List of World Yo-Yo Champions is the list of the competitors who won the World Yo-Yo Contest. This list includes non-championship divisions.
Governing bodies Year(s)Event nameGoverning bodyNote 1932 World Yo-Yo Championship Reportedly held in England, United Kingdom. 1992–1995 Yo-Yo Championships International Jugglers' Association Organized by Dale Oliver under the auspices of the IJA and held during the annual IJA convention. 1996–1997 World Yo-Yo Championships 1998 World Yo-Yo Championships HPK Marketing Organized by Alan Nagao, head of HPK Marketing and owner of hobby shop High Performance Kites. The events were held in conjunction with Bandai and during the height of the yo-yo boom. 1999 World Yo-Yo Competition 2000–2012 World Yo-Yo Contest Organized by Greg Cohen, owner of hobby shop Infinite Illusions and confectionary Lofty Pursuits. 2013– World Yo-Yo Contest International Yo-Yo Federation Headed by Steve Brown. Event venues rotate between Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Primary solo divisions
Current 1A Was known as A or "Single A" from 1998 to 2004.
+ Historical world championshipsYear CategoryWinner2nd3rd Ref.1932 Harvey Lowe Joe Young International Jugglers' Association1992 Dale Oliver Dale Myrberg Jennifer Baybrook1993 Senior Rocco Ysaguirre Jon Gates Mark Hayward Amateur Tom Gates Masahiro Mizuno Eric Cohen1994 Pro-Am Bill de Boisblanc Jon Gates Tom McCoy Senior (16 and older) Mike Taylor Jr. Bonnie Matthews Josh Kavanagh Junior (12 to 15) Brett Burkhart Thai Nguyen Liubo Yepez Novice (11 and under) Chris Gryndle Joe Hout Marshall Wharam 1995 Pro-Am Bill de Boisblanc Dale Myrberg Mike Tayler Masters Mark Hayward Ron Spears Masahiro Mizuno Senior Stuart Crump Michael Harris Mike Taylor Junior (12 to 15) Jacob Hall Jason Tracey Tuan Nguyen Novice (11 and under) Brett Jurgens Steve Crump Joe Hout 1996 Pro-Am Dale Myrberg Bill de Boisblanc Mike Tayler Masters 'Dazzling' Dave Schulte Jason Tracy Masahiro Mizuno Senior Jon Steinman David Harris Greg Cohen Junior (12 to 15) Brett Jurgens Joe Hout Novice (11 and under) Mikey McCabe Wayne Abi Maharaj 1997 Pro-Am Bill de Boisblanc Alex Garcia Jennifer Baybrook Masters Nalukai Hookano Yves Young Steve Brown
+ Modern world championshipsYearWinner2nd3rd4thRef.MPK Marketing1998 Ryoichi Suzuki Ross Pascual Masashi Ishiwatari Steve Brown 1998 World Yo-Yo Championships 1A Result1999 Joel Zink Hironori Mii Keijiro Hasegawa Keiichi Kura 1999 World Yo-Yo Competition 1A ResultWorld Yo-Yo Contest2000 Yu Kawada Hidemasa Semba Matthew Rose Chris Vedral 2000 World Yo-Yo Contest 1A Result2001 Tomonari 'Black' Ishiguro Kota Watanabe Dennis Schleussner Hidemasa Semba 2001 World Yo-Yo Contest 1A Result2002 Yuuki Spencer Hiroyuki Suzuki Tomonari 'Black' Ishiguro Eric Hesterman 2002 World Yo-Yo Contest 1A Result2003 Johnnie DelValle Brent Dellinger Hiroyuki Suzuki Yuuki Spencer 2003 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2004 Hiroyuki Suzuki Tomonari 'Black' Ishiguro Yuuki Spencer Justin Weber 2004 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2005 Hiroyuki Suzuki Yuuki Spencer Takayasu Tanaka Mark Montgomery 2005 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2006 Hiroyuki Suzuki Paul Han Eric Koloski Takayasu Tanaka 2006 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2007 Yuuki Spencer Hiroyuki Suzuki Paul Han Eric Koloski 2007 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2008 John Ando Hiroyuki Suzuki Sebastian Brock Luo Yi Cheng 2008 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2009 Shinya Kido Hiroyuki Suzuki Chris Fraser Jensen Kimmt 2009 World Yo-Yo Contest Results 2010 Jensen Kimmitt Hiroyuki Suzuki Christopher Chia Yuuki Spencer 2010 World Yo-Yo Contest Results 2011 Jin-Hao 'Marcus' Koh Sebastian Brock Gentry Stein Hiroyuki Suzuki 2011 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2012 Hiroyuki Suzuki Jin-Hao 'Marcus' Koh Christopher Chia Harold Owens III 2012 World Yo-Yo Contest ResultsInternational Yo-Yo Federation2013 János Karancz Christopher Chia Luis Enrique Villasenor Eric Tran-Ton 2013 World Yo-Yo Contest Results 1A 5A AP2014 Gentry Stein Takeshi Matsuura Iori Yamaki Paul Kerbel 2014 World Yo-Yo Contest Results2015 Zach Gormley Shion Araya Iori Yamaki Takeshi Matsuura 2016 Shion Araya Yamato Murata Zach Gormley Gentry Stein 2017 Shion Araya Andrew Bergen Gentry Stein Yamato Murata 2018 Evan Nagao Takeshi Matsuura Yuki Nishisako Shion Araya WYYC 2018 1A results2019 Gentry Stein Evan Nagao Yuki Nishisako Nathan Dailey 2023 Mir Kim Ryuichi Nakamura Evan Nagao Connor Seals2024 Mir Kim Jakub Dolejš Hunter Feuerstein Jae Hwi Seung2025 Mir Kim Hunter Feuerstein Chandler Steele Jakub Dolejš2026 Mir Kim Jakub Dolejš Hunter Feuerstein Thomas Rajan
2A Was known as AA or "Double A" from 1998 to 2004.
YearWinner2nd3rd4thRef.MPK Marketing1998 Jennifer Baybrook Takumi Nagase Alan Batangan Alex Garcia 1999 Takumi Nagase Koji Yokoyama Masaya Shimazaki Paul Han 1999 World Yo-Yo Competition 2A ResultWorld Yo-Yo Contest2000 Tomoya Kitamura Koji Yokoyama Masahiro Tanikawa Taichi Takagi 2000 World Yo-Yo Contest 2A Result2001 Matt Harlow Koji Yokoyama John 'JM' McNulty Kenichiro Tada 2001 World Yo-Yo Contest 2A Result2002 Shinji Saito Yukihiro Suzuki Koji Yokoyama Matt Harlow 2002 World Yo-Yo Contest 2A Result2003 Shinji Saito Koji Yokoyama Yukihiro Suzuki Masahiro Tanikawa 2004 Shinji Saito Koji Yokayama (tie) Ryusei Saito John Ando Hiraku Fujii (tie)2005 Shinji Saito Koji Yokoyama Patrick Mitchell Junya Yamamoto 2006 Shinji Saito Koji Yokoyama John Ando Kiwamu Ebata 2007 Shinji Saito Koji Yokoyama Ryusei Saito Shuhei Kanai 2008 Takuma Yamamoto Shinji Saito Hiraku Fujii Jun Taniguchi 2009 Shinji Saito Yasushi Furukawa Hiraku Fujii Ryo Yamashita 2010 Yasushi Furukawa Ryo Yamashita Shu Takada Masakazu Yamasaki 2011 Shinji Saito Yasushi Furukawa Ryo Yamashita Takuma Yamamoto 2012 Shu Takada Takuma Yamamoto Hiraku Fujii Joseph Harris International Yo-Yo Federation2013 Takuma Yamamoto Shu Takada Ryo Yamashita Chun Hay Chan 2013 World Yo-Yo Contest Results 2A 3A 4A2014 Takuma Yamamoto Yasushi Furukawa Hiraku Fujii Tomoyuki Kaneko 2015 Shinji Saito Shu Takada Takuma Yamamoto Tomoyuki Kaneko 2016 Shu Takada Hiraku Fujii Takuma Yamamoto Shuhei Kanai 2017 Shu Takada Hiraku Fujii Takuma Yamamoto Chenghao Yi 2018 Shu Takada Takuma Yamamoto Hiraku Fujii Man Ki Liu WYYC 2018 2A result2019 Takuma Yamamoto Chun Hay Chan Hajime Sakauchi Arata Imai 2023Hajime Sakauchi Arata Imai Arika Kato Hiraku Fujii2024Hajime Sakauchi Arata Imai Chun Hay Chan Arika Kato2025 Arata Imai Hajime Sakauchi Yamato Fujiwara Taichi Takagi2026 Chun Hay Chan Man Ki Liu Hajime Sakauchi Arata Imai
3A Also known as AAA or "Triple A".
YearWinner2nd3rd4thRef. World Yo-Yo Contest2003 Daisuke Shimada Jun Aramaki Yu Kawada Paul Yath 2004 Daisuke Shimada Yuki Tanami Maya Nakamura Paul Yath 2005 Daisuke Shimada Maya Nakamura Masanobu Iwata Kentaro Kimura 2006 Paul Yath Yuki Tanami Kentaro Kimura Daisuke Shimada 2007 Yuki Tanami Kentaro Kimura Daisuke Shimada Hank Freeman 2008 Hiroki Miyamoto Kentaro Kimura Hank Freeman Masanobu Iwata 2009 Kentaro Kimura Hiroki Miyamoto Taiichiro Higashi Paul Yath 2010 Minato Furuta Taiichiro Higashi Hank Freeman Takeshi Matsuura 2011 Hank Freeman Alex Hattori Taiichiro Higashi Minato Furuta 2012 Hank Freeman Wang-Kit Ng Minato Furuta Ken Takabayashi International Yo-Yo Federation2013 Hank Freeman Patrick Borgerding Yasuki Tachibana Kentaro Kimura 2014 Hajime Miura Hank Freeman Minato Furuta Mizuki Takimoto 2015 Hajime Miura Alex Hattori Hank Freeman Mizuki Takimoto 2016 Hajime Miura Tomoya Kurita Alex Hattori Hank Freeman 2017 Hajime Miura Minato Furuta Alex Hattori Tomoya Kurita 2018 Hajime Miura Alex Hattori Minato Furuta Thawhir Iqbal WYYC 2018 3A result2019 Hajime Miura Alex Hattori Tomoya Kurita Minato Furuta 2023 Hajime Miura Minato Furuta Sora Tahira Tomoya Kurtia2024 Minato Furuta Sora Tahira Tomoya Kurtia Hajime Miura 2025 Hajime Miura Tomoya Kurita Minato Furuta Jiho Oh2026 Tomoya Kurita Jiho OhMinato FurutaSora Tahira
4A Also known as "Offstring".
YearWinner2nd3rd4thRef. World Yo-Yo Contest2003 Eiji Okuyama Atsushi Yamada Shingo Terada Kenji Eto 2004 Tsubasa Onishi Kunihisa Kawabe Koichiro Mori Eiji Okuyama 2005 John Narum Eiji Okuyama Jimmy Peng Tsubasa Onishi 2006 Taiki Nishimura Tsubasa Onishi Eiji Okuyama Rei Iwakura 2007 Eiji Okuyama Rei Iwakura Tsubasa Onishi Atsushi Yamada 2008 Rei Iwakura John Narum Yohei Kagawa Atsushi Yamada 2009 Naoto Okada Rei Iwakura Tsubasa Onishi Bryan Figueroa 2010 Tsubasa Onishi Rei Iwakura Naoto Okada John Narum 2011 Naoto Okada Bryan Figueroa Tsubasa Onishi Ben Conde 2012 Rei Iwakura Bryan Figueroa Naoto Okada Ben Conde International Yo-Yo Federation2013 Michael Nakamura Naoto Okada Chun Hin Chan Gustavo Amaral 2014 Rei Iwakura Michael Nakamura Naoto Okada Ian Johnson 2015 Naoto Onishi Takumi Yasumoto Rei Iwakura Michael Nakamura 2016 Rei Iwakura Tsubasa Onishi Michael Nakamura Yuki Uchida 2017 Rei Iwakura Michael Nakamura Chen Zhao Yuki Uchida 2018 Hajime Miura Tsubasa Onishi Rei Iwakura Koyo Hashimoto WYYC 2018 4A result2019 Rei Iwakura Tsubasa Onishi Yuki Uchida Koyo Hashimoto 2023 Gun Ju Eom Rei Iwakura Koyo Hashimoto Tsubasa Takada2024 Ryan Connolly Kaoru Nakamura Koyo Hashimoto Gunju Eom2025 Kaoru Nakamura Gunju Eom Bin Ge Ryan Connolly2026 Koyo Hashimoto Hong Lun Chang Haobo Liu Kento Imamura 5A Also known as "Counterweight" or "Freehand".
YearWinner2nd3rd4thRef. World Yo-Yo Contest2003 Rafael Matsunaga Makoto Numagami Shingo Terada Matt Schmidt 2004 Makoto Numagami Rafael Matsunaga Shingo Terada Andrew Lin Yikai 2005 Maya Nakamura Makoto Numagami Andrew Lin Yikai Rafael Matsunaga 2006 Dana Bennett Jake Bullock Andrew 'AJ' Kirk Tyler Severance 2007 Tyler Severance Takeshi Matsuura (tie) Dana Bennett Miguel Correa Sojun Miyamura (tie)2008 Takeshi Matsuura Sterling Quinn Takuma Inoue Miguel Correa 2009 Takuma Inoue Miguel Correa Tyler Severance Sterling Quinn 2010 Takeshi Matsuura Sterling Quinn Miguel Correa Tyler Severance 2011 Takeshi Matsuura Takuma Inoue Samm Scott Tyler Severance 2012 Takeshi Matsuura Takuma Inoue Hiroyasu Ishihara Hideo Ishida International Yo-Yo Federation2013 Takeshi Matsuura Tyler Severance Samm Scott Hideo Ishida 2014 Takeshi Matsuura Jake Elliott Sora Ishikawa Ko Kwan Ho 2015 Jake Elliot Takeshi Matsuura Sora Ishikawa Michael Nakamura 2016 Takeshi Matsuura Jake Elliot Sora Ishikawa Naoya Takeuchi 2017 Takuma Inoue Naoya Takeuchi Hideo Ishida Bryan Jardin 2018 Sora Ishikawa Hideo Ishida Yoshihiro Abe Ko Kwan Ho WYYC 2018 result2019 Hideo Ishida Yoshihiro Abe Sora Ishikawa Naoya Takeuchi 2023 Sora Ishikawa Shigehiro Yamada Hideo Ishida Miggy Hizon2024 Jihoo Lee Naoki Uemae Sora Ishikawa Yoshihiro Abe2025 Sora Ishikawa Jihoo Lee Miggy Hizon Naoki Uemae2026 Jihoo Lee Shigehiro Yamada Sora Ishikawa Naoki Uemae Over-40 Freestyle YearWinner2nd3rd4thRef. International Yo-Yo Federation2015Kiyoshi KawamuraWong, Man Kin(Ken)Isaac KanarekMinoru Arai2016Takahiko HASEGAWASteve BrownRichard BrownAdam Lord2017Steve BrownJose MadrigalDale OliverJon Gates2018 Koji Torita Wong, Man Kin(Ken)Takahiko Hasegawa Tomoya Isoshima2019Takahiko HASEGAWAIsaac KanarekMykk EL-AHRAIRAHMatthew GIROUX2023 Open ClassTakenori IguchiMasayuki AbeTatsuya KikuchiKenta Takahashi2023 Master ClassMasakazu YamasakiTomiyuki WatanabeTakayasu MurakamiFumiaki Daito2024 Open ClassKira MorrowAlexander NootIsaac KanarekJonathan Brasell2024 Master ClassLorenzo SabatiniWong, Wai Sheuk (Simpson)Teruo KameyaBenjamin McPhee2025Wong, Wai Sheuk (Simpson)Lorenzo SabatiniCheung, Chi WingHiroyasu Ishihara
Online World Yo-Yo Contest As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 World Yo-Yo Contest was canceled. Since the World Yo-Yo Contest could not be held as a result of the pandemic and the various travel restrictions it caused, the Online World Yo-Yo Contest was created. As the name suggests, the contests were held online. The winners of the Online World Yo-Yo Contest do not gain the title of World Yo-Yo Champion, however. The title they receive is that of Online World Yo-Yo Champion (in their respective divisions).
1A