Flashpoint’s Global LAN qualifiers start today and run through Wednesday, March 5. The winning teams from across the European, North American, and South American regions will compete in two groups to decide who will represent their region at Flashpoint.
Eight teams are participating in Flashpoint’s Global LAN qualifiers named the Pinnacle Open, started this morning. With the results in, fans now know the matchups for each group’s elimation and deicder matches that will take place tomorrow. Teams attending the event in Los Angeles, California include the following:
Group A:
- AVEZ
- BIG
- DETONA
- Orgless
Group B
- Chaos Esports Club
- Copenhagen Flames
- Redemption POA
- HAVU
BIG and DETONA opened the event this afternoon in a best of one that saw DETONA surprisingly take the win 16-11. After that surprise upset, AVEZ met ex-Riot Squad’s Orgless. The North American squad eeked out a victory after a full 30 rounds on Nuke.
Flashpoint’s LAN qualifiers continued this afternoon when Copenhagen Flames torched Redemption POA on Train 16-7. Lastly, HAVU met Chaos Esports Club on Overpass. The Finnish Counter-Strike:Global Offensive organization took Chaos the full distance.
The rest of the week’s schedule is as follows:
Tuesday, March 5
- DETONA versus Orgless, 11:30 p.m. PST
- Copenhagen Flames versus Chaos Esports Club 11:20 p.m. PST
Wednesday, March 4
- Group A Elimination Match: 12:00 p.m. EST
- Group B Elimination match: 3:00 p.m. EST
- DETONA versus Orgless Decider Match: 6:00 p.m. EST
- Group B Decider Match: 9:00 p.m. EST
Thursday, March 5
- Finals Match 1: 12:00 p.m. EST
- Finals Match 2: 3:00 p.m. EST
SKADE and Isurus replaced at Flashpoint amid visa and scheduling issues
In an unfortunate turn of events, one team was denied entry into the United States for the Global LAN qualifiers, Flashpoint’s name for the closed competition that awards access into the Flashpoint Leauge. SKADE’s Teodor “SPELLAN” Nikolov was denied the B1 visa he needed in order to enter the US and compete.
Senior Vice President at Immortals Gaming Club Tomi Kovanen commented on the situation involving Flashpoint, the North American Counter-Strike; Global Offensive league that Immortals owns a share of. Evil Geniuses AWPer Cvetelin “CeRq” Dimitrov responded, saying that in his experience, SPELLAN might have been denied entry due to wording in the letters from Flashpoint.
Cerq goes on to say that two of his lawyers made sure to note that there was no reference to potential winnings in his own letters that allowed him to obtain the necessary paperwork to join NRG Esports.
Another team ran into trouble, but not with US Customs and Immigration. Isurus Gaming was forced to pull out of the Flashpoint Global LAN qualifiers due to a scheduling conflict with the South American Minor qualifiers that are also set to start today. Isurus had requested to shift the dates of the Minor closed qualifiers, but several other participating teams resisted, forcing Isurus’ hand.
Flashpoint’s Global LAN qualifiers run through March 5. Group play will wrap up this evening, followed by the group elimination and decider matches tomorrow, March 4. The event culminates in the final two matches of the LAN qualifiers set to start on Thursday, March 5, at 12:00 p.m. PST.
