard way too.)

Sounds like a great evening. The fact that I have experienced similar ones doesn't stop me from being jealous of you now! (It probably exacerbates it.) That story of Imada-san is so.... Imada! He he.

How's your Japanese coming on?
Click on.
If you don't want to BUY MY BOOKS 😉, then why not ask your local library to order them in, and read them for free? That would help too. Cheers!

KenSan

Thanks for taking the time to write up your adventures @Dimensions . Sounds like your having a great time and keeping up with all the big guns kendama wise too!

3rd place @ BKO 2016 Adv. Division. :-)

Dimensions

#29
Day 2:

After taking a taxi back to the venue. I was sent through dama-check then went straight to the board with the match ups. I was first to play Oliver. Again. (Weird, this was a random selection - Kevin got the same player too!)

There was a similar opening ceremony to the day before, the invited players (with the extra inclusion of Brandon) were all invited to the stage to help and give out some short remarks. This time an extra Japanese man was invited on stage too (an extra judge?), Billy told me that I fact he was the World Champion of 1987!

The competition promptly began.

First trick: Lunar > Swap in. Both missed the first one. On the second I managed the sketchiest and lowest I have ever done, resulting in hurling myself across the stage. Too messy for the judges? No, two white flags all good! Then after a 0 point round on handroll swing in, Oliver got the next point after I missed the last scoop spike from lighthouse. Then it was a juggle to spike and a sketchy win from me. Few, first round over, time to practice for the next one.

After having very little time to compose myself for the next match, I was summoned back on stage to play Mayu. First up was Juggle to spike, she didn't look too happy, a 0 point round with us missing all of them, clearly not her forte. Then whirlpool candle, after two misses from us both, I got mine... Just. Then on Mayu's turn she caught the spike, in to candle grip. catch the ball.. Ah. No. It wobbled off. Pretty darn close though. 1-0.
Then the death card was chosen: SCOOP UP BASE CUP!, just give her the point! They didn't. But she won it after one round of play anyway. 1-1. Next up was hanging 1-turn insta lighthouse flip. Nerves, she was shaking throughout all of it, props to her none the less, it was a tense round.

Later on that day, after doing far too little practice. I was called back to play Miyu. Juggle spike, for the third time, first a miss from both of us, then on my second turn a hit!... But the fingers were in the cup, both judges apologetically raised their red flags. No points were scored. Damn. I managed to get the next point after 2 hits on handroll swing in. Then... SCOOP UP BASE CUP! AGAIN! Are you kidding! She won.
Whirlwind. Yes! This could be good. Ah, two hits from both of us, she's good! Then I decided to fu** up, my hands didnt do as I told them because I missed... The swing in. Fortunately a minute error from Miyu caused her to miss to the final spike (milimetres from the hole, the positioning was perfect!).
The head judge then called up sudden death, all the tricks would be placed back and we were to do them simultaneously. First up!  SCOOP UP BASE CUP! for the second time this round!

Competing had been fun, I left the stage and saw Mr Yano run up to me repeating the word "twice!" Man I was annoyed, I would have rather played a whole competition with the crazy stuff Void had schemed than have to do 1 scoop up base cup, let alone three in one competition! Ah oh well.

Not much really happened for a while but we watched avidly and saw Bryson get through, to the semis and Zack get out by attempting the wrong trick (he confused moon landing with moon circle) he was annoyed too.

We all played for a bit and watched the Freestyle finals. It turned out that the finalists were: Cooper, Tomoya, Akira, Lukas, Takumi Ono and another Japanese player who I never caught the name of. Everyone was damn good, no one was certain who would win. I thought it would be Tomoya as he only missed twice, but Lukas had an excellent run too!

The Quarter finals began, and history was made, Bryson won his match up (against Miyu) which made him the first Westerner to make it in to the Semis. Going through with him was: Sakura (last years winner) and her brother Takumi Ono, along with Kyoudou Nonaka. Bryson was knocked out 2-0 by Kyoudou.
But then was Takumi and Sakura, well this seemed mean. Takumi ended up winning.

There was then another demonstration to fill up some time before the final, all the freestyle finalists were invited back (this time with the bonus inclusions of Bonz, Brandon and Sakamoto). Well that was certainly entertaining. And can easily be summed up with a single trick by Bonz:

Lunar centrifuge > Lighthouse Centrafuge.

The final:
Takumi vs Kyoudou. After each player hit their tricks cheers erupted from the crowd, perfection. Every time, there were so many no scores by hitting the tricks 3 times each. Many of the Americans were certainly mesmerised, each repeated trick was like watching someone hit the play button. Each lighthouse was dead, no wobbles. It became 2-2 and sudden death was called. The first trick: handroll swing in, they both got it... But a red flag for Takumi. What! The side-judge went on stage and told the head, we think it was because the tama didn't turn, it went straight up. No swing in. Kyoudou was announced the winner.

The closing ceremony began and first up the the freestyle winners were announced.
3rd: Takumi Ono
2nd: Lukas Funk
1st: Tomoya Mukai

The official placing a for the WKO were up next:
4th: Sakura Ono
3rd: Bryson Lee
2nd: Takumi Ono
1st: Kyoudou Nonaka
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