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FlyQuest triumphed at ESL Challenger Atlanta 2024, claiming a 2-1 (13-10, 14-16, 13-9) victory over BIG in a thrilling grand final on Sunday.
This win marks a significant morale boost for the team after several challenging months, and it ends a long international trophy drought for Australian Counter-Strike that stretched back to the SL i-League Invitational Shanghai in 2017.
YOUR #ESLChallenger ATLANTA CHAMPIONS – @FlyQuestCS 🥳
🏆 @dextersjourney
🏆 @liazzgo
🏆 @aliStair_CS
🏆 @inscsgo
🏆 @vexite_
🏆 @erkaStCSGO pic.twitter.com/Jct7RrKr5S— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) October 7, 2024
“It’s pretty insane,” said Christopher “dexter” Nong after the match.
“It’s a huge accomplishment for the scene. It’s everything I could wish for.”
One of the standout performances came from Alistair “aliStair” Johnston, who had been under scrutiny for his recent form but silenced his critics with a dominant showing on Dust2, posting a 1.57 rating.
Reflecting on his performance, the Australian AWPer said, “The boys are always pushing me forward, never putting me down or blaming me.
“I’m glad I could show a good performance for them today. They have always had my back.”
FlyQuest’s unbeaten tournament run now serves as motivation for the rest of the season, with their next major challenge being the Perfect World Shanghai Major Asia RMR, scheduled for November 11-13 in Shanghai.
The grand final kicked off on Ancient, BIG’s map pick, where a 1v3 clutch from Karim “Krimbo” Moussa gave them an early advantage.
However, FlyQuest took control after stabilising their economy, going on a 10-0 run to close the half.
Though BIG mounted a comeback in the second half, FlyQuest’s surprise eco-round victory shifted momentum, allowing them to secure the map despite Krimbo’s heroics.
The second map, Vertigo, was a nail-biter, going into overtime.
BIG, after a poor counter-terrorist side, managed to hit map point at 12-10.
FlyQuest fought back to force overtime, but BIG claimed the map after a crucial 1v2 clutch from Florian “syrsoN” Rische.
The series was ultimately decided on Dust2.
FlyQuest built a commanding 9-3 lead with a stellar counter-terrorist performance.
BIG mounted a strong comeback after the switch, narrowing the deficit to a single round.
But in a pivotal moment, aliStair pulled off a quad-kill in a 2v4 situation, turning the tide and sealing the championship for FlyQuest.
After months of disappointing results, FlyQuest’s victory at ESL Challenger Atlanta 2024 signals a resurgence for Australian CS.
The team walks away with a $50,000 prize and a spot at ESL Pro League Season 21.
This hard-fought win may not have been clean, but for these players, it represents their first major Counter-Strike trophy (with the exception of dexter), and they’ll savour the accomplishment.
For aliStair, in particular, this tournament was a breakthrough.
After facing criticism for underperformance, his heroics on Dust2—where he delivered clutch after clutch—played a key role in FlyQuest’s triumph.
If he can maintain this level of play, FlyQuest could make a serious impact at larger events in the future.
🏆 Raise it high! You've earned it! @FlyQuestCS#ESLChallenger pic.twitter.com/8mDTLGKSgP
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) October 7, 2024
