TLDR
- Sling Slam 2024 runs August 1st to 4th, 2024
- Submit 20-30s clips online to participate
- Clips must be continuous, but slow mo/ freeze frames are allowed
- Main event is begleri, any conventional begleri set can be used, with side events for komboloi/ MKUltras, chetki, knuckle rollers/ kbones, and deadeyes/ contact coin/ or straight up coin manipulation, and for the first time, ring manipulation (including banzhi and hollows in this category)
- Minimal editing effects and short intro/ title screens only
- Submit clips on Instagram, using #slingslam2024 PLUS the appropriate event tag #ss2024begleri, #ss2024chetki, #ss2024kbone, #ss2024ultras, #ss2024coin, #ss2024ring, or see below for other submission options
- Prizes for top three begleri, and the top two in each of the other three categories
- Submit Google form (optional) to ensure your video is seen by judges and added to participant list for posterity. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSem4VxDhwpxBDbTION-_XBw-wThkeAk7o7RJ256I8GlKIMyJg/viewform
- For a Japanese translation of the rules, please visit this site created by one of our awesome community members. https://begleri-b-ahchan.seesaa.net/article/slingslam2024-rules.html
Sling Slam 2024 Begleri World Championships
Contest Overview
Sling Slam 2024, our sixth annual worldwide open begleri freestyle contest, is scheduled to run August 1st to 4th, 2024. It will be an online event, run in the same style as previous Slang Slammeds and our annual Single Grip Open events, but with the addition of categories for komboloi/ MKUltras, chetki, knuckle rollers/ kbones, deadeyes/ contact coin/ or straight up coin manipulation, and rings (including banzhis and hollows in this category). Participants will submit freestyle clips online, conforming to the rules below, showcasing their best tricks, flow, and video production skills. As with previous events, most of the action is expected to take place on Instagram, but contestants are welcome to submit clips on other platforms as well. Full details and rules below.
Open Contest
Our focus is on inclusion and participation over competition for these events, so we have draw prizes and a special promo code for ALL participants. This year it will be an open contest, with no "tiers" or categories for players making this a single event with everyone participating side by side.
Judging
Sling Slam will be a judged competition, and judging will be conducted according to three equally weighted criteria. This year's judges will be the following:
- Rusty @rmaustemery
- Brax @mkxarb
- Chris @chainheart._
- Soul @the_soul_smith
- Matt @aroundsquare
Scoring Criteria
Clip Quality
- sufficient lighting, begleri (or other items) clearly visible
- good framing, clean/ appropriate background, sufficient contrast
- filming, stable frame, begleri in frame etc.
Technical Difficulty
- sophistication, complexity, difficulty of tricks
- variety of trick elements
- innovativeness
Artistic Merit
- performance and style
- good flow, tight/ clean execution
- clean editing
- matching with music etc.
- additional elements (humour, finishing moves, combo construction etc.)
How to Participate
Sling Slam 2024 will run August 1st to 4th, 2024. All you have to do to participate is to prepare a freestyle begleri clip or edit, and/ or one with chetki, ultras/ komboloi, knucklebone, coin manipulation, or ring manipulation. Clips must be compliant with the rules below. Post your video publicly to one of the designated platforms listed below. Please be sure to tag your entry appropriately.
Instagram: Post a public clip to your own account, and tag it with the hashtags #slingslam2024, AND #ss2024begleri, #ss2024chetki, #ss2024ultras, #ss2024kbone, #ss202coin, or #ss2024ring depending on which event you’re posting for
Facebook: Post a public clip to the page: https://www.facebook.com/begleriworldcup/
Reddit: Post a public clip to the sub: https://www.reddit.com/r/SingleGripOpen/
If you want to submit via an alternative platform, please email a link to info@aroundsquare.com
All clips must be submitted prior to 11:59pm Pacific time on August 4th, 2024. Clips will be reviewed by the judges, and winners will be announced after the closing of the contest.
NOTE: Since the Instagram algorithm has been changing in how it handles hashtags, there is a risk your clip may be missed by those of us following the hashtags. Submit Google form (optional) to ensure your video is seen by judges and added to participant list for posterity. Here's the form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSem4VxDhwpxBDbTION-_XBw-wThkeAk7o7RJ256I8GlKIMyJg/viewform
Rules
- This is an “open” freestyle competition, meaning there are no restrictions on play. Multiple grip changes, aerials, two-handed play, and so on, are all allowable. Players are limited to one set of begleri (or, chetki, ultras, kbone, coin as the case may be).
- Any set can be used (i.e., it does not need to be an AO2 set).
- Clip must be continuous, and must be 20s to 30s in length
- Clip may contain slow motion segments, zooming, and other editing, provided the continuity of the clip is not interrupted (freeze frames are allowed, but no reversal of clip direction)
- Clip editing should not detract from the clear depiction of the freestyle performance (text and drawn animations are allowed, but should be used sparingly; additional windows within main window should not be used)
- Minimize introductions (title screens are allowed, but will count as part of the max 30s clip length)
- Clips must be tagged appropriately using #slingslam2024 PLUS the appropriate event tag #ss2024begleri, #ss2024chetki, #ss2024kbone, #ss2024ultras, #ss2024coin, #ss2024ring
- Notwithstanding the rules and clarifications above, the clip must reflect the intent of this contest as a pure freestyle contest. If the judges feel there are excessive deviations from that intent, the clip may be disqualified at the judges’ discretion, regardless of whether they are explicitly breaking the rules.
- Anything not explicitly allowed in the rules, and anything falling into a grey area, will be subject to judges’ decision, which will be final. If you’re unsure of something you can contact AO2 for clarification prior to the competition.
- Please only submit one clip per event. You may participate in as many events as you like (begleri, chetki, ultras, kbones, coins, and rings). Participants posting more than one clip to a single event will be disqualified.
- Submitting clips to multiple events will give you multiple chances to win draw prizes, up to a maximum of five chances (one per event).
Suggestions
- Use the best lighting available. In general, the more light you flood into your filming space, the better the quality of your clip.
- Use a clean background such as a blank wall, a hanging backdrop or sheet, a clean floor, or if all else fails, a clean patch of pavement or grass outdoors etc.
- Minimize fancy editing that creates visual clutter and detracts from following the flow of the begleri
- Add a tune to your clip (it makes it more entertaining for viewers)
- Use editing sparingly to accentuate key tricks or highlight sync with your selected music
Prizes
Lots of great prizes are planned for this year’s contest, including draw prizes that will go to randomly selected participants. There will be designated prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the main begleri contest. There will also be a top prize and runner-up for the best chetki entry, the best komboloi/ MKUltras entry, the best knuckle roller/ knucklebone entry, the best coin manipulation, and the best ring manipulation entry. Draw prizes will be given to randomly selected participants on each day of the event, meaning those who enter on the first day have more opportunities to win.
Competitive Prizes
Begleri
- First Place (begleri): $500 cash; bragging rights as 2023 World Champ; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
- Second Place (begleri): $300 cash; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
- Third Place (begleri): $100 cash; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
Komboloi/ MKUltras
- First Place (komboloi/ MKUltras): $300 cash; bragging rights as 2023 World Champ; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
- Runner-up (komboloi/ MKUltras): $200 cash; choice of any non-exotic item in the shop
Chetki
- First Place (chetki): $300 cash; bragging rights as 2023 World Champ; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
- Runner-up (chetki): $200 cash; choice of any non-exotic item in the shop
Knuckle Rollers/ Knucklebones
- First Place (knuckle rollers/ kbones): $300 cash; bragging rights as 2023 World Champ; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
- Runner-up (knuckle rollers/ kbones): $200 cash; choice of any non-exotic item in the shop
Coin Manipulation/ Deadeyes
- First Place (coin manipulation/ deadeyes): $300 cash; bragging rights as 2023 World Champ; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
- Runner-up (coin manipulation/ deadeyes): $200 cash; choice of any non-exotic item in the shop
Ring Manipulation/ Banzhis/ Hollows
- First Place (chetki): $300 cash; bragging rights as 2023 World Champ; choice of almost any AO2 item (any standard item, and most exotics)
- Runner-up (chetki): $200 cash; choice of any non-exotic item in the shop
Draw Prizes
Draw prizes will be awarded on each day of the contest, from August 1st to 4th, meaning that participants who submit a clip earlier will have more chances to win. There will be one draw prize winner per day, randomly selected from the clips as of that day.
Participation Prizes
All participants will be given a promo code, offering 25% off a future purchase with Aroundsquare (some exclusions may apply)
Participation and community involvement is a big part of this contest, so we'd like to encourage you all to follow the hashtags on Instagram and to give some feedback and encouragement to one another as the posts show up in your feed throughout the week, let's go