Why MSSA runs its Regional Championships the way it does.

'The Pretenders' (from left: Joshua Saunders, Damond Osborn, Adeem Mansoor, Thulani Sishi (Captain) and Ethan Mills) with their prizes  at the 2018 eThekwini Regional Championships.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) initiated its Regional Championships in order to not only extend its footprint into every corner of South Africa, but to elso ensure the financial viability of its member clubs.

All a member club has to do to host a regional championship is to apply to MSSA (mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com) do so according to the rules.

It is the member club that chooses the date and chooses the game titles to be played at such regional championships.

Of course, the abovementioned benefits are not the only ones.

The winners of MSSA Regional Championships also qualify to participate in MSSA's National Team Trials. Already there gamers from four regions (City of Johannesburg, eThekwini, Fezile Dabi, and Sedibeng) who have qualified for MSSA's 2019 NTT.
Thus a member club, through the Regional Championships, is more than able to cater for all members of its community by providing ongoing championships throughout the year.

The rules for hosting a Regional Championship are as follows:

10.12.3 HOSTING OF REGIONAL EVENTS

1. Members within a region may offer to host, through a bid, any such championship at least 90 days prior to the event.
2. The decision to which club the hosting of such event is awarded shall be made by the Management Board.
3. The host club shall sign an SLA.
4. The Management Board may decide to host such championship itself. Should such decision be made and bids have been received, the Management Board shall advise all members of the reasons therefore.
5. Every effort shall be made by the host to hold such championship in a venue that is easily accessible to both Players and members of the public.
6. A Regional Championship may be played to any periods currently offered at a Provincial Championship or approved of by the Management Board.
7. The different periods may be held at separate times and venues from other periods.
8. Only Regional Championship for each period shall be held in any one season.
9. Any person may enter, however only fully-paid-up Registered Players may qualify for National Team Trials in such event. Non registered Players shall be charged a surcharge, which shall be decided upon by the Management Board from time-to- time, and shall be remitted to MSSA by the host club within 5 days of such championship.
10. The host club acknowledges that the event/s is/are wholly owned by the MSSA and all rules are complied with.
11. The host club shall set the entrance fee. Such fee shall be included in the bid.
12. The host club shall supply suitable and qualified umpires.
13. The host club shall purchase the medals from MSSA. MSSA shall price the medals at cost + 20% and postage.
14. The host club shall be responsible for the venue and all other costs relating thereto.
15. The club shall keep the net profit for the event.
16. The club must submit all results to MSSA within 48 hours.
17. The club must send a statement of account to MSSA within 30 days to the VP in charge of events.
18. No results may be posted on any site until MSSA has announced the results.
19. The MANCOM shall invite the player who finished in first place, if a Registered Player, to attend the National Team Trials if the event has met with all the criteria.
20. The results may be vitiated by the VP in charge of umpiring if any of the above are not complied with.

DotA 2: Team 'Clan Bacon' streaks into third place in the national rankings.

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.

At MSSA's eThekwini Regional Championships hosted by the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club (OEMSC) at the Durban Gaming Expo on 7 July 2018, Team 'Clan Bacon' was 'sizzling' and cooked-up a convincing win over all opponents who dared to face this ever so hot team.

The victories which team 'Clan Bacon' has catapulted the team into being ranked third in the country, making it the highest ranked KwaZulu Natalian team.

The members of team 'Clan Bacon' are the first ever recipients of official eThekwini Regional Colours for DotA 2.

Team  'Clan Bacon' now stands poised to challenge all those who stand between it and the top.

The full list of South Africa's official rankings for the esports title of DotA 2 is as follows:

Pos	Name of Player	year	Club	Points
1	D[M]	18	NW Mindsports	179.1
2	Magna	18	Hoërskool Zwartkop	178.8
3	Clan Bacon	18	eThekwini Regionals	157
4	Parklands	18	Parklands College	155.7
5	Schoeman	18	Paul Roos Gimnasium	147.8
6	Quantum	18	Curro Klerksdorp	147.8
7	Sinister5 (17)	17	Sinister5	146.8
8	Sp4rt4ns	17	SAHETI	146.8
9	Maritzburg College	16	Maritzburg College	146.8
10	PotM Bottom	17	PotM Bottom	146.8
11	TribalGaming	16	Fairmont High School	146.8
12	KWAKKIE DOTES	16	Tuks Mind Sports Club	146.8
13	We Took a Tower!	16	Wits Wargames Club	146.8
14	WYSIWYG	17	Jeppe Boys High School	146.8
15	Broken alliance	16	Fairmont High School	146.8
16	PR0NHS	17	Northcliff High School	146.8
17	Mr Project	16	Oakhill College	146.8
18	WBHS/DOTA	17	Westville Boys	142.1
19	Team YOLO	18	NW Mindsports	138.4
20	MC DOTA	17	Maritzburg College	135.7
21	The Fluffies	18	Westville Boys High School	130.9
22	Iron Branch	18	eThekwini Regionals	130.2
23	Conquest	18	Paul Roos Gimnasium	128.5
24	Northwood DOTA	18	Northwood High School	127.1
25	Cheeky Nandos with the Lads	18	eThekwini Regionals	122.9
26	Grey High Gaming	17	Grey Highschool	120
27	Kappa Knights	16	Fairmont High School	111.6
28	Titans	17	VexxedPhoenix	110.7
29	APTWE	16	Tuks Mind Sports Club	105
30	Team Craig	16	Northcliff High School	97.1
31	Flaming Bunnies	16	Fairmont High School	95
32	[PRIDE]	17	Parktown Boys' High School	92.5
33	PORAXYSM	16	All Stars	90
34	HSP Legends	18	Hoërskool Parys	86.4
35	ESBF	18	NW Mindsports	85.4
36	Team Cider	18	eThekwini Regionals	80
37	HELION	17	Uplands College	75.5
38	SJC Eagles	18	ST John's College	75

Other official rankings produced by MSSA are as follows:

• Senior Ancients Wargames
• Senior Checkers
• Senior CounterStrike: GO
• Senior DotA 2
• Senior FIFA '18
• Senior HearthStone
• Senior Injustice 2
• Senior League of Legends (female)
• Senior League of Legends
• Senior Morabaraba
• Senior Mortal Kombat X
• Senior Pro Evolution Soccer (PES)
• Senior StarCraft II
• Senior Street Fighter V
• Senior Tekken 7 (female)
• Senior Tekken 7
• Schools CounterStrike: GO
• Schools DotA 2
• Schools FIFA
• Schools HearthStone
• Schools League of Legends

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.

Wesley Smith is awarded eThekwini Sportsmanship Award.

Wesley Smith who was the winner of Hearthstone at the 1st eThekwini Regional Championships is also the recipient of the eThekwini Sportsmanship Award.

The eThekwini Sportsmanship Award was awarded by Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) to Wesley Smith, for his dedicated participation and helpful manner at the 1st eThekwini Regional Championships as hosted by the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club, and for his generous mentorship of younger gamers during the various contests.

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

The award puts Smith in the running for the MSSA’s National Sportsmanship Award which is to be adjudicated later this year.

Pretenders to the throne: DGE Day Two CS:GO results

The Pretenders (from left: Joshua Saunders, Thulani Sishi (Captain), Damond Osborn, Ethan Mills and Adeem Mansoor) were overall victors in the CS:GO competition on Day Two of the Durban Gaming Expo. The individual team members earned their eThekwini Senior Regional Colours.

BARRY DU PLESSIS

The CS:GO esports competition as played on Day Two of MSSA's 1st eThekwini Regional Championships as hosted by the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club at the Durban Gaming Expo (DGE) ended with The Pretenders as the last team standing.

The Durban-based team was made up of core members Thulani Sishi (captain), Damond Osborn and Joshua Saunders, with Adam Mansoor and Ethan Mills brought in as substitutes for the competition. The three core members’ years of training together was apparent, and their coordination and well-matched skills saw them competing as a real team.

“We found it quite easy going throughout the day,” said Sishi, “but it got tough at the end.”

Sishi and Osborn have gamed together for 10 years, and together run multi-gaming organisation Big 5 Esports. Saunders began gaming regularly with the pair three years ago. Their most recent competition was at Rush in Pretoria at the end of June, where they placed third in the CS:GO competition.

At DGE the team walked away with prizes of:

• an Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop  
• three MSI Thunderstorm aluminium gaming mousepads
• a Redragon NemeanLion Combo, and
• five Predator Caps.

All five team members were awarded their eThekwini Senior Regional  Colours by Johan van Breda,  the new National Team Manager of Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

RESULTS

Premier
1st: The Pretenders (and eThekwini Senior Regional Colours): Joshua Saunders, Thulani Sishi, Damond Osborn, Adeem Mansoor and Ethan Mills)
2nd: Preztige
3rd: Orion

The Pretenders (from left: Joshua Saunders, Damond Osborn, Adeem Mansoor, Thulani Sishi (Captain) and Ethan Mills) with their prizes of an Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop, three MSI Thunderstorm aluminium gaming mousepads, a Redragon NemeanLion Combo, and five Predator caps.

Preztige (from left: Muhammad Khan, Anthony-John Osborne, Haron Martins and Brandon Hitmann) placed second in the CS:GO competition on Day Two of the Durban Gaming Expo.

Orion (from left: Max, Steven van der Schyff, Douglas Hendricks, Devan Conradie, and Dylin Niewoudt) placed third in the CS:GO competition on Day Two of the Durban Gaming Expo.