Trace Esports have punched their ticket to their second consecutive international event.
CHINA – Trace Esports become the first team to book a spot at VALORANT Masters Bangkok after securing a guaranteed top-two finish at the 2025 VCT CN Kickoff.
Ho “heybay” Shun-hei and his team dominated their first three matches, sweeping Dragon Ranger Gaming and EDward Gaming without dropping a single map before clinching their qualification with a 2-1 victory over Bilibili Gaming (Bind 13-8, Haven 10-13, Lotus 13-6).
The final spot will be decided this Friday in a best-of-five between Bilibili Gaming and EDward Gaming, with the winner advancing to the grand finals for a rematch against Trace Esports the next day.
“Maps 1 and 2 were a bit tight, but afterward, we told the players to focus on the game itself and enjoy the match,” coach Zhang “Yiyee” Tianyuan reflected on the team’s performance in the post-match press conference. “As for Map 3, it may have better reflected our scrim performance or our usual level of play. At the very least, we played with more cohesion. Map 3 came down to who was more determined, and we secured the win.”
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With this qualification, Trace Esports will make their second international appearance, following an impressive run at VALORANT Champions Seoul. During the tournament, they pulled off stunning victories over EMEA’s Team Vitality and heavy favorites LEVIATAN in the group stage. This time, they’ll be representing China alongside one other team, a much smaller contingent compared to the four teams from each region at Champions.
“We made quite a few adjustments during the OFF//SEASON, joining some tournaments and doing a lot of reviews. Our weak point before was the map pool, so since we weren’t performing well enough, we focused on practicing the maps we weren’t familiar with. Now, we’ve started this kickoff in a state where we are capable of playing all seven maps. We’re always looking to improve and keep moving forward.”
VCT CN will finalize its two representatives for Masters by the end of this week, ahead of other international leagues, which will conclude their qualification rounds in about two weeks. This expedited timeline is due to the Chinese New Year/Spring Festival, which is the biggest holiday in China and typically spans one to two weeks.
When asked who he’s most excited to face in Bangkok, Lu “Kai” Zhinan singled out a rematch against LEVIATAN, eager for the chance to go up against former EG duelist and Champions 2023 MVP Max “Demon1” Mazanov.
“The expectation is just to play our best in the matches!” heybay answered regarding Trace Esports’ expectations at VALORANT Masters Bangkok. “Saying we’re aiming for the championship might be a bit… well, it’s not that we can’t win, but it’s still quite far off. We’ll take it step by step—first, get out of the group stage, then make it to the semifinals and finals.”
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Cover photo courtesy of VALORANT Esports CN
