News: The Stand Up Challenge Cup 2013 Begins!

The first North American national championship for 2013 formally began this past Friday, with shops all across the nation opening their doors as local qualifiers for gaining entry into the regional tournaments. Lasting up through March 31st, almost 300 shops across North America will be distributing regional invitations to the top two tournament winners; with 25 regionals being held, this means that more cardfighters will be turning pro in 2013 than in any preceding year.

Already the reigning national and world champion Brandon Smith has qualified, and like many others, is awaiting his regional assignment from Bushiroad USA. In addition to their regional invitations, those who qualify receive a commemorative button showing that they were one of the top two finishers at the tournament.

As part of our coverage, readers can send in their stories to be featured on Cardfight Pro as part of a community effort. To get your Challenge Cup story featured, mail it in to vanguardunitedstates@gmail.com. Photos of your events are also encouraged.

News: Team League 2013, World Championship 2013 Announced

Just today Bushiroad has opened up about the Cardfight!! Vanguard Team League 2013, an international team tournament that drew much attention from what was seen on posters but that up until today very little of which was concretely known about.

Bushiroad's press release paints a clear picture of how the tournament is being structured, as the first international team tournament of its kind. Spread out over three months from April through July, the Team League will be held in North America, Europe and Asia-Oceania; each team will consist of three members in a three-on-three format unique to Bushiroad properties. As with the 2013 National Championship, tournaments begin at the shop qualifier level in April to May, progressing to regional qualifiers in select stores from May to June, and then go on to continental finals for each region in June to July. For North America, the continental finals will be in Los Angeles. Listings will open up in March 2013, and as with NC2013 there will be a last-minute qualifier the day before the continental finals.

Most surprisingly however, in something of a Steve Jobs "one more thing" moment, the very last line of the press release confirms what many have been speculating on for some time now, that there will be a World Championship 2013 in the latter half of the year. The original press release is presented below, unmodified.

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bushiroad Announces Cardfight!! Vanguard Team League 2013
Singapore, February 15, 2013 – Bushiroad South East Asia Pte Ltd and Bushiroad USA Inc announced a new Cardfight!! Vanguard tournament series: the Team League 2013. This will be the first ever Bushiroad-sanctioned international team tournaments in Cardfight!! Vanguard.
The Cardfight!! Vanguard Team League 2013 is a three-stage, team tournament campaign running from April through July across the North American, Europe and Asia-Oceania regions.
Players of all ages may form teams, consisting of three members, to face against rival teams in a continental level championship utilizing Bushiroad’s unique three-on-three team tournament format. Participating teams will receive promotional goods unique to Team League 2013.
The tournament structure is split across three phases; open shop qualifiers from April to May, regional qualifiers in selected tournament stores from May to June, and continental finals for each region in end June to July.
Tournament shops currently registered with Bushiroad will be eligible to hold open shop qualifiers.
The open shop qualifiers will be open to all teams across all three regions. These qualifiers will be listed on the Cardfight!! Vanguard website in March 2013. The top placing teams in each shop qualifier will receive an invitation to regional qualifiers in selected tournament stores in their specific regions. Regional qualifier team champions will be awarded with invitations and travel/lodging fees to the continental finals in their region. Second placing teams will only be awarded invitations to the continental finals in each region.
The finals for the North American region will be held in Los Angeles, CA, in July, with a venue to be confirmed. An open qualifier for the Team League will take place the day before the Team League finals (venue and date TBD), for players who have missed their chance on participating in the open shop qualifiers.
The finals for the European region will be held in the United Kingdom in July, with a venue and specific date to be confirmed.
The finals for the Asia-Oceania region will be held in Singapore in end June/early July, with a venue and specific date to be announced. Similar to the North American Team League qualifiers, an open qualifier will take place the day before at the same venue.
More details will be revealed on the Cardfight!! Vanguard website and Facebook pages as the dates draws near.
Bushiroad concluded their first international tournament series: World Championship 2012, in December 2012. The World Championship 2012 focused on individual players. The World Championship 2013 will be held in the latter half of 2013."

News: National Championship 2013, Stand Up Challenge Cup

Just today Bushiroad has announced the start dates for the 2013 North American national championship, opening the 2013 tournament season with the second national level competition to shake the continent. This championship will follow a considerably different design scheme from the previous one, beginning at the shop level rather than the regional; the top two winners in local shop tournaments--of which there are currently 270--will be invited to one of the 25 regional qualifiers, victory at which will allow them to proceed to the championship finals in June.

This three-stage format follows the double elimination, twenty minute single round format of previous tournaments, and will allow for last minute qualification on the day before the championship. In all, there are projected to be more than 500 participants in the regionals and 50 in the finals, only one of which can be crowned the 2013 National Champion. The 2012 champion and celebrated cardfighter Brandon Smith is already known to be making a return appearance, leading some to speculate that the United States may soon have a Rikino Sakura of its own. The original press release is presented below, unmodified.

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bushiroad USA Inc. Announces Cardfight!! Vanguard Stand Up Challenge Cup 2013

Walnut, CA, February 8, 2013 – Bushiroad USA Inc. announced a new Cardfight!! Vanguard tournament for North America: the Stand Up Challenge Cup 2013.

The Cardfight!! Vanguard Stand Up Challenge Cup 2013 is a three-stage, one-on-one player tournament running from March to June, and is a tournament exclusive to North America. Players will participate in store qualifiers for a chance to win invitations to the regional qualifiers. With over 270 stores signed on, only the first and second place finishers at each qualified store will receive an invitation to the regional qualifiers.

There will be 25 regional qualifiers spread throughout the United States, with one regional qualifier for Mexico and one regional qualifier for Canada. The winner of each regional qualifier will receive an invitation to the Stand Up Challenge Cup finals along with airfare and hotel accomodations. Second place finishers from each regional will only receive invitations to the finals.

The Stand Up Challenge Cup finals is scheduled to take place on June 2, venue to be announced. A last minute qualifier will take place the day before on June 1 at the same venue.

Further details and updates about the Stand Up Challenge Cup 2013 can be found at  http://cf-vanguard.com/en/event/stand-up-2013/."