How to find and defeat Pokémon Go Tour: Johto NPC Challenger Gym Trainers

As part of Pokémon Go Tour: Johto, players are tasked with completing a set of Timed Research called the Go Tour: Johto Battle Challenge.

This has players battling a set of NPCs that are based on actual players who were selected by Niantic during a social media contest in January. Each NPC represents one of the original Johto Gym Leaders and their types, using teams comprised of three Pokémon that fit those requirements. Players will need to conquer all of them using their own teams. 

Related: All Pokémon Go Tour: Johto NPC Challenger Gym Trainers and how to beat them

To encounter these NPC Challenger Gym Trainers, players must spin PokéStops during Go Fest: Johto. This will let you battle the NPC just like any other NPC in the game, with a win checking them off of your Go Tour: Johto Battle Challenge Timed Research. 

There is no set time when these NPC Challengers will appear, so you can spin PokéStops at any point between 9am and 9pm local time on Feb. 26 to encounter them. 

To complete the Timed Research, players need to defeat each NPC Challenger along with an Event Leader, though the latter is just taken up by Spark, Candela, and Blanche who will be using Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, respectively.