U.S. National Boomerang Championships

SI Staff | Aug 5, 2014

U.S. National Boomerang Championships /

U.S. National Boomerang Championships

Mike Smale throws a long-distance boomerang.

Veteran long-distance thrower David Hirsch of Dallas took third in the U.S. Nationals with a throw of 113 meters out with a full return.

Sandy Stewart gets set at the U.S. National Boomerang Championships.

Issac Syler, a 10-year veteran, is captured here throwing a carbon fiber Voyager.

Rob Stewart discusses the proper release point and wind direction with his wife, Sandy.

David Hirsch paints the two-meter launch circle for the long-distance competition.

One of the throwers makes a field adjustment on a Voyager long-distance boomerang. This shape of boomerang set the world record of 238 meters.

Roger Armstrong of Illinois launches from the proper position behind the line and within the circle.

Dennis Joyce is the only thrower to never miss a national tournament.

Gary Broadbent wears the "Twinkie Amulet" -- eating the spongy goodness as the traditional reward for throwing over 100 meters with a successful return.

Takeshi Honda and Logan Broadbent with their competition boom kits.

Many boomerang throwers keep their boomerangs organized in vertical files folders to keep them from detuning (warping or bending).

A group shot of the competitive throwers at this year's U.S. National Boomerang Championship, held in Delaware, Ohio.

Logan Broadbent uses speed, timing and strategy to make the catch while propelling himself into the center circle, scoring the maximum amount of points during Aussi Round.

Steve Kavanaugh of Seattle attempts a foot catch in trick catch doubling. The boomerang in his mouth is being held after completing the first of two catches.

Adam Stankiewicz throws two boomerangs during trick catch doubling. One boomerang is designed to drop quicker than the other, allowing the competitor time to catch both boomerangs.

Sometimes a sudden wind gust requires extraordinary athletic effort to make the catch.

John "Moleman" Anthony is fixated on making his "right hand clean" catch in trick doubling.

Logan Broadbent and 13-year-old Eli Gepfert sync their styles during the accuracy competition. The younger athletes learn continually from the more experienced, and in this case, world-class boomerang throwers.

This year's overall winner, Dan Bower adjusts his boomerang for current wind conditions by adding rubber bands to create drag.

Dan Bower makes a two-hand, behind-the-back trick catch.

Takeshi Honda, last year's U.S. National Champion, makes a tunnel trick catch. A tunnel catch is catching under the leg with both feet on the ground.

Eli Gepfert runs to make a MTA (maximum time aloft) catch.

Logan Broadbent concentrates to catch his MTA boomerang before it goes out of the 100-meter circle.

Longtime veteran Barnaby Ruhe celebrates his successful MTA catch. He is a three-time U.S. National Champion and has coached the U.S. Boomerang Team.

James Stickney maximizes the flight time of his MTA by catching as close to the ground as possible.

Richard Bower demonstrates the flexibility needed to throw in certain boomerang events.

Steve Kavanaugh stretches for accuracy points during Aussie Round. In Aussie Round, points are awarded for distance traveled, accuracy of the return and making a successful catch.

Dennis Joyce maintains focus during his fast-catch round. Fast catch is throwing and successfully catching within a two-meter circle five times in the least amount of time.

Takeshi Honda of Japan celebrates his first-place victory in the fast-catch event.

Rich Bower of Seattle drops grass clippings to check wind direction before throwing. Learning how to read the wind is a key skill to achieve a successful return.

Richard Bower reacts after his fast-catch round.

Eli Gepfert, 13, gets in the zone before his endurance round.

Laura Smucker points in the direction of her fast-catch throw.

Patrick Howser launches his long-distance boomerang.

Barnaby Ruhe congratulates Takeshi Honda after a successful trick-catch round.

Rich Bower holds his Spangler Boomerang used in the Aussie Round. The weights, drilled holes and rubber bands modify the boomerang to achieve a 50-meter return.

Insider and outsider boomerangs used in trick catch doubling.

James Stickney prepares to hackey the boomerang with his foot before catching it.

Gary Broadbent and Dennis Joyce discuss which boomerang to use in Aussie Round.

Eli Gepfert prepares to destroy the competition during trick catch in his first appearance in the U.S. Nationals.

George Essig displays his style while performing a single-hand-under-the-leg trick catch.

Australian Simon Bollen wears his warpaint as he enters the boomerang battlefield.

Jason Smucker of Atlanta prepares for his Eagle Catch during the trick-catch competition.

Jason Smucker hackies the boomerang during trick catch.

Logan Broadbent, current world champion in trick catch, performs one of his signature backflip catches. The wind conditions have to be ideal to coordinate this amazing crowd-pleaser.

Dan Bower (middle) displays his championship trophy along with second-place finisher Richard Bower (left) and Logan Broadbent, who took third.

Published Aug 5, 2014

SI STAFF