After destrukt won the WCG Challenge for UT in 2000, he became a celebrated Quake 3, Counter-Strike, PainKiller and Quake 4 player, but with no noteworthy success under his belt. Last year, he turned to managing Chicago Chimera in the CGS and won the world championship with them. Destrukt finally leaping above mediocrity and beating every one of his opponents in the qualifier has to be a surprise.

But it has to be said that the berth to the San Jose finals was hardly undeserved. Flander promised to play a better game after his unconvincing semi final against Daniel "Carnage" Sturdivant and kept his word. He was the dominant player in his match against rapha and dictated the pace of the game on both ZTN and HUB, winning the maps 18-14 and 30-23, respectively.

Rapha seemed to have lacked the mental strength to beat destrukt, as he was not playing at the same level of Quake 3 that he showed in the semi final againt chance. He was impatient and hasty and destrukt was too well-prepared not to choke rapha's attempts at coming back.

Rapha will play chance in the lower bracket final (or the consolation final) for the second ticket to the ESWC. Chance beat Daniel "Carnage" Sturdivant in the lower bracket. Judging by the previous game between rapha and chance, rapha is going to be the favourite to qualify.

In the meantime, destrukt can sit back and start studying demos for the ESWC tournament in August.