history »
In 1990 Thomas Hergenrother had organised the first forerunner of the BOTY in Hannover (Germany). The event was supported by his group Burning Moves. There were 9 crews and 400 visitors to find out who is the best B-Boy crew. Up to the present the figure of visitors has grown to approx. 4000 visitors accordingly the number of organisation staffs and supporting teams has grown. In 1991 MZEE started their supporting work. In 1995 From HereTo Fame GmbH has become one of the promoters of the battle (MZEE is a division of FHTF). Thomas Hergenrother is responsible for the contents of the event (dancing crews, DJs, judges, hosts,..) while FHTF realises and organises the event. BOTY becomes more and more international and that means more and more popular. So the capacity of the venues grows and every year there are some more key men in the BOTY-team. One of their aims is to integrate young and motivated people. And it's necessary to do it because it is getting harder and harder to fulfill all the claims. In summer 1999 Thomas Hergenrother and the main staff of the event split up with the From HereTo Fame GmbH and found a new agency with SMO (Munster) which hold the event in the year 2000 together with Thomas Hergenrother and which is a well known German event agency putting their main emphasis on youth culture and trendsport events like for example the "M�nster Monster" - Skateboard Worldchampionships. Since janurary 2001 the new full event partner is the Backspin Magazine/ Falk & Petering OHG which now in association with the "Battle of the Year" Headoffice/ Hergenr�ther & Ilsemann GbR is the event organizer. After in the year 2000 the BOTY took place at the EXPO 2000 in Hannover with almost 10.000 attending spectators and artists from all over the world, in the year 2001 the BOTY found a new location and city with the Volkswagen Halle in Braunschweig. About 9.000 people attended the 2001 event. After mostly positive feedback from 2001 and also 2002 the organizers again want to stay in Braunschweig in the same location for the year 2003 !

Judges: Aiko (USA) Tuf Tim Twist (UK) Evo (UK) Spaiche (Germany) Wild Katz (Denmark) Dobry (Poland)
Best Show: South Side Rockers (Germany)
Best individual dancer: Crumbs (Style Elements, USA)

Results:
1. Style Elements (USA)
2. South Side Rockers (Germany)
3. Black Noise (South Africa)
4. Elementary Force/Suicidal Lifestyle (Hungary)

Hosts: Spax (D), Crazy (CH)
DJs: Double D (D), Leacy (UK)
Judges: Ken Swift (NYC) Space Capital (Chicago) Sonny (Germany) Kai Eikermann (Germany) Elvis (Sweden)
Best Show: Spartanic Japan
Best Individual:K-Mel (Phase 2, USA)

Results:
1. Rock Force (USA)
2. The Family (France)
3. Phase 2 (USA)
4. Suicidal Lifestyle (Hungary)

In memory of Jo (Spartanic Japan) - R.I.P.
Hosts: Spax (D), Trix (UK)
DJs: Swiftrock (USA), Leacy (UK)
Judges: Kapi (E) Speedy (Battle Squad / D) Forrest Gump (NY, USA) Tuf Tim Twist (RSC / UK) PA (Moves From The Other Side / D)
German Crews:
Fresh In Attack (Berlin/Dresden) Second Flood (Speyer) Five Amox (Berlin)
Worldwide:
The Family (F)
Rock Force Crew (USA)
Bag of Trix (Can)
Da Boogie Crew (Ru)
Spartanic Rockers (CH/J)
Suicidal Lifestyle (H)
Freestyle Phanatix (DK)
Crazy Force Crew (CH)
Unik Version (CH)
South African Allstars (Cape Town)
Amateri (Slovakei)
Megablast (Croatia)
Da Live Broadcast (Czech Rep.)

Results:
1. Suicidal Lifestyle (Hungary)
2. Rock Force (USA)
3. Bag Of Trix (Canada)
4. The Family (France)
Best Show: Spartanic Rockers (Switzerland/Japan)

Hosts: Spax (D), Trix (UK)
DJs: Leacy (UK), Z-Trip (USA), Mirko Machine (D)
Judges: Speedy (Battle Squad / D) Poe One (Style Elements, USA) Paolo (010 BBoys / NL) Mr Locksmith (Denmark) Yuji (Japan)
BGirl-Show: Four Step Set (Japan) feat. Petra (Germany)
Music Acts: Pharcyde (USA), Saian Supa Crew (F), Curse feat. Stieber Twins & Der Klan (D)
German Crews:
Flying Steps (Berlin/Germany)
Rocking Till Death (Offenburg/Germany)
Five Amox (Berlin/Germany)

Worldwide:
Barcelona Addictos (Spain)
Circle of Fire (USA)
Connexion (France)
Nasty 9 (Norway/Sweden)
Rapid Fire (Australia)
Roc Kidz Crew (Switzerland)
Scarecrows (England)
Scrambling Feet (Switzerland)
South African Allstars (South Africa)
Suicidal Lifestyle (Hungary)
Supersonic B-boys (Brazil)
Waseda Breakers (Japan)

Results:
1. Flying Steps (Germany)
2. Waseda Breakers (Japan)
3. Scrambling Feet (Switzerland)
4. South African Allstars (South Africa)

Best Show: Waseda Breakers (Japan)
(no award for best individual anymore)

Hosts: Spax (D), Trix (UK)
DJs: Leacy (UK), Static (Denmark), Mad (Germany)
Judges:
Hiro (Spartanic Rockers/Japan)
Kujo (Soul Control/USA)
Paulo (010BBoyz/NL)
Crazy (Crazy Force Crew/Switzerland)
Vartan (Flying Steps/Germany)
Rap Showcase: Tefla & Jaleel (Germany)
Beatbox Showcase: Killa Kela (UK)

15 Crews from all over the world:
Scrambling Feet (CH) winner of BOTY Switzerland
Natural Effects (DK) winner of BOTY Scandinavia
Rocking Attack (D) winner of BOTY Germany
Nontoper Mielonka (Poland) winner of BOTY Eastern Europe
Crazy New Feeling (Greece) winner of BOTY Greece
Addictos (Spain) winner of BOTY Spain
Wanted (France) winner of BOTY France
South African Allstars selected from BOTY South Africa
Visual Shock (Korea) winner of pre - BOTY elimination in Korea
Top 9 (Russia) winner of BOTY Russia
Dynamic Rockers (Belgium) winner of BOTY Benelux
Black Attack / New Zealand Allstar Team selected from BOTY New Zealand
Team Ohh (Japan) winner of BOTY Japan
HaviKoro (USA)

Results:
1. Wanted (France)
2. Team Ohh (Japan)
3. HaviKoro (USA)
4. Visual Shock(Korea)

Best Show: Visual Shock (Korea)

hosts:
Spax and Trix
16 Crews from all over the world:
- Wanted / France
- Freestyle Phanatix / Denmark
- Quassit X-Boyz / Slovakia
- Ichigeki / Japan
- Azanian Flames / South Africa
- Qwik N Ezy / New Zealand
- Addictos / Spain
- Killa Beez / Germany
- Vagabond Crew / France
- Deep Trip / Switzerland
- Wickid Force / Australia
- Expression / Korea
- The Dynamics / Belgium
- Top 9 / Russia
- Ground Zero Crew / USA
- Blackspin Breakers / Brasil
Judges:
Wicket (Renegades/USA)
Gabor (Enemy Squad/Hungary)
Crazy (Crazy Force Crew/Switzerland)
Speedy (Battle Squad/Germany)
Pascal Blaise (Aktuel Force/France)
Jury coordination:
Storm (Battle Squad/Germany)
DJ�s:
Woodo (Switzerland) & Tee (Japan)
Results:
 1. Expression / Korea
 2. Vagabond Crew / France
 3. Deep Trip / Switzerland
 4. Top 9 / Russia

Info taked from style2ouf.com ,  battleoftheyear.net