Slhoka
Smash Lord
The ESA series has always been the most well-known European tournament series, always gathering many top European players in France. Ever since 2010, and ESA4, we haven't had a major event in the series. But this time, it was back, and some great players like Armada, Over, Ice, Leffen or Fuzzyness (among others) joined the top French players for this event.
With 63 people from 6 different countries, it was the largest tournament in France since ESA4 in 2010, the current French scene having a lot of small events, but no big ones.
Various facts (spoilers here, but after all, you're in a results thread)
- Armada is now the most titled player of the ESA series, with 3 wins and one third place. He was previously tied with Amsah, who had 2 wins and 2 second places.
- Armada hasn't lost a single set at the ESA series since his loss to CaptainJack in losers finals of ESA2, in early 2008. This time, his Peach has been on her last stock only once, versus Cyr's Samus (to be confirmed)
- Many revenges happened at this tournament, and Fuzzyness was involved in many of them : he lost to Baxon in pools and beat him in the bracket, but then beat Ice in winners' before losing to him in losers' finals. And he and leffen won 3-4 versus Armada and Ice in doubles winners finals, before losing 4-0 both grand finals sets.
- The players from Lyon, usually considered to be one of the strongest city in the French smash community, all lost pretty early in singles. On the opposite, old-timers Doraki and Bunwa (previously known as Benoit) both placed fairly well in singles, and also performed decently in teams.
- Cyr finally manages to outplace every other French player! Sadly, he does that at a tournament with great European players in attendance, and doesn't win it.
- Aether keeps surprising everyone: 5th at the two last major French tournaments, he reaches an encouraging 9th place. Not bad for a Link player from a city with only a few smashers.
Videos
Videos are being uploaded on LeFrenchMelee, France's Melee community Youtube channel, and a Smashboards thread will be available soon.
Results
Out of curiosity, I checked how far everyone went in the bracket according to their seeds in pools. I coloured the names to show it.
Placed first in pools
Placed second in pools
Placed third in pools
Placed fourth in pools
Singles :
63 players : 8 pools of 7 or 8, top 4 advancing to a 32-man bracket
Bracket

1. Armada

2. Ice

3. Fuzzyness

4. OverTriforce

5. Cyr

5. leffen

7. Android

7. VanityAngel

9. Aether

9. Doraki

9. Tekk

9. Bunwa

13. porc

13. Salepâte

13. Trinity

13. Mahie

17. Aska

17. Feca-Link

17. *Zen

17. Baxon

17. Mrik

17. Wuschl

17. Phyr

17. Samplay

25. X-17

25. Qlex

25. Fauster Fayk

25. Slhoka

25. Willy

25. Kurogane

25. Charlon

25. Baker

---End of the bracket---
33. Styx

33. Metalfox

33. JiM

33. Leon

33. SaiX

33. CM

33. Jam

33. Roxas

41. Fays

41. Shloub

41. Nedved

41. BSeed

41. Alex21

41. Gorn

41. Meo

41. Hiryuu

49. Meljin

49. Qual

49. Redjilfox


49. Datto

49. Tenebron

49. Latouffe

49. 8=Mono=D

49. Joanna Dark

57. Sky

57. Maynstorm

57. DraKuLa666

57. Kens

57. Kipkovsky

57. Gobe

57. Seya

Pools








Doubles :
19 teams, no pools
Bracket

1. AR ICE (Armada + Ice)
2. Fuzzyness + Leffen
3. Les Super Wagons (porc + Salepâte)
4. Willy + Tekk
5. Baxon Angel (Baxon + Vanity Angel)
5. Bunwa + Doraki
7. Phyr + SaiX
7. La fessée powershieldropée (Aska + Charlon)
9. CM + Aether :random:+
9. FausSeeD du Nord (Cyr + Slhoka)
9. Cyrka du Sud (Fauster Fayk + BSeeD)
9. Kanker lekker (Mahie + Fays) :random:+
13. Baltimore du 59 (Samplay + X-17)
13. JiM + MetalFox
13. Meljin + *Zen :random:+
13. Fécalorik (Feca-Link + Mrik)
17. Sky + TNB (Sky + Tenebron)
17. Seya + Shloub (Seya + Shloub)
17. NedD (Nedved + Joanna Dark)