‘Overwhelming’ turnout at return of AP Yo-yo Open bodes well for growth of scene in Singapore

SINGAPORE – After yo-yo speciality shop Spinworkx closed its doors in 2020 when its lease came to an end, co-founder Colin Wan wondered if the local yo-yo scene had all but vanished.

The regional yo-yo competition Asia-Pacific Yo-yo Championships – which was founded by Spinworkx in 2003 – had also been on hiatus since 2019, owing partly to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“However, over the years, I kept receiving messages from friends and players, both locally and internationally, asking when the competition would return,” said Mr Wan, 45.

His questions over yo-yo’s relevance in a post-Covid-19 age were put to rest by the record number of attendees who showed up for the return of the competition, held at the *SCAPE Ground Theatre from March 6 to 8.

Rebranded as the AP Yo-yo Open, and now open to players hailing from outside the Asia-Pacific, the competition saw more than 1,300 attendees over the three days.

More than 130 yo-yo players – aged between eight and 51, and from 18 nations and territories – vied for a spot on the podium.

The “overwhelming” turnout was beyond expectations, Mr Wan said, adding that it was an increase of about 80 per cent from 2019’s iteration, despite there being about 15 per cent fewer competitors.

The competition featured six divisions, including a newly introduced category for junior players under the age of 14.

Four of the nine budding spinners in the division were local players.

“We introduced the U-14 division to encourage younger players and give them a platform to compete within their age group,” Mr Wan said.

Placing third in that division was Nathan Chin, 13, who is also Singapore’s 2025 junior yo-yo champion.

In fourth place was James Liew, eight, who picked up the activity in February 2024 and now regularly attends yo-yo meet-ups, where enthusiasts gather to hone and showcase their skills.

His mother Grape Wongsongja, 40, said the competition was a good learning experience for James.

“While he was pleased with his result, he also knew he missed a few tricks on stage and couldn’t perform quite as well as when he practises at home. It was a valuable lesson for him in learning to stay calm and adapt under pressure,” she said.

Said James: “(The U-14 division) gave young players like us a chance to be a part of something big and very special. It is a memory I will never forget.”

Mr Wan said: “Another encouraging sign this year was seeing many parents bringing their children to the event for the first time.”

He intends to build on the momentum of the AP Yo-yo Open by working closely with familiar faces in the local yo-yo scene to keep its community active and welcoming for new players.

For now, his team is considering whether to host the competition again in 2027, or biennially. This depends on the availability of funding and human resources, he said.

“As a niche event, it can be challenging to secure sponsorship beyond companies within the yo-yo industry. But many guests said ‘see you next year’ as we parted on the final day. So we shall see,” he said.