Area college student named national yo-yo champion 3 years in a row

Cedarville University student Phillip White won the national yo-yo contest for the third time in a row this fall.

Cedarville University student Phillip White won the national yo-yo contest for the third time in a row this fall.

An area college student has won the national yo-yo contest for the third year in a row.

Phillip White, a student at Cedarville University, was recently named the 2017 U.S. National yo-yo champion by winning the national yo-yo contest from Oct. 6 through Oct. 8 in Chico, California, according to the university.

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White is a sophomore computer science major from Schenectady, New York. There was no cash award for his big win, just the satisfaction of achieving a goal in a hobby he loves.

From 2015 to 2017, White won the championship in the offstring division, a style of “yo-yoing” where the toy is not attached to a string. The national contest, run by the National Yo-Yo League and sponsored in part by Duncan Toys, has five divisions based on different styles.

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His behind-the-back and around-the-leg moves, rapid-fire style and 20-foot-high tosses and and catches capture were some of the highlights from this year’s competition, according to the university.

“This year was the 25th anniversary of the National Yo-Yo Contest, so this win is especially meaningful to me,” White said.

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