The 2022 National Championships continued last weekend, seeing over 450 players turn out for their shot at one of ten trophies, and over 30 PTI's! Once again, we saw every single adult hero represented at events worldwide, with at least one hero from every main booster set from Welcome to Rathe all the way to Uprising claiming a National Championship event. Stay tuned for a more in-depth look at the developing Classic Constructed metagame on Friday, and in the meantime, let's look back at the weekend's events, and congratulate our new 2022 National Champions!
Canada
112 players gathered in Ottawa for the second Canadian National Championship, with not one, but two National Champions showing up to take their shot at the trophy.
Yuki Lee Bender made waves last year when she won the title of 2021 Canadian National Champion with her Lexi, Livewire deck, in a metagame that had its eyes on the Warden of Thorns. Earlier this year, she made Top 8 at Calling: Lille with her Prism deck. Joining her in the Top 8 was the 2021 United States National Champion Tariq Patel, who moved to Canada earlier this year. A member of Team Dragonshield, he competed at both Pro Tours before taking up the hammer as Oldhim for this National Championship event.
David Rood made the semifinals at Battle Hardened: Indianapolis with Bravo, Star of the Show, and competed at both Pro Tour: New Jersey and Battle Hardened: Toronto. Clay DeAngelis previously ade the Top 8 at a ProQuest event with Rhinar, and here carries his Romping Club into his first Top 8 appearance at a competitive-level event.
Tsubasa Ueda competed at the 2021 Canadian National Championships, and this year made Top 8 at Battle Hardened: Las Vegas with Bravo, Star of the Show. Fellow 2021 Nationals competitor Michael Walker lands his second attempt at a Top 8 National Championships finish, after competing at Calling: New Jersey earlier this year.
Michael Caronchia made the finals of Battle Hardened: Toronto with his Kano deck after seeing success across Skrimish and ProQuest seasons, maintaining his aetheric mastery with fellow wizard Iyslander at this event. Finally, Ian Smith makes our second Brute appearance in the Top 8, after competing at Calling: New Jersey and Battle Hardened: Portland.
A brutal fight in the semifinals saw both Iyslander players eliminated from battle, with the previous Canadian National Champion Yuki Lee Bender felled by Tariq Patel, and Ian Smith breaking the ice to take his spot in the finals.
Tariq Patel won the final match of the event, claiming the title of 2022 Canadian National Champion and becoming the first two-time National Champion in Flesh and Blood history, and the first player to win two different National Championships!
Top 8:
1st: Tariq Patel - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
2nd: Ian Smith - Rhinar, Reckless Rampage
3rd-4th: Michael Caronchia - Iyslander, Stormbind
3rd-4th: Yuki Lee Bender - Iyslander, Stormbind
5th-8th: Michael Walker - Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire
5th-8th: Tsubasa Ueda - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: David Rood - Fai, Rising Rebellion
5th-8th: Clay DeAngelis - Rhinar, Reckless Rampage
Italy
The second Italian National Championship kicked off with 43 players, seeing several 2021 competitors make it into the Top 8 for the second year running. Last year, Mauro Giuseppe di Lauro made the semifinals with his Briar deck, Alessandro Tassini made the quarterfinals with his Katsu deck, and Stefano Cocca also made the quarterfinals with the Warden of Thorns.
Joining them in the Top 8 this year are Lorenzo Brambilla Pisoni, who competed at Calling events in Utrecht and Lille; Stefano Meoni, who competed at Calling events in Krakow and Madrid; Francesco Lorenzi, who competed at Calling: Lille; Fuad Omar, competing at his first-ever competitive-level event; and finally, Marco Lettieri, who has played at seven events prior to competing at the National Championship.
The final match came down to battle of wills between the Warden of Thorns and the Ash Artist, with Stefano Cocca utilising the elements to silence the fires of Volcor and seize the title of 2022 Italian National Champion.
Top 8:
1st: Stefano Cocca - Briar, Warden of Thorns
2nd: Lorenzo Brambilla Pisoni - Dromai, Ash Artist
3rd-4th: Mauro Giuseppe Di Lauro - Viserai, Rune Blood
3rd-4th: Stefano Meoni - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: Fuad Omar - Dromai, Ash Artist
5th-8th: Francesco Lorenzi - Dromai, Ash Artist
5th-8th: Alessandro Tassini - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: Marco Lettieri - Lexi, Livewire
Spain
53 players gathered for the Spanish National Championships, with players like Pro Tour Champion Pablo Pintor fighting their way into the Top 8 cut.
Adrián Ruiz Yague made the semifinals at Battle Hardened: Madrid with his Viserai deck, and previously made the quarterfinals at the 2021 Italian Nationals with Briar. Max Dieckmann also made the quarterfinals last year with his Chane deck, and Jose Vicente Rodriguez Palazon competed at Battle Hardened: Madrid and the Team Blitz Calling in Madrid.
Ferran Riu has previously found success across the ProQuest seasons, and competed at the Pro Tour: Lille and Battle Hardened events in Lille and Madrid. Maria Jesus Penella has competed at Calling events in New Jersey and Lille, as well as Battle Hardened events in Madrid (twice), New Jersey, and Lille. Enrique Boada competed at the last National Championship in Italy, followed by Battle Hardened: Madrid in June.
The finals found Pro Tour Champion Pablo Pintor's Iyslander deck thawed by Viserai's blade, with Max Dieckmann claiming the title of 2022 Spanish National Champion!
Top 8:
1st: Max Dieckmann -Viserai, Rune Blood
2nd: Pablo Pintor - Iyslander, Stormbind
3rd-4th: Jesus Garcia Gomez-Valades - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
3rd-4th: Adrián Ruiz Yague - Briar, Warden of Thorns
5th-8th: Jose Vicente Rodriguez Palazon - Dromai, Ash Artist
5th-8th: Ferran Riu - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: Maria Jesus Penella - Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire
5th-8th: Enrique Boada - Lexi, Livewire
United Kingdom
Last year saw the 2021 National Championships begin in the United Kingdom; this event saw 89 players welcomed into London to compete for the 2022 Championship. For the second year running, George Rodger made the Top 8 cut, joined by Jamie Faulkner, who made the Top 8 at Calling: Utrecht, Battle Hardened: Krakow, and Battle Hardened: Lille. Thomas Harle also made the Top 8 at Calling: Utrecht, swinging his way into the quarterfinals with Bravo, Star of the Show.
Peter Ward made the semifinals at Battle Hardened: Leeds with Kassai, and the finals of Calling: Utrecht with Fai. Liam Holden made the Top 4 of the Team Blitz Calling event in Madrid with Briar, and competed at Calling events in Utrecht and New Jersey. Jacob Clements came just shy of making the top cut at Calling: Lille, and competed at the Calling and Battle Hardened events in Krakow.
Alex Chițu competed at the Calling and Battle Hardened events in Krakow, Utrecht, and Lille. Isaac Murray competed at Calling: Krakow, Battle Hardened: Leeds, the Pro Tour, Calling, and Battle Hardened event in Lille, plus the Team Blitz Calling and Battle Hardened events at the Uprising World Premiere in Madrid.
In the final, fire and ice found a battle between Thomas Harle's Oldhim deck, and George Rodger's Fai deck, with George Rodger taking the final victory after last year's Top 8 finish, and officially claiming the title of 2022 United Kingdom National Champion!
Top 8:
1st: George Rodger - Fai, Rising Rebellion
2nd: Thomas Harle - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
3rd-4th: Jamie Faulkner - Dromai, Ash Artist
3rd-4th: Alex Chițu - Viserai, Rune Blood
5th-8th: Isaac Murray - Fai, Rising Rebellion
5th-8th: Peter Ward - Fai, Rising Rebellion
5th-8th: Jacob Clements - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: Liam Holden - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
Bulgaria
This 33 player Championship saw a finals match between Plamen Marekov, quarterfinalist at the 2021 National Championship, and Hristiyan Samodov, playing his first high-level competitive event. The classic Guardian held out against our newest hero's onslaught, with Plamen Marekov claiming the title of 2022 Bulgarian National Champion!
Top 8:
1st: Plamen Marekov - Bravo, Showstopper
2nd: Hristiyan Samodov - Fai, Rising Rebellion
3rd-4th: Bernar Aganchyan - Bravo, Showstopper
3rd-4th: Peycho Ivanov - Viserai, Rune Blood
5th-8th: Metodi Nikolaev - Iyslander, Stormbind
5th-8th: Kaloyan Yanev - Fai, Rising Rebellion
5th-8th: Pavel Kolev - Dorinthea Ironsong
5th-8th: Aleksandar Atanasov - Iyslander, Stormbind
Croatia
After his quarterfinals finish at Calling: New Jersey, Kristian Čurla fought against community mainstay Hrvoje Hedžet, who also competed at Calling events in Utrecht and Krakow. The Tales of Aria showdown ended with Kristian Čurla taking victory with Oldhim, and claiming the title of the first ever Croatian National Champion!
Top 8:
1st: Kristian Čurla - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
2nd: Hrvoje Hedžet - Briar, Warden of Thorns
3rd-4th: Maniša Njegomir - Briar, Warden of Thorns
3rd-4th: Filip Grozdanovic - Briar, Warden of Thorns
5th-8th: Goran Lovric - Bravo, Showstopper
5th-8th: Nikola Kramarić -Fai, Rising Rebellion
5th-8th: Ivor Dragoje - Viserai, Rune Blood
5th-8th: Luka Grgić - Fai, Rising Rebellion
Czechia
The first Czechia National Championship began with twenty players on the field, narrowing to a finals battle between Mechanologist Zdeněk Matura and Guardian Jachym Flidr, both competing at their first high-level competitive event. The wunderkind of Metrix utilised every tool in the box, with Zdeněk Matura claiming the title of the first Czech National Champion!
Top 8:
1st: Zdeněk Matura - Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire
2nd: Jachym Flidr - Bravo, Showstopper
3rd-4th: Matěj Stejskal - Bravo, Showstopper
3rd-4th: Miroslav Košař - Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire
5th-8th: Dominik Šupa - Briar, Warden of Thorns
5th-8th: Jan Lesenko - Fai, Rising Rebellion
5th-8th: Michal Faldyna - Dromai, Ash Artist
5th-8th: Ondrej Hus - Briar, Warden of Thorns
Finland
This 36 player event came down to a battle between Iyslander player Mikko Airaksinen and Dorinthea player Aleksi Sorjonen, both of whom made the Top 8 at the 2021 National Championship. This year, Mikko Airaksinen rose through the ranks and froze out the competition to claim the title of 2022 Finnish National Champion!
Top 8:
1st: Mikko Airaksinen - Iyslander, Stormbind
2nd: Aleksi Sorjonen - Dorinthea Ironsong
3rd-4th: Krister Lindroos - Briar, Warden of Thorns
3rd-4th: Rene Aho - Rhinar, Reckless Rampage
5th-8th: Juha Saarnilampi - Briar, Warden of Thorns
5th-8th: Miika Miinin - Briar, Warden of Thorns
5th-8th: Toni Savolainen - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: Jyri Ollila - Briar, Warden of Thorns
Portugal
41 players battled in the second Portugese National Championship, with a 2021 quarterfinalist claiming his spot in the Top 8 once again. Mário Abrantes battled against Battle Hardened: Madrid quarterfinalist Nuno Amaral in an Oldhim mirror match for the title, with Mário Abrantes dealing the final blow and claiming the title of 2022 Portugese National Champion!
Top 8:
1st: Mário Abrantes - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
2nd: Nuno Amaral - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
3rd-4th: Hugo Haddad - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
3rd-4th: João Gomes - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: Filipe Coutinho - Bravo, Showstopper
5th-8th: Hugo Martins - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
5th-8th: Filipe Camacho -Viserai, Rune Blood
5th-8th: Rafael Salsa - Viserai, Rune Blood
Romania
In the first Romanian National Championship, two of our longest-standing heroes found themselves in the finals, with Onica Lucian taking Dorinthea Ironsong to battle against Bota Claudiu and Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire. The Light triumphed over the technology of Metrix, with Onica Lucian claiming the title of the first Romanian National Champion!
Top 4:
1st: Onica Lucian - Dorinthea Ironsong
2nd: Bota Claudiu - Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire
3rd-4th: Botond Torok - Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity
3rd-4th: Sergiu Morar - Viserai, Rune Blood