HOTU Win Roman Imperium Cup V and Move Closer to VRS Top 20

Team HOTU claimed victory at Roman Imperium Cup V, defeating Gentle Mates in the grand final and earning $5,929 in prize money. This success allowed the squad to climb to 21st place in Valve’s global ranking, bringing them closer to the coveted top-20 zone.

The tournament became a true breakout moment for 22-year-old rifler Dmitry “mizu” Kondratyev. Throughout the event in Portugal, he delivered outstanding individual performances, finishing with an impressive average rating of 1.42. Notably, on six out of the nine maps played, his rating exceeded 1.58 - a rare level of consistency for a LAN tournament.

HOTU’s lineup also features David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan and coach Rustem “mou” Telepov. In the final against Gentle Mates, the team faced serious resistance. Despite suffering a crushing 0:13 defeat on the second map, HOTU managed to regroup and close out the series 2:1. A key role in the decisive map was played by n0rb3r7: the Rio Major champion delivered a phenomenal performance on his signature map Overpass, finishing with a 2.01 rating and effectively securing the title for his team.

On their way to the final, HOTU confidently defeated Betclic (2:0) and fnatic (2:0), demonstrating stable form throughout the tournament. In the third-place match, BetBoom defeated fnatic 2:1.

Special attention should also be given to the debut of 100 Thieves. The new roster sensationally eliminated Ninjas in Pyjamas during the group stage. According to VRS expert Finn “Mischief” Farrar, this victory earned the team 118 ranking points, although they will need three more LAN wins to secure an official ranking position.

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For HOTU, the Roman Imperium Cup V title opens new opportunities. In April, the team will test themselves at IEM Rio and still have a chance to qualify for the Cologne Major.