NEW VERSION FOR 2025

DIVISIONS, TROPHIES, MEDALS, CERTIFICATES & SCORE SHEETS

What you need to know! 

WHAT IS YOUR DIVISION?

Division 1 – Novice (no educators)
Students and professional nail technicians that have never participated in any nail competition anywhere in the world. (NO educators/ trainers to enter this category.)

Division 2 – Apprentice (educator entry level)
Students and professional nail technicians that have competed before anywhere in the world but have placed up to 2nd position. All educators MUST use this as entry level unless they enter the masters - div 3.

Division 3 – Master
Students and professional nail technicians that have placed 1^st in any competition in the world before. Any competitor that has won a world title, placed first in a recognized nail competition of any type, or is ranked as a Top Competitor.

NOTE new for 2025

Division 1: Starting level
All participants who enter this division are automatically promoted to Division 2 on their next Nailympia location.
Only the gold medal winners from Division 2 move up to Division 3.

GLOBAL CUP

Nailympia will publish a Hall of Fame for all competitors that take 3 trophies in – Global Cup, Euro Cup, Americas Cup & Premiere Cup. If 3 trophies are awarded to an individual in these trophies, then they automatically no longer qualify for the trophy & will enter the Nailympia Hall of Fame.

The global winner is calculated by the scores from Stiletto, Acrylic & Gel.
3 highly technical & challenging competitions undertaken in all active locations – currently: Germany, Mexico, the USA, Vietnam, China & the UK. This trophy is awarded in London.

NOTE: You must compete in 3 locations to qualify for this. If you compete in more than 3 – we take the 3 highest location scores.

EUROPEAN CUP (UK & GERMANY)

The European winner is calculated by scores taken from Stiletto, Joy of Nails, Salon Nails & Reality Nails.

The active locations for this cup are Germany (Beauty Dusseldorf) and the UK (Pro Beauty). This trophy is awarded in London.

AMERICAS CUP (US)

Competitors must enter Nailympia Mexico and one of the 3 USA locations- either Nailympia Orlando, Nailympia Anaheim or Nailympia San Antonio during 2026 to qualify for this trophy.

The Americas winner is calculated by scores taken from Stiletto, Joy of Nails, Salon Nails & Flat Art. It will be awarded at Nailympia San Antonio.

PREMIERE CUP (US)

Competitors must compete at both of the two USA locations – Orlando & San Antonio at The Premiere Beauty expos. The Premiere winner is calculated by scores taken from Acrylic, Joy of Nails, Salon Nails, Flat Art & Reality Nails.

INDIVIDUAL TOP SCORER

Must enter 3 or more competitions.

London & Germany INCLUDED - UV Gel comp nails, L&P Acrylic comp nails, Perfect Match, Joy of Nails, Salon Nails, Stiletto Nails, Flat Art, French Twist

WINNER OF WINNERS

There is one winner per division. You must have won a medal to qualify. 
The 3 highest scores from comps entered are totalled.

London & Germany INCLUDED - UV GEl, L&P Acrylic, Joy of Nails, Salon Nails, Stiletto Nails, To Stiletto & Beyond, Flat Art 

ART WINNER OF WINNERS

Must have won one of the qualifying comps to enter.
Must have entered at least two comps.
All scores added together.

London & Germany INCLUDED - Runway Nails, Joy of Nails, Reality Nails, Mixed Media Boxed Art & Fantasy Complete Look.

TEAM TROPHY (optional)

A team is made up of 3-6 people only. At every relevant competition - the team's 3 highest scores are taken (not per competitor across the competitions).

LONDON & GERMANY 2025 - 1 team trophy will be awarded across a mix of the 3 divisions.                     

London & Germany INCLUDED:

• Flat Art Boxed
• Mixed Media
• UV Gel Comp nails 
• L&P Acrylic comp nails
• The Joy of Nails
• French Twist
• Salon Nails
• Stiletto Nails

GERMAN CUP

London & Germany INCLUDED - L&P Acrylic, UV Gel, Salon Nails, Fantasy Complete Look, Mixed Media, Stiletto Nails, The Joy of Nails

• Each competitor receives a certificate of participation (pdf) via e-mail no later than 2 weeks after the competition. Therefore, please make sure to register with the correct address and name.
• All categories (each Division), 1st - 3rd place receive a medal gold, silver or bronze and a certificate.
• German Champion Cup: 1st to 3rd place (per division) will receive a gold, silver or bronze trophy and a certificate. They are calculated from the highest number of points. 
• Team Winners: Only top scorer team will receive a trophy and a certificate.
• Individual Top Scorer: only one top scorer will receive a trophy and a certificate.
• Winner of the Winner: Division 1-3 only, top scorer will receive a trophy and a certificate.
• Art Winner of the Winner: Division 1-3, only top scorer will receive a trophy and a certificate.
• Score Sheets will be handed out after the ceremony or will be sent by email, based upon the schedule and time of the event, otherwise no later than 2 weeks after Nailympia Germany (pdf) via e-mail. 

Recognised competitions for 2025

When it comes to correctly choosing your division for 2025 competitions, you'll need to know if you have participated & won in a recognised competition. Below is a list of those we recognise & do not recognise. If you have any questions or your competition is not on this list, please email admin@nailympia.com.

RECOGNISED - if you place 1st/Gold - you are Division 3

·  Scratch Stars Awards                                                                            ·  Nail Olympic Poland

·  World Star Nail Artist                                                                             ·  Nail Art France

·  Nails Next Top Nail Artist                                                                       ·  Norwegian Championship Oslo

·  North America's Next Top Nail Artist                                                      ·  Nail Open System Stockholm

·  Nailympia Competitions                                                                         ·  Czech Nail Open Cup

·  Nail Pro Competitions                                                                            ·  JNA Japan

·  Nailympion                                                                                             ·  GNDA competition in AUS/NZ

·  Hungarian Championship                                                                      ·  Új Remèny Cup, Hungary

NOT RECOGNISED - If you place 1st/Gold you are not Division 3 

Nailympia recognises competitions that have an international judging line-up, international competitors & are hosted with like-minded standards, nail competition culture & traditions.

Stand-alone national competitions & global online competitions are not all recognised.

·  Professional Beauty UK                                                                      ·  Nails : Lashes : PMU online style competition
·  Nails League                                                                                       ·  Kingdon Beauty Crown
·  2022 - 2023 - North Star                                                                     ·  Hoec Dányi
·  American Dream                                                                                 ·  NMC – Germany
·  Alba Regia Hand and Foot Care and                                                  ·  Nail Icon competition
   Nail Art Conference, Hungary
·  Mayan Gold                                                                                         ·  International Nail Cup
·  2017 - Salou Spain                                                                              ·  StudioFlash
·  2019 - I love Beauty Business Cyprus                                                 ·  IEEBA
·  2020 - I love Beauty Business Barcelona                                            ·  Brilliant Cup
·  OMC Magyar Bajnokság – Hungary (Hairworld)                                  ·  Nailstar