Astral Esports have been crowned champions of the Team Vitality x Skin.Club | Your Hour Community Tournament, defeating M33 x Neimark in the grand final with a convincing 2:0 victory. The team showed consistency throughout the event, handling every opponent with confidence and proving that their preparation and individual skill were on another level compared to the rest of the field.
Grand Final Details
The final kicked off on Nuke, a battleground where both teams were expected to fight tooth and nail. M33 x Neimark had their moments, putting together a few strong CT-side rounds, but Astral Esports managed to keep their composure in clutch situations. With precise utility and well-timed rotations, Astral closed out the map 16:12, taking an early lead in the series.
On the second map, Ancient, Astral demonstrated complete control. Their aggressive playstyle on the T-side broke through M33’s defenses early, and once they switched to defense, they didn’t allow their rivals to mount a comeback. The map ended 13:8, sealing the series 2:0 and confirming Astral’s dominance in the grand final.
MVP of the Grand Final
The standout performer was undoubtedly ASTR-, who carried his team with an incredible individual display. He topped the charts with 53 kills, dealt 5,588 damage, and finished with an astonishing 91.8% KAST across the final.
Player Comments
When asked what they would like to discuss first with Team Vitality’s staff after earning the Amateur Hour reward, Astral’s players emphasized the value of learning directly from professionals:
First of all, as much experience as we can get from them, obviously. The second thing is how, on their level, the structure and team staff work in general, because nobody talks about it openly. It’s really good to know that.
Speaking about preparation for the final, the team revealed that they kept things simple:
We watched a couple of demos to see how they play. We were fully prepared, but we didn’t change much. We just played our game, with a few little gimmicks here and there.
The players also credited their coach for rapid improvements in just a month of work together:
He told us things we didn’t think about before: how to play with structure, how the default works, rotations, and stuff like that. It’s insane how much we’ve improved thanks to him.
Rewards
For their victory, Astral Esports claimed the grand prize of a one-on-one coaching session, a valuable opportunity for growth at the competitive level. In addition, all teams that placed within the top 8 were awarded Doppler Cases, ensuring that even the participants outside of the top four left the tournament with something to show for their efforts.
On top of that, the top 5 winners of AMATEUR HOUR received a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a pro for a day. They and their teams will fly to Paris, where they will visit Team Vitality’s HQ, getting an exclusive look behind the scenes of one of the world’s most successful esports organizations.
Journey to Win
Astral Esports had a flawless journey to the grand final. They started strong with a confident 2:0 victory over PER4IKI, immediately showing their dominance. In the semifinals, they met DELTAxGRIPGEL, who had previously beaten invalid, but Astral once again proved unstoppable, closing the series 2:0 to secure their place in the title match.
On the other side of the bracket, M33 x Neimark carved their way through the competition. They first eliminated mXm with a clean 2:0, and then faced Prague Lions, who had earlier defeated kyosukeXgodji. M33 x Neimark came out on top 2:0, booking their ticket to the grand final against Astral Esports.
In the battle for third place, it was Prague Lions who took the upper hand, sweeping DELTAxGRIPGEL 2:0 and claiming the final spot on the podium.
Final Thoughts
The Team Vitality x Skin.Club | Your Hour Community Tournament proved to be an exciting event, bringing together ambitious teams and showcasing hidden talent from the grassroots scene. Stay tuned for updates, as more tournaments like this could be on the horizon. Opportunities to play, improve, and even step into the shoes of professionals might return again, offering the community even more chances to shine.
