Altador Cup VII

The Altador Cup returns for the seventh year running.

This article documents a current event. Information may update rapidly as the event progresses.

The seventh instalment of the Altador Cup competition will be played in the summer of 2012. On the 15 May, the countdown to the sign-ups process began, with information on two teams being released per day. Sign ups opened midday on 25 May.

Teams

All eighteen teams from previous competitions will be make a return in this year's Cup. However, five teams have made changes to their line-up. Team Mystery Island replaced Bertie Shurtz with an unknown Xweetok, while Team Altador swapped Timu for Team Shenkuu's Foltaggio, and Team Brightvale traded "Squeaky" Tressif in exchange for Team Roo Island's Gordo Gunnels.

Biographies

Leading up to the Cup, The Neopets Team slowly released press information on each team, two teams per day:

• Team Altador

  Something New Under The Sun

  Some have said that if Altador invented the game of Yooyuball, surely Altador ought to be good at playing. Yet the team has never made it higher than thirteenth place. How to explain this odd phenomenon? "Never mind explaining it," team captain "Trapper" Remis says grimly. "We've made a few... changes this year. Altador is ready to show our true colours. The new tournament format will help; it's more like the ancient rules we're used to."

• Team Brightvale

  A Statistics Game

  Between the rumoured roster change and new captaincy, Brightvale is taking a lot of risks and making big changes. Is it wise? "Brightvale's brightest scholars have analysed the odds and determined this is the best course, statistically speaking," Kayn Hireck says softly. The Plushie Skeith forward is looking a little greyer, perhaps from too much laundering. "Anyway, my heart tells me it's time to try a different tactic. I try not to ignore it."

• Team Darigan Citadel

  Prankster Central

  Our interview with Darigan Citadel got off to a bad start when our tea turned out to be rancid. We inquired if Tormo "The Terror" was around, but were informed he'd been forbidden to play any tricks. Team Darigan is expecting to place very high this year, despite coming in seventh at last year's tournament. "New strategy, new teamwork," promises captain Layton Vickles. "We're not messing around this time." That remains to be seen; our hats exploded as we left. .

• Team Faerieland

  Getting Down To Earth

  After a biting remark from Tandrak Shaye, the Faerieland team decided to celebrate their status as an earthbound land — with a road trip! As of this report, they have been travelling for six months, seen seven lands, and eaten an astonishing quantity of Chocolate Cloud Cookies. "I never knew the Lost Desert had so many pyramids," Valtonous Rea tells us. Team captain Kakoni Worrill promises that Faerieland has been training while on the road.

• Team Haunted Woods

  Chilling In The Haunted Woods

  The Haunted Woods team is totally committed and ready to win back their title as champions of the Altador Cup, Zo Junior promises. He vehemently denies rumours that Wan Dirx is thinking of leaving Yooyuball to open a soda fountain. "Just because he likes Spooky Shakes a lot and Fanetti is allergic to them doesn't mean the team is fracturing. We can work out our differences. It will just mean a more aggressive playing style on the field."

• Team Kiko Lake

  Kikos Never Get Cold Feet

  How's Kiko Lake these days? Sunny and warm, "Poke" Cellers assures us with an enthusiastic bounce. The Kiko Lake team has taken advantage of the weather with a rummage sale this weekend. They're hoping to raise enough Neopoints for new equipment and transportation to the Cup. "We'll be lucky if the weather holds," the team captain adds, glancing at the puffy white clouds overhead. "We'd like to get in some field practice this week too."

• Team Krawk Island

  They've Got Hearts Of Gold

  Feldon "Dinksy" Collibridge made headlines — and enemies — as the girl who replaced "Dasher" Soley. Has the team accepted her? "Yarr, they thought I was soft," she recalls with a toothy grin. "That first season, I had more riggin' to climb and decks to mop than there rightly be in all Krawk Island. Didn't complain, though. T'were an honour to serve with the team. And this year, we're going for gold. Well, we be pirates, after all. 'Tis our lot."

• Team Kreludor

  The Sky's The Limit

  After making a dramatic run to a third place finish in last year's Cup, Kreludor is favoured for a top position this year, but Coco Metrone recently reported taking a minor injury on the practice field last month. She's undergoing the best physical therapy the Grundo moon can provide, but will she be 100% in time for the first game? Teammate Zenor Kevix says yes. "Coco's working really hard. We all are. We won't disappoint our fans."

• Team Lost Desert

  Their Place In The Sun

  After their disastrous fall last year from first place to thirteenth, the Lost Desert team spent this practice season analysing moves and planning strategies. Were they shaken by their defeat? Captain Leera Heggle snorts and says, "Nah, we were expecting that. Every winning team takes a nose dive in the next Cup. But this year the tournament is different. We're pretty stoked by the new format and have strategised accordingly."

• Team Maraqua

  Trouble Bubbles Up In Maraqua

  Last year, reporters were unable to get an interview with Maraqua's star player, Elon "The Black Hole" Hughlis. The Maraquan Acara was convivial in group interviews this time, but said very little, leading reporters to suspect he'd been reprimanded by his teammates. Could there have been a big argument? If so, could there be a new team captain? Lamelle Turow was happy to shed some light. "We're one big happy family here. Really."

• Team Meridell

  Discovering The Champions

  It's been nearly ten years since Neopia discovered Meridell, and you can bet celebrations are planned. Has it affected the team's focus? "We're super excited to represent Meridell in the Cup," says "Wizard" Windelle. The Techo grins. "We've taken fifth place twice. With so much enthusiasm for Meridell in the air this year, we can only get better." But will they be partying when it's game time? "That wouldn't be honourable," Windelle says.

• Team Moltara

  From The Earth To The Stars

  After coming in dead last both years that it has participated, Team Moltara might be understandably demoralised. Not so, promises right defender Zax Bannet. (Captain Aldric Beign was unavailable for comment.) "We were still learning the game back then. We're total pros now. And believe me, we're pretty eager to get up there on the field and prove it." He cites a training regimen involving lava fountains and granite boulders.

• Team Mystery Island

  The Law Of The Jungle

  Because Mystery Island hasn't had a shakeup to their team since Year 10, it came as something of a surprise to hear rumours of a retirement. There's plenty of great talent looking to move up from the jungle Yooyuball leagues, but when asked who on the Mystery Island team was thinking of retiring, team captain Volgoth just grunted and said, "Not now." When reporters pushed for a firm answer, Volgoth growled... and the question was dropped.

• Team Roo Island

  Not Just Chasing Rainbows

  What's better than a rainbow cupcake party? One with all of your supporters! Team Roo Island just threw a giant party for all of their fans as thanks for their enthusiasm. The team was all smiles, but when Fenny Vail was asked if she'd ever leave Roo Island, she burst into tears. Further investigation revealed that the team is considering a trade — just who is still in question. Perhaps it's not all sweetness in Roo Island, after all.

• Team Shenkuu

  Victory: Our Cup Of Tea

  Tea ceremonies or Yooyuball practice? "Why not both," Mirsha Grelinek says with a smile. She and Antola Maeir have extensive duties at the Lunar Temple, but that hasn't cut into their practice time. "We just schedule practice around the tea," Mirsha continues, smoothing the front of her kimono. "Finding a balance is important; we follow a philosophy of moderation to help achieve inner peace. Uh, we still want to win this year, of course."

• Team Terror Mountain

  Looking For A Few Good Fans

  Last year, Terror Mountain went into the Cup with fewer supporters than ever before, but still managed to climb in the rankings to eighth place, their highest yet. This year, they're looking to continue the trend. "We still don't have the numbers that some of the other teams do," team captain Prytariel admits, "but those who do come with us each year are very loyal. It's a good feeling, knowing they're as committed as we are."

• Team Tyrannia

  Fighting Like Gruslens And Yooyus

  Practice has been a little distracted lately — Wila Benne found a whole litter of baby Gruslens abandoned in the bleachers! Loryche was all for handing them off to the PPL, but Harlis Neyhbol insisted that the team could handle raising them. Gruslen-proofing Tyrannian homes doesn't take much work (stone furniture holds up to claws rather well), but Harlis didn't account for the Gruslens chasing the Yooyus around the field. Oops.

• Team Virtupets

  Victory Has Been Programmed

  Perhaps no one was more excited last year than Virtupets themselves when the team took first place in the Altador Cup. "Kreludor makes excuses about gravity," intones XL Striker 3.8, one of two robots on the team. "Virtupets has demonstrated that irregular gravity does not impede performance." But will they break the cycle and prove that returning champions can do well? "Virtupets is superior," XL Striker 3.8 adds. "We need prove nothing."

Participation

On 18 May, it was revealed that the tournament format would be changed this year. Since Altador Cup II, the tournament was a double round-robin (that is to say, each team played every other team twice) and culminated in a finals contest.

For the 2012 competition, the eighteen teens will be randomly assigned to three brackets (six teams per bracket). There will be four rounds of play, and no finals bracket. The competition will last 24 days, six days per round. All teams will be able to play every day whatever their score. The Neopets Team explained that this would give historically low-performing teams a better chance at taking the Cup. Another factor was tournament length: they decided that asking people to dedicate a month and a half of their time to the event was unfair.

Users were able to sign up for a team from midday on 25 May. Doing so earns them 100 Neocash.

External links

• Editorial: #546
• Altador Cup