UK esports organisation Tenstar have been crowned VCT Game Changers EMEA Series 1 champions, just four months after entering Valorant and two months after announcing a refreshed women’s roster.
The French roster defeated fellow UK organisation Rix.GG 3-1 in the grand final yesterday, which has racked up a mammoth 217,000 views in this Twitch VoD so far.
Tenstar received €8,000 for the win, while Rix walked away with €4,000; VCT Game Changers EMEA featured an overall prize pool of €20,000 and was announced last month.
Tenstar started off strongly in the final, winning Ascent 13-3, but Rix fought back to take the second map, Bind, 18-16. Breeze saw Tenstar narrowly win this third map 13-11, before securing a comfortable 13-2 win on Haven to take home the title.
Tenstar’s Nova players included LiriLia, Nelo, Sliicyy, Ninou and Cla, while Rix’s Lightning roster featured Jupi, 6sonya, Raina, Padge and Noia.
Rix’s roster has a mix of nationalities, including UK player Padge, who has won past tournaments including several Girls’ House EU Opens and the Rix/British Esports Huntress Trials at the start of the year with LaGals.
Rix.GG announced their ‘Lightning’ Valorant roster back in April, as part of a drive to see women and marginalised gender players ‘compete at the highest levels of esports’.
“Wow. What a week. Have to say to every player that took part in VCT Game Changers, you are an inspiration. The whole GC scene is so hugely supportive, and plays in great spirit. What an awesome start – can’t wait to go again.”
Carl Thomas Roderick, Tenstar
Tenstar first entered Valorant back in May. Their Nova team made an impressive run in this tournament, picking up 2-0 wins along the way before facing Rix in the final. You can see more info and stats on the VCT Game Changers Series 1 on liquipedia.net.
While Rix should be commended for reaching the final and taking a map from Tenstar, it’s a double blow for Rix, who reached the final and lost 3-1 in another tournament recently – the Wild Rift Origin Series Championship.
The Valorant Champions Tour 2021 Game Changers EMEA Series 1 final had an array of top hosts and casters, featuring UK and Ireland talent Tombizz, MitchMan and Yinsu Collins, who congratulated the team:
Ninjas in Pyjamas UK player Adam “ec1s” Eccles was also on the broadcast as an analyst, and NaoriMizuki and kaquka were also on the broadcast team, as an analyst and caster respectively.
Back in July, Tenstar announced a UK esports path to pro initiative after winning Valorant UK & Ireland Skirmish.
Tenstar CEO Carl Thomas Roderick – who has links with UK gaming community Adamo – said on Twitter (and celebrated with some dancing): “Superb! Fucking outstanding. History made. No one can ever take that one from us. Big props to everyone who wears our badge. I’m not crying, you are.
“Wow. What a week. Have to say to every player that took part in VCT Game Changers, you are an inspiration. The whole GC scene is so hugely supportive, and plays in great spirit. What an awesome start – can’t wait to go again.”
Another UK esports organisation – Guild Esports – recently signed a women’s Valorant team: Guild X. They were defeated in this tournament 2-0 by Rix Lightning in the last 16.
Across the pond, Cloud9 White won the VCT Game Changers North America Series 3.
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Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
