2011 WSSA Japan Sport Stacking Championships Wrap-up
After the postponment in March due to the East Japan earthquake, October 2nd was the rescheduled date for this year's national Sport Stacking tournament, the 2011 WSSA Japan Sport Stacking Championships. About one-hundred stacker,s ranging in age from 5 to 79, joined in the day's exciting competition.

Competitors from many parts of Japan joined this year's championships, sanctioned by the World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA). International participants from around the globe were represented by some of Kanto area's international schools and from the U.S. base of Atsugi. All brought along some tough competitors which made for a great day of hot competition stacking against the clock. The top winners in all divisions received trophies, medals and ribbons as proof of their stacking skills. (See complete results here.)

Top Stacker
For the third year in a row, 14-year-old Sota Takamori was awarded the title of 'Top Stacker' (Individual Overall Winner) with a combined time of 11.35 in the 3-3-3, 3-6-3 and Cycle stacks. By securing the top position, he wins a trip to Europe to compete in the 2012 WSSA World Sport Stacking Championships to be held in Butzbach, Germany on April 14-15. Great job, Sota, and good luck in Germany!

Fast Stacking
Under close scrutiny of the judges and with national broadcaster's TV cameras focused to capture every move, stackers in all divisions tried to break not just their own personal records, but to also set national and world records in this exciting sport.

The championship's fastest 3-3-3 stack of the day was won by Yuhki Lin, whose time of 2.03 seconds gave him a 1st place in the 10-12 age division. Sota Takamori's 2.06 seconds gave him a 1st place win in the 13-14 division and Akari Seo followed closely with a time of 2.27 to secure the gold medal in the Collegiate division. Both Akari and Sota set new national records in each of their respective age divisions!

Keishin Mori showed off his lighting hands with the fastest 3-6-3 stack of the day, capturing the gold in the 10-12 year old division with 2.28 seconds and setting a new Overall Japan 3-6-3 Record! Yuhki Lin earned the second spot in the 10-12 division with a fast 2.53 seconds. Sota Takamori whipped out a 2.63 to take first place in the 13-14 division.

In the Cycle stack, setting not only a new division (14-year-old) Japan record, but also breaking the Overall Japan Cycle Record was Sota Takamori. In the final round, Sota out stacked everyone with a blinding time of 6.66 seconds to secure the gold trophy! Miku Chiba swept her division and set another Division National Record (11 year old) in the Cycle with 7.63 seconds. Keishin Mori followed Miku to secure the silver trophy in the 10-12 division with a time of 7.84 seconds. Great stacking everyone!

The Timed 3-6-3 Relay was once again a crowd favorite. The four-person team of Jack-Box received top honors with 21.41 in the Open division. Team Flash also won gold hardware (18 & under div.) with the time of 21.72. Congratulations to all the relay teams who competed!

Another yearly favorite among both stackers and spectators was the Doubles competition. Sota Takamori & Keishin Mori broke the Overall Japan Doubles record with a winning time of 8.88! Akari Seo & Tsuyoshi Seo won double gold medals with a quick 9.31, setting a new Japan division record (Collegiate). In the Child/Parent division, father and daughter team of Yuka and Takashi Maeda took the gold once again this year with a time of 12.55. Great teamwork everyone!

Other Records Set
Many more Japan National Division Records were set throughout the day, including 3-3-3 Stack times for Mizuki Arai - 2.80 (9 year old division), Miku Chiba - 2.28 (11 div.) and Yui Nishioka - 2.47 in the 16 year old division.

In the 3-6-3 Stack, new Japan division records were set by Yujiin Lin (7 year old) with a 3.77, which tied two previous record times, Yui Nishioka - 3.05 (16 div.), and Tamiko Sato broke her previous time to set a new record in the Seniors division with a time of 5.34.

Also, in the Cycle Stack, new records were set by Mari Iimuro (7 year old) with a 11.50 and another time recorded by Tsuyoshi Seo, who tied his own division record (Collegiate) from 2008 with a time of 8.16.

Stacking together in the Doubles competition, Yujiin Lin & Caeden Couch made the Japan record books with a time of 15.68, setting a new Japan division record (7 & under) in the Doubles cycle. Another divison record was set by the doubles team of Rei Takeda & Miku Chiba (div. 12 & under) with a time of 9.83.

Also, in the Timed 3-6-3 Relay, setting new national records with the new relay rules were Super Girls with a time of 33.22 seconds (7 & under), Wings 23.28 (14 & under), Speed Team 20.13 ( 12 & under) and Team Fighters with a time of 20.50 in the 10 & under division.

Special Thanks and Congratulations to all!
Our sincere thanks go out to all the volunteers and judges who made this tournament such a great success! A special round of applause to all the teachers and youth group leaders, friends and expecially the families who came out to support and encourage your stackers on this great day! Also, a special thanks to the Tokyo International School for hosting the tournament at their sports center. Thank you TIS!

Congratulations to ALL Sport Stackers who competed and made this year's 2011 championships such an exciting tournament! Start practicing now and we look forward to seeing you next time for the 2012 WSSA Japan Sport Stacking Championships!

(Do you have photos from the Championships you can share with us? Please email them to us here!)