Honorary Members

Kappa and tween won Trackmania World Team Cup

On July 15th, we were left with three teams in the World Team Cup hosted in Trackmania. Czech Republic/Slovakia, Germany and The Netherlands. Czech Republic and Slovakia had teamed up together for the tournament. In the end, it was clear that CZE/SVK was on another level and had no problems with taking home the first-ever WTC title.

In the first-ever World Team Cup, we had 13 different teams on the start line. A mixture of nations forming a team on their own, two countries forming a team together, regions forming a team together and continents like North and South America forming a team. Historically, there is one country that has far better success than any other country in these tournaments. That country is the home of Trackmania – France. 

With a brand new format, where the teams only needed three solid players in one style – tech, it made the tournament more open. CZE/SVK that has Martin ‘’Kappa’’ Krompolc and Marek ‘’tween’’ Pacher who took 1st and 2nd at the World Championship last year. 

However, the CZE/SVK line-up had to play the two first matches on their own. The Sampi duo needed a break after a busy first half of the year. ‘’tween’’ joined the squad against Hungary/Romania and The Netherlands. The match against The Netherlands was the winner bracket final. A match the lost 14-7 and dropped down to the consolidation final.  

Once we entered Monday, July 15th, there were only two matches left to be played. The consolidation final between CZE/SVK and GER, while NED waited in the grand final. 

Germany who is not shy of having success in country-based events. Having the 2nd biggest player mass in the game is certainly not a disadvantage. Germany who dropped down to the loser bracket already after the first match against The Netherlands. However, they had a solid run and knocked out countries like Belgium, France and Poland on their road to the consolidation final.

The match-up between CZE/SVK and GER ending up being one-sided, and it’s clear that adding the two Team Sampi players to their line-up, CZE/SVK had reached another level. Winning the two first maps 7-1 and 7-1, it’s was already over before we entered the 3rd map. However, that map was also won by CZE/SVK with a 7-3 score.

In the grand final, an undefeated team awaited. The Netherlands has without a question had the most solid run until the last playday. Beating Germany, North America, France and CZE/SVK on their way to the grand final. Anyhow, the most important match was yet to be played and the celebration couldn’t win until the last win was collected. 

After the total domination against Germany, an unofficial poll in the Twitch chat said that 60% of the viewers saw CZE/SVK as the favorite heading into the match. 

The viewers who had tuned into this Monday with the hope of close and intense match-up went to bed disappointed. Once again it became clear how big of a difference ‘’Kappa’’ and ‘’tween’’ made. The Sampi duo played the first map together with ‘’DanikB’’, who also placed top 10 in the last world championship. The trio had no problem whatsoever to defeat The Netherland on the first map. Winning with a score of 7-1.

Heading into the second map the CZE/SVK line-up only needed to win 7-5, and it would be mathematically impossible for The Netherlands to make a comeback on the last map. Despite that, the second map ended up with even stronger domination by the CZE/SVK trio. Winning the second map with the score of 7-0, and the celebration could start even before the last map was played out. 

The last map both ‘’Kappa’’ and ‘’tween’’ ended up sitting on the bench. Allowing the players who had played most of the season finish of what they started. Even without the Sampi duo, the CZE/SVK defeated NED 7-2 on the last map. Making the end score 15-3. 

Statements:

‘’After having a busy first half of the year in both TrackMania and university, I had decided to enjoy a peaceful July full of doing (almost) nothing, but I was called to duty to help my countrymen and ex-countrymen for the decisive stage of WTC. I have to admit I was really happy to be part of those delightful performances we all showed that led to convincing victories over Germany and The Netherlands! Our team was one of the top candidates from the very beginning (everyone always talks about me and Tween) but we wouldn’t have gotten that far especially without guys like DanikB and Novis who both showed great performances and motivation throughout the whole tournament, so shout-out to them!’’

• Martin ‘’Kappa’’ Krompolc

‘’It’s always difficult to bounce back after a disappointing loss, which the Zerator Cup qualis was for me. I tried to keep up with my mates from the national team but struggled with motivation. After the somewhat hopeful loss in the winner bracket final against The Netherlands, however, it became apparent that we could pull off a surprise twist in the last playday. We practised hard and managed to play two great matches to boot. All my teammates really showcased their best abilities and it is really satisfying to win the whole thing. Our national team has a long-standing tradition of competing for the Nations Cup and after more than a decade, we took it home.’’

• Marek ‘’tween’’ Pacher

Written by Eirik Holdal