champions tour china qualifier

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Guide to the VALORANT Chinese League

• Author: Gabby DeSena

2023 marked VALORANT ’s introduction to China and its enthusiastic reception from Chinese players. Within the first week of its release, VALORANT became the second most-viewed game on Chinese streaming platforms and drew a massive player base. VALORANT’s Chinese interface differs from its international counterparts, but the fundamentals of the game remain the same – and as players progress through the ranks, new talent emerges. 

It’s only natural that a Chinese esports scene would develop after VALORANT’s Chinese launch. Let’s explore the structure and key players of VALORANT’s growing Chinese esports league.

VALORANT Devs End Debate: Which Rifle Is Better, Phantom Or Vandal?

What is the structure of valorant’s chinese league.

As of 2023, the VALORANT Champions Tour introduced a unique qualifier for Chinese VALORANT teams to qualify for the event. 12 teams are invited and fight for the top spot in a hybrid-elimination format. The top three teams in the VALORANT Champions Tour China Qualifier can participate in the greater international VALORANT Champions tour.

Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

As China is an extremely vast country spanning five time zones and bordering 14 countries, and also has a separate game interface, further national tournaments are developing within the state. A VALORANT Champions Tour: China tournament is in the works.

To progress through China’s new VALORANT esports ladder, teams must first participate in three stages of competition within the VALORANT China Evolution Series. The first portion of the series is known as Act 1: Variation. The top teams of Act 1: Variation qualify for Act 2: Selection and the winners of the Selection stage go on to compete in Act 3: Heritability for all the marbles.

Next, the winners of the VALORANT China Evolution Series Act 3: Heritability will qualify for a coveted place in VALORANT China Ascension – VALORANT China Ascension 2023 is set to take place from December 20th to December 30th.

The first-place VALORANT China Ascension team will participate in the VALORANT China League and secure a spot at the VALORANT Champions Tour.

What are the VALORANT Champions Tour China League teams?

The valorant champions tour china league teams include:.

• FunPlus Phoenix
• Zhang “AAAAY” Yang
• Chang “BerLIN” Po-Lin
• Tang “TZH” Zhehao
• Liang “Lysoar” Youhao
• Kale “autumn” Dunne
• Bilibili Gaming
• Li “rin” Lewei
• Wang “whz” Haozhe
• Zhong “Biank” Jianfei
• Liu “Knight” Yuxiang
• Wang “yosemite” Lei
• Lu “Levius” “Yinzhong
• Ji “Faraway” Peiqi
• Liu “Z1Yan” Zihan
• Wangjia “jNwOw” Ning
• Zie “S1mon” Mengxun
• Simakov “Vici” Ernest
• Cao “Nearly” Bowen
• Wolves Esports
• Yu “12” Yisheng
• Wang “142” Zilong
• Chen “Aprcot” Xiangyu
• Sha “INVINCIBLE” Kaizhe
• Zhang “zzz9” Ziyang
• Xu “Nagi” Nanling
• Cao “SeaWave” Yuzhong
• Cheng “ShowCheng” Yu
• EDward Gaming
• Guo “Haodong” Haodong
• Wan “CHICHOO” Shunzi
• Wang “nobody” Senxu
• Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang
• Zhang “Smoggy” Zhao
• Tang “Muggle” Shijun
• An “SORRYMYBAD” Ziwen
• Zhang “LuoK1ng” Zhanpeng
• Yi “ninebody” Ding
• Shi “AakRR” Yekai
• Cheng “ICE” Wanpeng
• Sun “slowly” Kelun
• Nova Esports
• Trace Esports
• Song “FengF” Xuefeng
• Luo “Flex1n” Rui
• Ho “HeiB” Shun-hei
• Yip “YoU” Man-ho
• Lu “Kai” Zhinan
• Zhao “dynamite” Zihao
• Titan Esports Club
• Li “B1ack” Songtai
• Piao “Kawaii” Min
• Li “qiuye” Runtao
• Wu “Shameless” Hongjie
• Chen “ADe” Ziwen
• Mei “XTian” Zixi
• VCT Ascension China Winner

Additional influential Chinese teams include:

• Royal Never Give Up
• Ali “Swerl” Kobraee
• Liu “xiaonuo” Xiaosheng
• Guang “GuanG” Honglin
• Wang “HaTo” Rui
• Attacking Soul Esports
• Wang “Monk” Haoyu
• Zhang “hfmi0dzjc9z7” Juncheng
• Chen “YHchen” Yu-Han
• Jiang “Bunt” He
• Qu “Life” Donghao
• Ren “Zero1” Mengzhen
• Huang “Yuicaw” Yung-chieh
• Xin “Spitfires” Mingyang
• Ran “Viva” Lifan
• Chen “YiHao” Yihao
• Zhuo “MarT1n” Zhengjie
• Park “stew” Young-chan
• Chae “yoman” Young-mun

Who are some notable VALORANT Chinese league players?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 20: Haodong "Haodong"Guo of EDward Gaming arrives at VALORANT Champions Los Angeles Playoffs Stage at the Shrine Expo Hall on August 20, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

• EDward Gaming’s ZmjjKK, better known as “KangKang”, has won fans over with his impressive plays and quirky personality. ZmjjKK is known for his insane reflexes and smart plays – take his back-to-back aces against Rare Atom in China Evolution Series Act 3 as an example. He is one of the best Operator users in the current competitive stage.
• ninebody and LuoK1ng
• TYLOO’s ninebody is skilled at making an impact – his chain kills and utility change the outcome of rounds and are vital for his team. This duelist main stood out when playing for KONE Esports before the group disbanded, and has precise aim.
• Teammate LuoK1ng, also of TYLOO and formerly signed to KONE Esports, supplements ninebody’s aggressive plays with versatile smokes and careful lurks.
• Playing for Bilibili Gaming, yosemite is a former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro who has seamlessly brought his skills to VALORANT. He is particularly skilled on Viper and Killjoy and gained international notice earlier this year for two impressive 4k clutches in the VALORANT Champions Tour 2023: one as Viper against NRG Esports, and another as Killjoy against EDward Gaming. His cool and collected plays help keep Bilibili Gaming on the map.

Stay tuned for the VALORANT China Ascension 2023 tournament beginning on December 23rd. This event will determine the final qualifying team for the VALORANT China League, and shape 2024’s VALORANT Champions Tour competitors. 2023-2024’s Chinese VALORANT season will set the precedent for the future of Chinese VALORANT esports – watch closely during this exciting time to see which players, teams and memories will forever impact China’s VALORANT legacy. 

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What the VCTs Global Title Would Mean for China

The VCT 2023 Grand Finals are approaching, and Chinese teams are scaling international heights, which is important for the gaming community.

Valorant officially launched in China this past July, making the Chinese qualifying teams for the Valorant Champions Tour all the more impressive. As the VCT 2023 continues, the Chinese teams push the limits to stand against the world's greatest Valorant players.

Although involved in the Esports scene for two years, Valorant held its first official event for China in July 2023. Chinese government-related obstacles have restricted the country's representation in Valorant 's international scene. As the championship approaches its final stages, the Chinese teams are eager to demonstrate their skills. With Valorant prohibited from China's servers for two years, it was up to Chinese players to make a name for themselves. Up until recently, these Chinese teams made their way to the international plate without governmental support, and fans back home are closely watching. Even if China doesn't earn the championship title, these professional Valorant players have defied their odds and made their mark on the world stage.

RELATED: Why Riot Has Avoided Adding Agent Skins to Valorant

What Are the VCTs?

Hosted by Riot Games, the Valorant Champions Tour had its first event in 2021. The annual Esports tournament is an international competition to crown the best team in professional Valorant . While Valorant 's appeal increases, this year's tournament stakes are at its highest in history, with a total prize pool of $2.25 million. Apart from being regarded as the most skilled team, the winners of the VCT 2023 will be rewarded $1 million. For comparison, Brazilian team LOUD walked away with $300,000 as first-place winners in VCT Champions 2022.

The remaining teams have undergone difficult matches to reach the current standings in the tournament. From Aug. 6th to 26th, 16 teams will face off in Los Angeles for the final tournament stages. Of these 16 teams, there are five from the EMEA (Europe), four from the Americas, four from the Pacific (Asia) and three from China. Nine of these teams qualified through their respective international league. In addition, four more teams earned their spot through Last Chance Qualifiers in July. The last three qualifying teams come from the Champions China Qualifier, China's first official Valorant LAN event. Unlike teams from other regions, China received its own qualifier event because of the recent approval from its government allowing Valorant to broadcast on its territory. Anticipating the day they would formally qualify and fight for the trophy, the three Chinese teams, EDward Gaming, Bilibili Gaming and FunPlus Phoenix, were ready for the challenge.

RELATED: China Cuts Gaming Time Down to Three Hours a Week for Minors

China’s Strict Gaming Regulations

On July 12th, Valorant was published in China under a name that roughly translates to Fearless Covenant. Despite China having one of the largest gaming markets in the world, its government heavily restricts gaming content. Popularity isn't enough to approve a game's release within China's borders. Titles such as Fortnite and Overwatch are unavailable for players in China . Games must undergo a strict approval process to regulate gaming addiction in youth and monitor disapproving content such as violence. China's National Press and Publication Administration, NPPA, oversees licensing for foreign game distribution, including Valorant .

NPPA's approval for Valorant in Dec. 2022 will help stimulate China's gaming market and even local economies during Esports events. Valorant is available for Chinese players through Tencent, a Chinese video game developer and publisher. Owner of Riot Games, Tencent is the top gaming company regarding revenue, beating companies like Sony and Nintendo. As a highly talked-about game in China, Tencent expects Valorant to be incredibly successful in its gaming industry and considers it its " most important game published this year ." Considering the complexity surrounding NPPA's supervision of game licensing, Valorant 's approval is a valuable feat for Chinese fans.

RELATED: China Lifts Ban on Online Games With Pokémon Unite, Don't Starve and More

China Officially Joins the Valorant Scene

Before Valorant officially reached China, players had to find alternative means to play. Chinese players had to use VPNs to gain access to the game and servers outside the country. China's absence of the official game also came with a lack of events and streaming for fans. Lacking a private league, Chinese teams participated in events hosted by third parties. Fans in China had limited access to external international Valorant broadcasts and streams , and China's scene mostly remained within its borders. Without governmental approval, Chinese Valorant existed at the hands of passionate players. Despite facing isolation from the international scene, two teams represented China at an official VCT event for the first time in 2022. EDward Gaming demonstrated their resolve at the East Asia Last Chance Qualifiers and secured their spot in VCT Champions 2022. Although EDG didn't advance further, they were China's first Valorant team to make a global debut.

After receiving a taste of the international spotlight in VCT Champions 2022, China's teams didn't intend to stop there. Though Valorant 's distribution in China came after organizing the VCT 2023 tournament structure, Riot Games ensured China's participation. As a result, Champions China Qualifiers was the first Valorant event to recognize China as its own region and invited the top three teams to qualify for Champions Los Angeles. FunPlus Phoenix faced elimination after losing two matches in the VCT 2023 Group Stage, leaving EDward Gaming and Bilibili Gaming as China's two standing teams. As the Group Stage concluded on Aug. 13th, EDG and BLG made it where no other Chinese Valorant team has ever been, the Champions Playoffs. Beginning on Aug. 16th, fans worldwide will watch the final eight teams compete for survival in a double-elimination bracket.

RELATED: Valorant's Art Direction Is Its Secret Weapon

Valorant China Making International Waves

Chinese teams EDG and BLG will have to navigate unfamiliar terrain as they rival experienced teams dominating the international Valorant scene. Highly regarded teams, like Brazil's LOUD and United Kingdom's Fnatic, are familiar with the pressures to perform well under international scrutiny. In comparison, some believe China's teams are the outsiders that somehow managed to triumph over teams predicted to win. Fans witnessed these instances this year when EDG defeated LOUD 2-0 at Masters Tokyo, and BLG won 2-0 against NRG during Champions Group Stages. While some regard these performances as the opposing teams having an off day or sheer luck in favor of China, it becomes harder to discredit their successes as the region continues to prevail. Chinese teams manage to compete at and above the same level as some of the world's best Valorant teams despite the gaming disadvantages China faces in their region .

When prospective professional Valorant players got access to the game with its 2020 release, China wasn't even at the starting line. Deprived of a server, Chinese players relied on nearby countries like South Korea and Japan. While regions got to work recruiting their golden rosters and organizing training boot camps, Chinese players were on VPNs searching for feasible ping. Unable to compete in international tournaments, all Chinese players could do was wait on the sidelines. As Valorant teams in China banded together, they depended on other Asian teams to return and took every opportunity to scrimmage together. Teams like EDG used these scrimmages as a secondary way to experience differing playstyles and assess their skills. While these Asian teams likely regarded the scrimmages as just another practice regime, this was the closest China's Valorant players could get to the international stage. Through ad hoc invitations from Riot Games, Chinese teams had some opportunities to join the Valorant Esports scene. However, this didn't change how Chinese teams were underestimated and sometimes disregarded by community members.

What once was considered an unattainable dream for Chinese teams is now painstakingly close to reality for EDG and BLG. Just over a month has passed since Valorant arrived in China, yet Chinese teams broke international ground in 2022. Previously, China was a region with no official ties to the Valorant community, but a July announcement revealed it will host Masters Shanghai in Spring 2024. As VCT Champions 2023 approaches its end, the Valorant community must reward credit where it's due. China, a country once forbidding its play, might have possessed a roster crowned as the top Valorant team in the world. Whether EDG or BLG advances past the playoffs or not, arriving at the stage they are now under the limitations they faced is irrefutably a product of their dedication.

2023 VALORANT Champions Tour : China Qualifier

9 months  ago

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Meet the 39-year-old mini-tour player who qualified for her first u.s. women's open in 15 years, share this article.

Jean Reynolds turns 40 in September and recently qualified for her third U.S. Women’s Open. The last time Reynolds qualified for a Women’s Open was 2009 at Saucon Valley, back when she was the top player on what’s now the Epson Tour. The 5-foot-2 Reynolds garnered plenty of attention back then when she played her way into contention.

“I really didn’t know if this would happen again,” said Reynolds, who currently holds no tour status of any kind.

Reynolds never has been a cookie-cutter player. After a strong junior career, she was recruited to play golf at the University of Georgia but quit the team after she arrived in Athens, opting for a more conventional college lifestyle. She joined a sorority, studied abroad in Austria, and quit playing competitive golf.

And then, after she graduated with a degree in Child & Family Development in December of 2007, the well-rounded Reynolds was back inside the ropes, refreshed and ready to grind.

She won twice on the developmental tour in 2009 and ultimately tied for 17th at Saucon Valley. She’d never guess that it’d take 15 years to get back to a Women’s Open.

Jean Reynolds at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open.

Last week, Reynolds flew to Virginia for the Belle Haven Country Club qualifier in Alexandria. She birdied the last two holes of a 36-hole qualifier, draining a 25-foot putt on the 17th, to close with a 69 and co-medal with China’s Ruixin Liu at 5 under. Only two players from the qualifier advanced to the championship, held May 30-June 2 at Lancaster Country Club.

“There’s a lot of validation for me,” said Reynolds. “All the sacrifices, it was worth it. What I believed in myself and my game was true. I still can play, and I still can play with some of the tops. I’m not crazy!”

In the midst of Reynolds’ rookie season on the LPGA in 2010, a lean year for the tour, a shoulder injury popped up from seemingly out of nowhere after the British Open. She’d already played too many events, however, to qualify for a medical exemption.

In 2012, Reynolds underwent shoulder surgery and took 18 months to rehab. Because she didn’t play four years consecutively on the LPGA, she didn’t qualify for Class A status. Faced with the decision to use that degree and start at rock bottom with a real-world job, or start at rock bottom again in the pro ranks, Reynolds opted to stick with the job she loves.

It was back to the Epson Tour, where she continued the grind.

When an EF-4 tornado struck Reynolds’ beloved hometown of Newnan, Georgia, in 2021, she went back to help with the cleanup efforts and wound up with tears in her rotator cuff. It took six Platelet-Rich Plasma injections in each shoulder to keep her competitive days alive.

Reynolds still lives at home with her parents and jokingly calls them her “roomies.” The real MVP of the family, she says, is Chubb, the yellow lab named after former Georgia running back Nick Chubb.

“They allow me to do what I love to do,” said Reynolds, “and they’ve believed in me the whole time.”

Jean Reynolds poses with her beloved dog Chubb. (courtesy photo)

Last summer, Reynolds missed the cut at Stage I of LPGA Q-School, which meant she left the California desert without any Epson Tour status. She called it a sucker punch but tried to see the silver lining.

“I’ve always kind of done things a little bit different anyways,” she said.

Over the winter, Reynolds played on the NXXT mini tour, winning the NXXT Women’s Championship at Rio Pinar in Orlando.

In the lead-up to the Women’s Open, she’ll play on the Annika Women’s All Pro Tour in Texas and, hopefully, the Monday qualifier for the Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Course in New Jersey. As a non-member professional, Reynolds will be toward the end of the line when it comes to landing a spot in the qualifying field.

With so few players 40 and over competing on the LPGA these days, Reynolds will be one of the oldest in the field at Lancaster. Reynolds says she’s in better shape now at 39 than she was at 29. She hits it about 260 yards off the tee, 10 yards farther than she did 15 years ago at her last Women’s Open appearance.

Given all that she’s been through since 2009, there’s no doubt she heads to Lancaster more grateful than ever.

“There’s an inner belief that you just have to deep down know that hard work will pay off,” she said. “You hope sooner than later.

“You have to believe it.”

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DP World Tour's Volvo China Open 2024: Schedule, venue, top players and more

As the 2024 ISPS Handa Championship comes to an end, the DP World Tour moves to China for the 2024 Volvo China Open.

The 2024 Volvo China Open will be played at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen, China, from May 2 to 5. The Golf Club was known earlier as Genzon Golf Club and has hosted the tournament five times, in the years 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023.

This year, the purse has significantly jumped from $1.5 million (in 2023) to $2.25 million. With the Asian Swing in its last phase, the competition will get intense.

China solely sanctioned the Volvo China Open in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn't sanctioned by the European Tour in 2020 and 2021. The event will be returning to the European Tour for the first time since 2019.

Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand won the 2023 Volvo China Open by 6 strokes after getting the better of Chen Guxin and Kho Taichi.

The 2024 Volvo China Open schedule

The 2024 Volvo China Open is a 72-hole format tournament. It will start with the first round on Thursday, May 2, and run through the weekend to conclude with the final round on Sunday, May 5.

Here is the schedule for the 2024 Chevron Championship:

• Date: May 2, 2024
• Day: Thursday
• Date: May 3, 2024
• Day: Friday
• Date: May 4, 2024
• Day: Saturday
• Date: May 5, 2024
• Day: Sunday

2024 Volvo China Open venue

This year, the Hidden Grace Golf Club formerly known as Genzon Golf Club will be hosting the Volvo China Open. The tournament was held here in 2014 and from 2019 to 2023 (except for 2022 as the tournament wasn't held due to COVID-19).

The other venues where the competition has been held previously are-

• Beijing International Golf Club (Beijing) - 3 times (1995, 1996, and 1997)
• Shanghai Sun Island International Club (Shanghai) - 1 time (1998)
• Shanghai Silport Golf Club (Shanghai) - 7 times (1999 to 2004, 2007)
• Shenzhen Golf Club (Shenzhen) - 1 time (2005)
• Beijing Honghua International Golf Club (Beijing) - 1 time (2006)
• Beijing CBD International Golf Club (Beijing) - 2 times (2008, 2009)
• Suzhou Jinji Lake International Golf Club (Jiangsu) - 1 time (2010)
• Luxehills International Country Club (Sichuan) - 1 time (2011)
• Binhai Lake Golf Club (Tianjin) - 2 times (2012, 2013)
• Hidden Grace Golf Club (formerly Genzon Golf Club) (Shenzhen) - 5 times (2014, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023)
• Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club (Shanghai) - 1 time (2015)
• Topwin Golf and Country Club (Beijing) - 3 times (2016, 2017 and 2018)

2024 Volvo China Open top players

The DP World Tour event Volvo China Open will feature some of the top players in the golf world. The highest-ranked player playing in the tournament is Jordan Smith (93rd in OWGR). Smith last won the tournament in October 2022 at Portugal Masters by 3 strokes over Gavin Green.

He would face competition from Sebastian Soderberg who is in great form. The Swedish golfer was runner-up in the last two DP World Tour events in India and Japan. Two-time champion Alexander Levy will also be in the field. He won the tournament in 2014 and 2017. Past Champions Li Haotong and Wu Ashun will be the home favorites this year too.

Other notable competitors in the field at the Volvo China Open will be Jesper Svensson and Matteo Manassero, Tom McKibbin and Yannik Paul .

Here's a complete field of players playing this week at the 2024 Volvo China Open:

• Sarit Suwannarut (Thailand)
• Jesper Svensson (Sweden)
• Darius van Driel (Netherlands)
• Dylan Frittelli (South Africa)
• Daniel Hillier (New Zealand)
• Tom McKibbin (Northern Ireland)
• Pablo Larrazábal (Spain)
• Ockie Strydom (South Africa)
• Jordan Smith (England)
• Yannik Paul (Germany)
• Adrian Otaegui (Spain)
• Guido Migliozzi (Italy)
• Maximilian Kieffer (Germany)
• Richie Ramsay (Scotland)
• Haotong Li (China)
• Adri Arnaus (Spain)
• Ashun Wu (China)
• Matteo Manassero (Italy)
• Matthew Baldwin (England)
• Antoine Rozner (France)
• Dan Bradbury (England)
• Jeunghun Wang (South Korea)
• Cheng Jin (China)
• Xiang Fang (China)
• Lianwei Zhang (China)
• Tuxuan Wu (China)
• Jicheng Fan (China)
• Bingwen Ma (China)
• Grant Jackson (England)
• Lloyd Jefferson Go (Philippines)
• Yang Tong (China)
• Yanhan Zhou (China)
• Linqiang Li (China)
• Kieran Muir (New Zealand)
• Wo-cheng Ye (China)
• Xuewen Luo (China)
• Enhua Liu (China)
• Nan-nan Shen (China)
• Zhengkai Bai (China)
• Bowen Xiao (China)
• Chengyao Ma (China)
• Zihan She (China)
• Nicolas Paez (USA)
• Woojin Jung (South Korea)
• Guxin Chen (China)
• Huilin Zhang (China)
• Chuan-lin Jian (China)
• Yilong Chen (China)
• Zijie Huang (China)
• Lawrence Ting (Taiwan)
• Yinong Yang (China)
• Di Wu (China)
• K.P. Lin (Taiwan)
• Jinshen Zhang (China)
• Gordan Brixi (Czech Republic)
• Shiyu Fan (China)
• Senshou Cao (China)
• Han Xue (China)
• Jianfeng Ye (China)
• Shun Yat Hak (Hong Kong)
• Xingyu Zhao (China)
• Zi-Hong Zhang (China)
• Haizhao Tang (China)
• Daxing Jin (China)
• Changlei Zhang (China)
• Zihao Jin (China)
• Chenyou Nan (China)
• Hongfu Wu (China)
• Gang Quan (China)
• Zeqian Fang (China)
• Jin Zhang (China)
• Wenyi Huang (China)
• Yongqi Qiu (China)
• Xiaolang Zhang (China)
• Yi-Tseng Huang (Taiwan)
• Tse-Yu Chang (Taiwan)
• George Worrall (Australia)
• Minghao Shao (China)
• Sebastian Söderberg (Sweden)
• Joost Luiten (Netherlands)
• Romain Langasque (France)
• Zander Lombard (South Africa)
• Grant Forrest (Scotland)
• Julien Guerrier (France)
• Matthew Southgate (England)
• Jeff Winther (Denmark)
• Julien Brun (France)
• Connor Syme (Scotland)
• Jens Dantorp (Sweden)
• Nacho Elvira (Spain)
• Marcus Helligkilde (Denmark)
• Calum Hill (Scotland)
• Hurly Long (Germany)
• Marcus Armitage (England)
• Matthew Jordan (England)
• Shubhankar Sharma (India)
• Jason Scrivener (Australia)
• Louis De Jager (South Africa)
• Aaron Cockerill (Canada)
• Niklas Norgaard (Denmark)
• Masahiro Kawamura (Japan)
• Scott Jamieson (Scotland)
• Santiago Tarrio (Spain)
• Alejandro del Rey (Spain)
• Adrien Saddier (France)
• Gavin Green (Malaysia)
• David Law (Scotland)
• Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay)
• Andy Sullivan (England)
• Marcus Kinhult (Sweden)
• Rafa Cabrera Bello (Spain)
• Clément Sordet (France)
• Edoardo Molinari (Italy)
• James Morrison (England)
• Johannes Veerman (USA)
• Angel Hidalgo (Spain)
• Lukas Nemecz (Austria)
• Gunner Wiebe (USA)
• Chase Hanna (USA)
• Paul Waring (England)
• Mike Lorenzo-Vera (France)
• Jeong Weon Ko (France)
• Ross Fisher (England)
• Andrew Johnston (England)
• Søren Kjeldsen (Denmark)
• Bernd Wiesberger (Austria)
• Matthias Schwab (Austria)
• Satoshi Kodaira (Japan)
• Jonas Blixt (Sweden)
• Alexander Levy (Sweden)
• Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium)
• Marco Penge (England)
• Casey Jarvis (South Africa)
• Manuel Elvira (Spain)
• Ugo Coussaud (France)
• Lorenzo Scalise (Italy)
• Andrea Pavan (Italy)
• Ricardo Gouveia (Portugal)
• Tom Vaillant (France)
• Frederic Lacroix (France)
• Francesco Laporta (Italy)
• Will Enefer (England)
• Ivan Cantero (Spain)
• Joel Girrbach (Switzerland)
• Sam Bairstow (England)
• Brandon Stone (South Africa)
• Om Prakash Chouhan (India)
• Renato Paratore (Italy)
• Jacques Kruyswijk (South Africa)
• Freddy Schott (Germany)
• Filippo Celli (Italy)
• Matthis Besard (Belgium)
• Sebastian Friedrichsen (Denmark)

Pro Tour Thunder Junction Viewers Guide

"Varmints."

Officially word number twelve on my all-time "not likely to fit into a Pro Tour preview article" list. Hold still "periwinkle," "vellicate," and both "English" and "winner"—your time will come. Meanwhile, oh, yes, there're varmints out here on Thunder Junction, and they have nothing to do with VAR (soccer) nor, in fact, mints (small breath-freshening consumables). So, saddle up partner, because yeehaw , the Pro Tour is here!

Boy that felt good to get that out of my system. This Pro Tour Thunder Junction preview can proceed with no further references to Magic 's very own Western plane.

What Is the Pro Tour and Who Is Playing?

The Pro Tour is the culmination of many paths—all competitive—to one of Magic 's most prestigious tournaments, with $500,000 in prize money (plus a trophy) up for grabs with invitations and points to qualify for the annual Magic World Championship.

Over 200 competitors—from Regional Championship events, 2023 season performances, top finishers at previous Pro Tours, MTG Arena , Magic Online Premier Play, and more—have invitations to play in Pro Tour Thunder Junction. The invitation list is available online (and subject to change).

What's Really at Stake?

With the opening-season salvo of MagicCon: Chicago's Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor in the rearview mirror and both MagicCon: Amsterdam ( Pro Tour Modern Horizons 3 ) and Magic World Championship 30 at MagicCon: Las Vegas ahead, it's time for our Pro Tour regulars and newcomers to do their thing on the doorstep of Wizards of the Coast. Players have visited Seattle, the stunning Pacific Northwest standout, to compete in Magic since the 1995 World Championship—nearly 30 years later, it remains an iconic location as "the home" of the game.

The formats and tournament structures have changed over the years, but the current model delivers drama, surprises, and a rigorously fair examination of skill. It begins with Draft, starring the lead actor in all this with the newest release: Outlaws of Thunder Junction . Players grouped randomly into tables (or pods) of eight will draft three Play Boosters before facing opponents exclusively from their own pods over three rounds. Lose the first two rounds, and you'll find yourself playing the other unfortunate soul with a 0-2 record. Beat your first two opponents, and you'll get to "play for the pod" against the other undefeated player.

That pattern of playing against opponents with the same match record as you holds true throughout the tournament. With just over 210 players expected at the starting line in Seattle, Friday morning's Draft action will see approximately twenty-eight 3-0 records.

Attention then turns to our Constructed format for the weekend: Standard. It's no secret that Wizards of the Coast puts a lot of time and effort into making Standard a destination format that has broad appeal and awesome in-store events .

The Pro Tour is an important stop on that journey because Standard is the format for five full rounds of action on Friday (Rounds 4–8), five more on Saturday (Rounds 12–16), and the whole of the Top 8 playoff Sunday. Want to win the whole thing? Better know Standard inside and out.

Between those two blocks of Standard action comes draft number two on Saturday morning. To take part in that, players need at least a 4-4 record on Friday. With everyone in the first pod likely to have either 0 or 1 loss coming into Saturday, that puts all of them in great shape to make a run for the Top 8, which is just what it sounds like: only the Top 8 at the end of Round 16 on Saturday get to come back for Day Three action.

Twelve match wins (36 match points) is the magic Magic number in Pro Tour play; reach that threshold before the final round, and you're guaranteed a Top 8 spot. Eleven wins will be enough for some players to get over the line, but it's twelve that has the cast-iron guarantee attached to it.

For the Top 8, you still play the exact same deck that you played on Friday and Saturday, but now it's a single-elimination bracket. Matches are best three out of five, and sideboarding begins after game two. By Sunday evening, we'll have another Pro Tour Champion to add to the record books.

I'm always excited to see who emerges, and the game always gives us great stories. But this, the second Pro Tour of the season, has a bunch of incredible storylines that I can't wait to see play out:

• Outlaws of Thunder Junction —I love that Magic constantly reinvents itself. Do I wish we'd had 30 years of train heists and sunset posse showdowns? I do not. But the resonant set is going to see fantastic Friday and Saturday mornings. (I wonder if anywhere in Seattle sells Stetsons?)
• Team Handshake—Last season there was Team Handshake, and there was "everybody else." Team Handshake was broadly untouchable. Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor told us a different story.
• Team CFB (ChannelFireball Ultimate Guard)—Because I promised, I can't say "there's a new sheriff in town." Maybe I can get away with "there's an old sheriff in town"? That's probably closer to the truth, anyway. CFB came roaring back to prominence in Chicago, and there's no reason to suppose that was a freak result. Expect much more from the Big Two teams.
• Seth Manfield—Leading the CFB charge was Chicago Champion Seth Manfield. A former World Champion, his victory was all the sweeter as he acknowledged that he wasn't sure if the winner's circle had passed him by. Being a great player, being part of a great team, and putting the work in sure can pay off.
• Dominating Standard—But the way CFB did that in Chicago was to have the breakout deck in Pioneer. Can they find the winning combination in Standard? And can they do so while Team Handshake and the rest do not find the answer? That's a tough gig.
• Simon Nielsen—And this is the big one. In a game built on records, Simon delivers consistency that might never be matched. Nielsen has reached Top 8 in the last four major events. Four Top 8s is a good yardstick for a Hall of Fame career. Nielsen's accrued that in twelve months. Can he possibly extend this ludicrous run to a fifth Sunday appearance?

Let's make sure you find out.

How Can I Follow the Event?

Pro Tour Thunder Junction will be streamed all three days of the event, April 26–28, at twitch.tv/magic . Catch players, fans, and social coverage across the weekend at @PlayMTG with the hashtag #PTThunder .

On Friday and Saturday—April 26 and 27—broadcast begins at 2 p.m. ET (8 p.m. CET // 3 a.m. JST 4/27–28) with three rounds of Outlaws of Thunder Junction Draft followed by five rounds of Standard Constructed.

On Sunday, April 28 for the Top 8 playoff, broadcast begins at 1 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CEST // 2 a.m. JST 4/29) with all four quarterfinal matches, followed by semifinals matches then the finals of Pro Tour Thunder Junction.

While competitors begin their Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m. PT on-site, broadcast begins later in the day at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET) with a featured drafter to follow into their Round 1 gameplay. As we continue the Pro Tour broadcast we'll catch up to the tournament, showing a full feature match from every round and reducing downtime until we're pacing live gameplay on a short delay.

The Sunday Top 8 playoff broadcast begins at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) showing a full quarterfinal match and then as many games from other quarterfinal matches as possible, moving on to a full semifinal match (and as much of the remaining semifinals match) then the complete finals.

When Will Pro Tour Thunder Junction Decklists Be Published?

Standard Constructed decklists for the tournament will be published on the Pro Tour Thunder Junction event page on Friday, April 26 at the beginning of Round 4 gameplay, approximately at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT).

All Outlaws of Thunder Junction Draft decklists will not be published.

You can watch coverage for Pro Tour Thunder Junction each day here at Magic.gg and at twitch.tv/magic .

Who Are the Casters?

• Maria Bartholdi : Host
• Cedric Phillips : Expert
• Riley Knight : Play-by-Play
• Eilidh Lonie : Reporter
• Corey Baumeister : Expert
• Marshall Sutcliffe : Play-by-Play
• Mani Davoudi : Expert

Can I Co-Stream the Event?

Following Twitch's Content Sharing Guidelines , you can co-stream the Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor broadcast from twitch.tv/magic using OBS or XSplit. This allows anyone on Twitch to cover the event in their voice and with their community. To be clear, co-streamed content is not endorsed by Wizards, and we expect anyone who participates in co-streaming to follow Wizards' Fan Content Policy .

What Do Players Win?

Competitors that finish with 30 or more match points at Pro Tour Thunder Junction earn invitation to Pro Tour Modern Horizons 3 taking place MagicCon: Amsterdam in June 2024.

All players compete for their share of $500,000 in prizes, with the Pro Tour Champion winning $50,000. All competitors will receive at least $1,000 regardless of the final placing.

* Assumes 209 Players

How Can I Play in a Pro Tour?

Beginning with Regional Championship Qualifiers at your local game store , you can start on your path to the Pro Tour today. Earn your invitation to your Regional Championship at a qualifier event, then battle through the best from across your region in a Regional Championship to clinch your Pro Tour invitation!

Regional Championship Qualifier participants in qualifiers taking place now through July 21, 2024 can earn their invitation to Regional Championships feeding the first Pro Tour of the 2025 season and receive a promotional Springleaf Drum card.

Top finishers in qualifiers can also earn a Goblin Guide promo card, with those earning invitations to the Regional Championship snagging it as a traditional foil version.

Your local WPN game store has the opportunity run these events, and they may be hosting one near you: check with your local store for more details on the what, the when, and the where.

To learn more about Regional Championship events for your location please visit your location's tournament organizer:

• USA – StarCityGames.com
• Canada – Face to Face Games
• Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) – tournamentcenter
• Australia/New Zealand – Good Games
• China – Kadou
• Japan/Korea – Big Magic
• Southeast Asia – Oracle Events
• Chinese Taipei – Game Square
• Brazil – City Class Games
• Mexico/Central America/Caribbean – Necrotower
• South America – Magicsur

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Valorant champions tour 2023: china qualifier: statistics.

• Preliminary
• 1.1 Player Statistics
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• 1.5 Maps Banned
• 1.6 Maps Picked
• 1.7 Maps Banned
• 2.1 Player Statistics
• 2.2 Map Statistics
• 2.3 Maps Picked
• 2.4 Side Statistics
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Main Event [ edit ]

Player statistics [ edit ], map statistics [ edit ], maps picked, side statistics, maps banned, preliminary stage [ edit ].

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• Milano Cortina 2026
• Brisbane 2032
• Olympic Refuge Foundation
• Olympic Games
• Olympic Channel
• Let's Move

Olympic Qualifier Series: From Chloe Covell to Keegan Palmer know the Australian skateboarders in action

Discover your guide to skateboarding at OQS including the Australian superstars, rising stars and all-important stakes heading into the qualifier showdown in Shanghai and Budapest.

The Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) 2024 will be a bumper display of multi-sport action and for skateboarders set to compete in the event, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

By the end of the two-part process, kicking off in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China from 16-19 May and concluding in Budapest, Hungary on 20-23 June , the field for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be known with 20 skaters set to obtain a quota spot.

The Olympic qualifying journey so far has been long and testing.

Over the past two years, park and street skaters have been competing in phase one of qualification. That entailed stops across the world, where World Skate Ranking (WSR) points were awarded based on finishing positions. More points were up for grabs at world championship events to raise the intensity. From all competitions, only the top four results contributed towards their ranking.

Following the final stop of phase one in Dubai in February this year a cut to the field was made. Only the top 44 eligible skaters were invited to partake in phase two of qualifying: OQS.

Just as with phase one, WSR points will be the ultimate determinant as to who will secure a quota spot for Paris but for the two OQS stops, the ante has been upped.

The points on offer will be worth nearly three times more in Shanghai and Budapest than in the world championships in phase one, meaning no one is safe and everything is to skate for.

But there’s more.

Only three skaters from one National Olympic Committee (NOC) can compete at the Games meaning, for countries where there is depth, the battle will not just be to finish in the top 20. They must also finish in the top three. For the likes of Japan, United States, Brazil and Australia, where inter-country competition is fiercest, an extra layer of intrigue is at play.

So, what does this all mean for the skaters of Team Japan who will be taking part in OQS?

In the below, Olympics.com runs the rule over the skaters hitting the Olympic park bowl and street rails and examining the lay of the land ahead of Shanghai.

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.

• Olympic Qualifier Series: From Nyjah Huston to Jagger Eaton know the Team USA skateboarders in action
• Olympic Qualifier Series: From Rayssa Leal to Kelvin Hoefler know the Brazilian skateboarders in action
• Olympic Qualifier Series: From Horigome Yuto to Nishiya Momiji know the Japanese skateboarders in action

Australian Skateboarders at OQS 2024: Men’s Street

The World Skateboarding Ranking is made up of the best four Olympic qualifying results from phase one.

29. Shane O'Neill, 34

WSR Points: 19,986

Top 4 Olympic Qualifying Results

• World Skateboarding Tour - Rome Street 2022 - 13th
• World Skateboarding Tour - Rome Street 2023 - 10th
• World Skateboarding Tour - Lausanne Street 2023 - 27th
• Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 - 30th

32. Rome Collyer, 18

WSR Points: 13,472

• World Skateboarding Tour - Rome Street 2022 - 65th
• Street World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 20th
• Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 - 89th
• World Skateboarding Tour - Dubai Street 2024 - 13th

38. Tommy Fynn, 35

WSR Points: 8,055

• World Skateboarding Tour - Rome Street 2022 - 24th
• Street World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 41st
• World Skateboarding Tour - Lausanne Street 2023 - 16th
• Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 - 36th

Australia Men’s Street Skateboarding: The stakes

With each of the five continents of the Olympic Movement guaranteed one athlete per event, and Australia the sole country from the continent with representatives in the top 44, one Australian will definitely compete at Paris, but who that will be and whether they will be alone is yet to be decided.

As it stands, 29th-ranked Olympian Shane O'Neill leads the three Australians currently in the mix with Rome Collyer just below him in 32nd and Tommy Fynn in 38th. If all three wanted to be in control of their own destiny each one would need to dramatically improve their ranking to be within the cut-off for the Games.

On momentum alone, Collyer seems to be in the driving seat has secured his best World Skateboarding Tour result at the most recent contest in Dubai. The 18-year-old managed to clinch 13th place in the Emirates which matches O'Neill's second best result.

The skateboarding superstar's top performance came in 2022 where he managed 10th in Rome but O'Neill hasn't shown similar form since.

With so many points available at Shanghai and Budapest O'Neill, Collyer and Fynn still have the opportunity to rise and all three will be hoping at least to come out on top of skaters from Oceania to secure a quota for Paris 2024.

Chloe Covell will arrive in Shanghai as the No.4 ranked women's street skater and the top Australian prospect

Australian Skateboarders at OQS 2024: Women’s Street

4. chloe covell, 14.

WSR Points: 187,520

• Street World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 2nd
• World Skateboarding Tour - Rome Street 2023 - 2nd
• Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 - 4th
• World Skateboarding Tour - Dubai Street - 2nd

15. Liv Lovelace, 20

WSR Points: 33,342

• Street World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 10th
• Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 - 29th
• World Skateboarding Tour - Dubai Street - 13th

17. Haylie Powell, 18

WSR Points: 27,914

• World Skateboarding Tour - Rome 2022 - 19th
• Street World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 14th
• World Skateboarding Tour - Lausanne Street 2023 - 20th

27. Felicity Turner, 17

WSR Points: 12,522

• World Skateboarding Tour - Rome Street 2023 - 42nd
• World Skateboarding Tour - Lausanne Street 2023 - 39th
• Street World Championship Tokyo 2023 - 23rd

Australia Women’s Street Skateboarding: The stakes

The international skateboarding scene since Tokyo has thrown up several new surprise stars but one that has made herself impossible to ignore is Australia's Chloe Covell .

Sitting fourth overall in the rankings, Covell, with her switch skating, has been part of the group accelerating the progression women's street and has been duly rewarded for it: making every single contest final she has entered.

Though unable to secure first, Covell's three second-place finishes show how close she is and why the Olympic spotlight looks set to follow her from here onwards.

But Covell isn't the only Australian in the mix. The country stands to improve on its representation in the discipline at the Games with Liv Lovelace and Haylie Powell both currently inside the cut heading into OQS.

And if that wasn't enough to be excited about for Aussie onlookers, Felicity Turner is currently ranked 27th and could well muscle in on the current top three from her country, which will surely keep Lovelace and Powell on their toes as they eye Paris.

Australian Skateboarders at OQS 2024: Women’s Park

The World Skateboarding Ranking is made up of the best three Olympic qualifying results from phase one.

8. Ruby Trew, 15

WSR Points: 85,123

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 10th
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 2nd
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 14th
• World Skateboarding Tour - Dubai Park 2024 - 5th

11. Arisa Trew, 14

WSR Points: 61,635

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 20th
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 7th
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 13th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 4th

28. Poppy Olsen, 23

WSR Points: 10,950

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 30th
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 29th
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 19th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 27th

29. Charlotte Heath, 16

WSR Points: 10,803

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 35th
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 11th
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 69th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 59th

33. Aaliyah Wilson, 18

WSR Points: 6,588

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 51st
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 24th
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 25th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 24th

34. Coco Crafter, 14

WSR Points: 6,430

• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 58th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 14th

Arisa Trew on the Laureus World Sports Awards red carpet in Madrid.

Australia Women’s Park Skateboarding: The stakes

A crowded field for women's park means that the battle to be one of the top three skaters in Australia, in addition to being inside the qualification cut, promises to be a thrilling one.

Currently leading the way is cross-coder Ruby Trew, who stands alone as the only Aussie in the top 10 in the rankings.

The surfer and skater showed in phase one that she has the tricks to impress having bagged herself a second place in San Juan, and her recent fifth in Dubai shows that she is still keeping up with the pace.

Sitting in 11th, and one many will be studying closely, is Arisa Trew (not related to Ruby).

The 14-year-old was recently recognised as Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year after she became the f irst female skater to land a 720 - two full rotations mid-air - at a vert competition. The record-breaking moment captured headlines around the world and made her name an unforgettable one. Though there is no vert in the Olympics, that hasn't stopped Trew from stunning crowds with her aerial tricks in the park bowl and the teen seems only to be improving in each contest. Her best result - a fourth place finish - came most recently in Dubai showing her trending upwards at the right time.

Below the Trews, are four Australians who will have their eye on the third and final NOC quota spot. Among the young group is Poppy Olsen, who competed at Tokyo 2020, and she will be hoping to make it two appearances from two attempts if she can improve her standing.

Australian Skateboarders at OQS 2024: Men’s Park

8. kieran woolley, 20.

WSR Points: 76,972

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 4th
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 15th

11. Keegan Palmer, 21

WSR Points: 62,553

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 8th
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 3rd
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 16th

15. Keefer Wilson, 16

WSR Points: 44,685

• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 12th
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 8th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 11th

21. Ash Wilcomes, 16

WSR Points: 21,483

• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 48th

36. Ethan Copeland, 19

WSR Points: 4,471

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 33rd
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 21st
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 55th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 30th

42. Phoenix Sinnerton, 14

WSR Points: 2,958

• Park World Championship Sharjah 2022 - 44th
• World Skateboarding Tour San Juan Park 2023 - 65th
• Park World Championship Rome Ostia 2023 - 44th
• World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park 2024 - 61st

Australia Men’s Park Skateboarding: The stakes

Park unearthed Australia's first Olympic skateboarding champion Keegan Palmer who clinched gold under the heat of the Japanese summer sun.

And it's also the discipline where, undoubtedly thanks to Palmer's exploits, Australia has one of the deepest fields when it comes to contenders for Paris 2024.

Leading the pack heading into OQS will be Tokyo 2020 Olympian Kieran Woolley . Despite not making a podium throughout phase one of qualifying the 20-year-old has come close, twice with two fourth-place finishes in Sharjah and Dubai. It's the kind of consistency that should see him rewarded in Shanghai and Budapest.

Hot on his wheels in 11th place in the rankings is Palmer who, despite suffering from a bumpy qualification ride in phase one, still has managed to keep himself in the conversation.

But if Palmer wants to realise his dream of winning back-to-back Olympic titles the Australian will need to step up to meet the explosion of talent around him, particularly with the skaters from the USA who, right now, are dictating the standard.

He will also need to find another level because the upward pressure from underneath could mean his position within the top three for Australia isn't necessarily secured.

Keefer Wilson and Ash Wilcomes , ranked 15th and 21st respectively, have both shown they are capable of knocking around the top 10 and with so many points at stake in OQS they can change their fortunes.

Below them, there are two more: Ethan Copeland and Phoenix Sinnerton , meaning the battle is truly on for Australians in men's park.

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