World Cyber Games and me!

The qualification process for the United States participants in the 2006 World Cyber Games was kicked off this weekend at the WCG US Open Invitational in Hollywood, CA. The competition spans primarily eight PC and console titles including Project Gotham Racing 3 for the Xbox 360; that's where the 'me' part of the title kicks in.

I was signed up for the online preliminaries which start on June 5th when I received the invitation, which I happily accepted, to participate in the US Open. There were four of us competing on PGR3, including the two U.S. finalists from the 2004 WCG who competed internationally on PGR2.

The tournament was 1-on-1 double elimination with 3 lap races and best 2 of 3 for each match. My first match was against the #2. He got into trouble early in each of the two races we ran and I managed to stay clean beating him 2-0. My second match was against the #1. He was very good and cleanly beat me in two straight. Meanwhile the #2 had beaten the #4 in the loser bracket which I now joined.

My third match was against the #2 again. I could tell that he was ready for revenge in our rematch. I won the first race and he took the second. It all came down to Nurburgring Full F1 Circuit. I had practiced on this track quite a bit thinking that it would be the one that the others were the best at, but this was my first match race on the track. #2 faltered early in the first lap and I had a few grassy scares during the race, but I emerged victorious.

I now had a lock on 2nd place going into the final match against the undefeated #1 and a hour or so to practice. I managed to get a little faster and smoother during my practice time. The first final match race was Tokyo-Shinjuku Speedway. I got off to a horrible start fishtailing (damn F50!) one of the early sets of turns and leaving large quantites of paint on the railing. I was already six seconds behind by the time I got settled and never got closer. Race #2 was on London-Westminster Tour. It was the track I had won on early a few times and hoped for a repeat. I managed to stay within a few car lengths for the first lap and a half until tragedy struck in the boxey turns prior to the last straight. I left the rest of the paint from my driver side door on that railing. Mr. Automatic was able to run the last lap without me breathing down his neck and breezed to the victory. Had I been fortunate enough to beat him in that match, I would have had to beat him in yet another match due to the double elimination feature. Here are the complete tournament results.

I am now $500 richer and both the #1 and I won an expenses-paid trip to the US Finals at the end of the summer. I'll need to get more consistent and faster lap times between now and then if I hope to beat him and the other 14 hopefuls, who start the online qualification process today, and earn the right to represent the U.S. at the World Finals in Italy in October.

Wish me luck!