Yo-Yo Craze Set For A Kiwi Come Back

Wednesday 23 June 2004

Yo-Yo Craze Set For A Kiwi Come Back

A new Yo-Yo craze that is sweeping the world will soon hit New Zealand as one of the world’s oldest toys is reinvented for today’s savvy youths.

A representative from Duncan Yoyos, the oldest and biggest yo-yo makers in the US says sales are expected to be up over 100% from 2003, making the new craze one of the biggest ever.

The last Yo-Yo craze hit New Zealand seven years ago with thousands of players around the country learning tricks such as ‘walk the dog’ and ‘around the world’.

Nina Stevenson, Product Manager for toy company Hasbro, the exclusive distributors of the Duncan brand in New Zealand, says retro toys such as the Yo-Yo usually come back in cycles of approximately seven years. “The Yo-Yo is one of the world’s oldest and most favourite toys,” she says. “The popularity of retro toys peak approximately every seven years as a new generation of players emerge. “

Today’s Yo-Yos use new technologies that increase speed and make tricks easier. Today’s breed of performance quality Yo-Yos have continued to increase the calibre of tricks performed by elite players and encourage new players to learn these skills faster than ever before.

Worldwide Yo-Yoing is a serious sport, with world championships held every year. Competitions aim to find the best Yo-Yoers in several different categories including ‘off the string’ and ‘freehand’. Competitors are awarded points based on the complexity and precision of the tricks they perform. This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the introduction of the Yo-Yo into popular culture. However, the origins of the Yo-Yo have been traced back to Greece in the year 500 B.C. although many believe its origins were even earlier, in China.

Stevenson believes that the Yo-Yo has remained popular throughout the centuries, as it is more than just a toy used for fun and sport. “The Yo-Yo works using basic physics and so is actually very educational.” she says. “It’s also great for hand-eye coordination and stress relief! “

ENDS

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