Having missed out on the chance to go to EUIC 2023 last year, there was no way I could allow myself not to attend the 2024 Pokémon Europe International Championships (EUIC) this April. Pokémon has always held a special place in my heart and yet, despite all the other times I’ve headed to ExCeL London, this would be my first time attending a Pokémon Championships and I wasn’t going alone either. Joined by my family, off we went to London to take in the familliar sights, new and old.
@miketendo64gaming
It took three trains to get there, but the long journey was well worth the wait for once we arrived on site, with our badges around our necks, the fun could begin. We started the festivities by paying a visit to the Pokémon Center and once our wallets were a lot lighter, it was time to pay a visit to the Play Lab. While a Spectators badge was not needed to take part, the Pokémon Play Lab made for a perfect addition, especially when it was divided into two main parts, the Battle Lab, a section for visitors to play the likes of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, learning more about the main series of video games, whereas the Discover Lab was on hand to educate eager participate on the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Having sampled both, it was great fun, especially when I got to experience the Play Lab with one of my children, and went head to head with him in two battles of 4 vs 4. Being the more experienced of the two, the first match was a swift win in my favour, but being the fast learner he is, he quickly picked up on type advantage and decimated me in the second battle. There would be no round three as the Battle Lab experience was rather shortlived, but at least I got to leave as the proud parent I am and we all got a nice new Battle Lab lanyard.
@miketendo64gaming
With our time at the Play Lab over, it was time to get on with the actual show and by show, I do mean the actual competition and our whole reason for visiting ExCeL London in the first play. The battles were hard and the battles were fast, but every minute of it made for worthwhile viewing and for a breakdown on all of this year’s winners, we have it right here:
Every 2024 Pokémon Europe International Championships Winner:
Pokémon TCG Winners:
- Masters Division | Tord Reklev (NO)
- Senior Division | Gabriel Fernandez (BR)
- Junior Division | Yohann Cote (CA)
Pokémon VGC Winners:
- Masters Division | Nils Dunlop (SE)
- Senior Division | Benjamin Polster (US)
- Junior Division | Kevin Han (US)
Pokémon GO Top Three:
- 1st | Maxwell Ember aka MEweedle (CH)
- 2nd | Alexander Doone aka Doonebug97 (US)
- 3rd | Louis Vrinat aka Sandodou (FR)
Pokémon UNITE Winning Team:
- FUSION | Erick Jean Bartolo Cotrina aka FS・Zynuz (Latin America – South)
- FUSION | Axel Xavier Rivas Pérez aka FS・Khea (Latin America – South)
- FUSION | Jose Arias aka FS・Anemo (Latin America – South)
- FUSION | Jeremy Wilman Rivas Nunura aka FS・Tempo (Latin America – South)
- FUSION | Jesús Vásquez Antaccasa aka FS・DrakenN (Latin America – South)
Fortunetely, all of the battles were recorded, so anyone hoping to check them out can do so via YouTube, but if there was any doubt that EUIC 2024 is a fun event for all the family to join in on, worry not, it is and since a picture is worth a thousand words, here’s a whole novel’s worth of photos to further capture the appeal of the 2024 Pokémon Europe International Championships:
Pokémon: Let’s Go to ExCeL London!
As always, keep on gaming!
