Virtus Pro return to the top in Copenhagen

Virtus Pro took a big step back towards contender status this weekend, triumphing in the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament at Copenhagen Games.

The annual Danish event featured a broad variety of teams from across Europe. Multiple qualifying stages determined the playoff squads, and in the end the two grand finalists were just who most fans and pundits had expected: Virtus Pro and Team SoloMid.

The final was competitive, but still resulted in a two-games-to-none sweep for Virtus Pro. The Polish side was notably led in the final by veteran Wiktor “Taz” Wojtas. It’s not the first time Wojtas has produced on a big stage following doubts about his playing future, and it likely won’t be the last.

The result marks a return to form for Virtus Pro, who had gone more than half-a-year without a significant tournament victory and most recently suffered a disappointing performance at the Star Series Star Ladder final.

For Team SoloMid, the runner-up finish is yet another case of potential that can’t quite be capitalized on. Even in the losing effort, players such as Nicolai “Device” Reedtz were able to make the sort of big plays necessary to win events. But as has been the case on numerous occasions, the team just wasn’t able to put it all together when it mattered most.

Players for Team SoloMid forced their way past their former organization, Dignitas, in the lower bracket final. But the most notable run in the lower bracket came from Flipside Tactics.

After losing to Dignitas in the upper bracket, Flipside managed to win five consecutive elimination games before being felled again by their Danish rivals. That run included three straight games that went either to overtime or the final round of regulation, making Flipside by far the most exciting team to watching during the event.

Other notable results included Mikail “Maikelele” Bill’s LGB Esports team finishing in fifth place. The squad managed a run all the way to the upper bracket semifinal before losing to Team SoloMid and Flipside Tactics, respectively. Copenhagen Wolves finished in a tie for seventh, making it three domestic teams in the top eight at the Danish tournament.