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Read the press release here.

Second Largest Yo-Yo Competition In The Country Heading To Uptown

By Josh McGhee | April 25, 2016 5:48am
 The Illinois State Yo-Yo Contest will be held at Everybody's Coffee on April 30.
The Illinois State Yo-Yo Contest will be held at Everybody's Coffee on April 30.
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Courtesy of Facebook

UPTOWN — After four years at Navy Pier, the the 2015-2016 Illinois State Yo-yo Contest is heading to Uptown.

The competition, which began as William Alrifai's Eagle Scout project, began in 2006 and returned after a five year hiatus. After the reboot of the competition in 2011 the contest has grown to become the second largest statewide yo-yo competition behind a California contest, Alrifai said.

The competition typically featured 60-100 competitors from age 10 to about 40 along with a couple hundred spectators, he said.

At 9 a.m. April 30, Everybody's Coffee, 935 W. Wilson Ave., will host the competition in its "massive" performance area and will feature a sport (amateur) ladder and freestyle competitions broken down into three divisions: sport, 1A and Open, which are both for professional-level competitors, according to a press release for the competition.

The ladder competition is "designed to be a challenging and fair contest format beginning with easier tricks and quickly ramping up to much more difficult ones."

In a ladder competition, which is designed for beginners, a competitor is given one attempt to perform a trick. If successful the person moves on to the next trick, which is more challenging. If the trick is missed, it's noted by the judges and the competitor moves on. The player retires from the ladder after missing a second trick, the competition website said. For more information on the yo-yo trick ladder click here.

Reporter Josh McGhee previews the Illinois State Yo-Yo Contest.

During freestyle performances, competitors take the stage to perform tricks to a musical selection and are judged on a number of factors including style, technicality and missed tricks, Alrifai said.

Music for the contest must be appropriate for audiences of all ages and competitor's with music featuring obscenities or offensive content will be disqualified, the website said.

Judges for the contest include Connor Scholten and Jake Elliot. Judging will follow standard National Yo-Yo League judging rules, the website for the competition said.

Entering in one sport division competition costs $10. Entering in two sport division competitions or one pro freestyle division is $20. Entering in two pro freestyle competitions is $25. To register for the event click here.

Video of Connor Scholten's Yo-yo Tricks:

The Schedule for the Competition:

• 9 a.m: Registration

• 9:45 a.m.: Sport Ladder

• 10:15 a.m.: Sport Freestyle Competition

• 11 a.m.: Prelims (Dependent on number of contestants)

• 1A and Open Finals

• 5 p.m.: Awards

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