Colours, cosplay and cameraderie bring the 1st eThekwini Regional Esports Championships at the Durban Gaming Expo to a close.

Wesley Smith (left) receives the eThekwini Sportsmanship Award from Johan van Breda, MSSA National Team Manager.

DEBBIE TURRELL

A hard-fought and exciting DOTA2 battle brought the Durban Gaming Expo (DGE) to a close on Saturday.

Three days of Hearthstone, Fifa 2018, CS:GO, DOTA 2 and Rocket League contests were live-streamed to Facebook, YouTube and Twitch, and projected onscreen at the Durban Exhibition Centre by Crosspond RSA, as part of Mind Sports South Africa’s (MSSA) 2018 eThekwini Regional Championships as hosted by the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club.

The inaugural DGE has shown great promise for future events.

“We initially envisaged this as an annual event,” said Nialle Momsen, CEO of N-Tech Computers and organiser of the DGE. “But after these three days, positive feedback from the current set of sponsors indicates that we may look at doing this more often.”

On the final day, Clan Bacon (Juan van der Merwe, Jacques Westley, Bennie Olivier, Barend Botes and Pat van der Merwe) walked away with top honours in the DOTA 2 competition. Their win also netted each team member eThekwini Regional Colours.

Iron Branch took second place, and Cheeky Nandos with the Lads finished in third.

MSSA's eThekwini Sportsmanship Award was awarded to Wesley Smith, for his dedicated participation in various events at the Durban Gaming Expo, and for his generous mentorship of younger gamers during the various contests.

“Wesley truly represents the characteristics of a great e-sports athlete,” said Colin Webster, MSSA General Secretary.

The award puts Smith in the running for the MSSA’s National Sportsmanship Award to be adjudicated later this year. He also won the DGE’s award for Best Console Gamer at the DGE.

Haron Martins was named Best PC Gamer at the DGE, while Matthew Putter won the DGE award for Best Computer Design, and Douglas Hendricks for Cleanest PC at the DGE.

Prize-giving was preceded by a colourful cosplay competition that drew extra spectators from the nearby Geekville festival at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

Clan Bacon (Barend Botes, Juan van der Merwe, Pat van der Merwe, Jacques Westley, and Bennie Olivier) were the DOTA 2 competition winners on Day Three of the Durban Gaming Expo.

Douglas Hendricks (left) with his award for Cleanest PC at the DGE awarded by Nialle Momsen, CEO of N-Tech Computers and organiser of the DGE.

 Matthew Putter (right) was awarded the prize for Best Computer Design, by Nialle Momsen, CEO of N-Tech Computers and organiser of the DGE.

Haron Martins (right) was judged Best Gamer of DGE PC, by Nialle Momsen, CEO of N-Tech Computers and organiser of the event. 

Wesley Smith (left) was judged Best Gamer at DGE Console, by Nialle Momsen, CEO of N-Tech Computers and organiser of the event. 

Some of the entrants for the Cosplay Competition at the Durban Gaming Expo on Saturday were (back, from left) Wasp (Lauren Wiggill), Yuno Gasai (Bree Coetzee), Harley Quinn (Anouka Singh), Rey (Hayley Mackay), (front from left) Wonder Woman (Kashiefa Jacobs), Johnny Joestar (Kale Nisbet), and Kaneki Ken (Darren Badenhorst).

Keith Farr (left) from Crosspond RSA, capturing Yuno Gasai (Bree Coetzee) during the live streaming of the Durban Gaming Expo.

Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi (Braiden Becker) at the DGE Cosplay Competition.

Harley Quinn (Anouka Singh) at the DGE Cosplay Competition.