Check out the VRS impact of ESL Challenger S51 Cup 1

The first cup of ESL Challenger Season 51 ended last night with M80 winning the online event 2-1 over Voca in the final. With all matches over and the placements decided, we want to take a look at how the event affected the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). As the event featured 16 teams, we'll focus on the highlights (and lowlights).

Starting with the winners, M80 got a solid +26 points from the event, pushing them to #26 on the world ranking. They were expected to win going in, and they delivered to take home the $8,000 first-place prize. Voca lost the final, but earned the second-most points of the event due to their two victories over higher-ranked Marsborne and the $4,000 runner-up prize.

Looking beyond the finalists, the biggest winner in terms of points gained and slots climbed was Zomblers. They entered the tournament below some of the more notable names, but made it to 5th-6th place, gaining 67 points and 30 slots. Rave, Outfit 49, and InControl also made significant gains.

The biggest point loss of the event goes to Sakura, who lost 26 points and dropped 13 slots on the ranking. Rough losses to Mythic and Zomblers sent them out in last place. OverKnight, SportsBetExpert, and regain also lost both of their matches, hurting their rankings.

Lastly, while Marsborne and LAG didn't lose many points from the event, this was arguably a missed opportunity for progress. Back-to-back losses against Voca knocked Marsborne out in third and cost them a couple of points. LAG's surprisingly early exit to InControl halted a big chance to climb the ranking, but they would win the Dust2.us Eagle Masters Series 6 shortly after to make up for it.