National Yo-Yo Contest Freestyle Rules
Championship Divisons

1. CHAMPIONSHIP FREESTYLE RULES (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A)

• Each contestant shall have 3-minutes to perform a freestyle routine to his or her choice of music for the freestyle finals, and 1-minute for the semi-finals.
• The 3-minute (or 1-minute) time period starts when the CD starts.
• No points shall be scored for either Technical Execution or Performance Style for any reason before the music starts, or after the 3-minutes (or 1-minute time persiod) have elapsed.
• All contestants should bring their music on CDR in a standard CD audio format or as a standard commercial music CD. No MP3, AAC, WMV files or other file formats will be accepted. The music shall be clearly labeled with the contestant's name, division, and track to be used.
• CD's submitted will remain in the possesion of the sound manager until the conclusion of the Contest.
• Music shall start from the beginning of the track and shall be played for 3-minutes where it shall be cut off. Contestants can feel free to edit the music so that it fades out or ends at the appropriate time.
• Functionality of the CDR is the responsibility of the contestant.
• All music must be considered G-rated (appropriate for all audiences) and shall not contain offensive lyrics including but not limited to: obscenities, ethnic or sexual slurs, violence advocacy, etc. If you are unsure about your music, a judge will be available to listen to your music and make sure it is appropriate. With the concurrence of the Contest Director and the Head Judge, use of inappropriate music by a contestant shall result in their disqualification.
• All actions of a performer must be G-rated (appropriate for all audiences) and take into account the safety of the audience, facility, and the contestant himself. With the concurrence of the Contest Director and the Head Judge, dangerous or inappropriate behavior by a contestant shall result in their disqualification.
• No assistants are allowed on stage while a contestant is performing.
• All extra yo-yos that are to be used by a contestant shall be ready to use and must be brought on stage, before their freestyle starts on a tray supplied by the Contest.
• Yo-yos that leave the stage during a freestyle shall not be returned to the stage and no others shall be accepted by the contestant from the audience or an assistant. If a contestant uses a yo-yo in violation of this rule, the judges will not award any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style while that yo-yo is in play, but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc...
• No props are allowed without the prior approval of the Contest Director and the Head Judge. Hats are the only pre-approved prop. Yo-Yos with Hub Stacks (hub bearings) are allowed in all divisions.

Specific Rules for 1A Freestyles:

• In a 1A freestyle, at no time shall there be more than one yo-yo in play (including slave or prop yo-yos) at the same time. During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc. In a 1A freestyle, (except for the “Mobius style and Skyrocket type tricks provisions below”) at no time shall the yo-yo be removed from the string (i.e. no offstring tricks are allowed). During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc.
• In a 1A freestyle, Mobius style is allowed. Skyrocket type tricks are also allowed
• In a 1A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: mounts, dismounts, string hits, hops, grinds, lacerations, release catches (like suicides/Iron Whips), slack catches, regenerations and binds.

Specific Rules for 2A and 3A Freestyles

• In a 2A or 3A freestyle, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style unless both yo-yos are in play simultaneously. In a 2A or 3A freestyle, at no time shall there be more than two yo-yos in play (including slave or prop yo-yos) at the same time. During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc. In a 2A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: loops, punches, wraps, tanglers, moons, hops, stalls, worlds, transitions, regenerations and various combinations and/or variations of these elements.
• In a 3A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: 1A type string tricks that involve both yo-yo's simultaneously, however transitions between tricks may involve tanglers, worlds, grinds, wraps and similar elements.

Specific Rules for 4A and 5A Freestyles

• In a 4A and 5A freestyle there is no restriction on the number of yo-yos that may be in play at the same time. In a 4A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: launches, tosses, catches, regenerations, grinds, intentional bounces off body parts or the stage back to a catch, boingys or other types of bounces between strings. In a 4A freestyle, trick elements performed with a pinched string that mimic 1A trick elements, where the yo-yo never leaves the string for the entire duration of the trick element, may be scored at a lower value than high risk off string moves. Similarly, 4A railing style tricks (sliding along the string) may be scored at a lower value than high risk off string moves.
• In a 5A freestyle, points shall only be awarded only while the counter weight (or multiple counter weights) is in play, or in the act of being moved from hand to hand. Any trick done while the counterweight is being held for the entire duration of the trick shall be considered 1A trick, and shall not be scored.

2. CHAMPIONSHIP FREESTYLE SCORING CRITERIA

Positive Point Awards:

• Positive points shall be awarded for advanced level tricks or trick elements performed successfully. Variations of tricks and trick elements shall be fully scored. Repeated tricks, repeated trick elements and repeated mounts may be scored at a lower value or not be scored at all.
• Additional points shall be awarded for the difficulty level of a trick element.

• In all divisions, 1-point shall be deducted for each trick or trick element missed including but not limited to: missed string hits/catches, missed slacks, missed lacerations, missed binds, missed 5A counterweight/string catches, failed 4A launches. In all divisions, 1-point shall be deducted for each loss of control Repeated efforts to regain control of a yo-yo, such as but not limited to: repeated unsuccessful binds, repeated unsuccessful launches, and excessive uncontrolled loops or punches shall result in additional deductions. In 2A and 3A (and in 4A and 5A when two or more yo-yos are in play), each yo-yo is judged separately. Loss of control that results in a restart shall be a mandatory 2-point deduction per yo-yo. Therefore, in 2A and 3A (and in 4A and 5A when two yo-yos are in play) if both yo-yos need to be restarted a mandatory 4-point deduction shall be assessed. Note that each 2-point deduction includes the initial 1-point deduction for loss of control leading to the restart. If a contestant chooses to replace a yo-yo rather than to restart it, it is still a mandatory 2-point deduction. In all divisions, replacing one yo-yo with another, shall count as a mandatory 3-point deduction if the yo-yo becomes unplayable due to a jammed, broken or knotted yo-yo string or due to a malfunction of the yo-yo. Voluntarily replacing a yo-yo (or yo-yos) which does not require a restart or which is not unplayable does not incur a deduction. In all divisions, a mandatory 3-point deduction shall be assessed for any yo-yos that leave the stage for unintentional reasons including but not limited to: broken strings, broken yo-yos, failed aerial catches in 4A and 5A, or yo-yos that come a part. In 2A and 3A (and in 4A and 5A when two yo-yos are in play), replacing both yo-yos at the same time, shall count as a 6-point deduction if both yo-yo are tangled or otherwise unplayable. Note that each 3-point deduction includes the initial 1-point deduction already assessed for loss of control leading to the yo-yo replacement. In 4A and 5A, if more than two yo-yos are in play each additional yo-yo shall be judged separately and each additional yo-yo shall be subject to the mandatory 1, 2 and 3-point deductions described above.
• Intentionally launching, throwing or otherwise discarding a yo-yo off the stage or into the audience shall result in a mandatory 5-point deduction. Repeated violations of this rule may lead to a disqualification if the actions are considered disruptive or dangerous. Note that this rule is in effect before, during, and after the freestyle time period.

Performance Style (P.S.) Scoring:
The Championship Division freestyle judges shall judge a contestant's Performance Style according to the following general scoring criteria. The following elements of style are listed below as guidance to the judges and contestants. Evaluation of Performance Style is very subjective process and each judge may apply additional criteria and standards as to what they feel constitutes Performance Style in a yo-yoing freestyle routine.

• No Performance Style points shall be awarded for anything that occurs before or after the 3-minute freestyle. Stage presence and playing to the audience while yo-yoing. Choreography: Includes but is not limited to elements such as; timing yo-yoing tricks to music; composition of freestyle (has a clear beginning, middle and builds to a climatic ending); and use of "yo-yo space" up, down, back and forth, left and right including dance and acrobatic moves while yo-yoing. Amplitude and/or risk level of the yo-yo trick elements performed. Elegance of control and maturity of the yo-yoing (i.e. stylish, clean, smooth.)
• Variation of trick elements and styles.

• Technical Execution (T.E.) And Performance Style (P.S.) Judges scoring:
  A contestant's final freestyle score shall consist of the algebraic sum of their positive and negative points for Technical Execution (T.E.) plus their points for Performance Style (P.E.).

• FINAL SCORE:
  The highest contestant's raw score from each judge will be normalized to 100 points and the other scores from that judge determined by multiplying 100 times a contestant's raw score divided by the highest contestant's raw score.

  The average Final Score for each contestant shall be determined by discarding their highest and lowest normalized scores from the judging panel and averaging the remaining normalized scores (to the nearest hundredth of a point.) The contestant with the highest average normalized score will be the winner.

  In the event of a tie for first, second or third place, the Head Judges and the Contest Director may declare a tie, or the average normalized scores will be recalculated for the tied contestants using the previously discarded highest and lowest normalized scores. The contestant with the highest recalculated average normalized score (to the nearest hundredth of a point.) will win the tie.