Pokémon Champions Crowned At 2011 National Championships in Indianapolis

After two hard-fought days of head-to-head battles this weekend, the nation’s top Pokémon video game players were crowned at the 2011 Pokémon Video Game U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The top eight players in each age division all earned an invitation to represent the U.S. in the 2011 Pokémon Video Game World Championships in San Diego, California, August 12th-14th, with the top four finishers winning travel and accommodations. The tournament drew more than 500 Pokémon video game players, family, and fans from across the U.S.

Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version video games, ended with 24 Pokémon Trainers, divided equally into three divisions-the Junior Division (born in 2000 or later), the Senior Division (born in 1996-1999), and the Masters Division (born in 1995 or earlier)-and each earning guaranteed spots in the upcoming Pokémon Video Game World Championships, where they will compete against some of the best Pokémon video game players from Europe, Japan, and South Korea.

To qualify for the invite-only Pokémon Video Game World Championships in San Diego, players participated in qualifying tournaments held in seven cities leading up to the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis.  The Pokémon U.S. National and World Championships are premier events managed by The Pokémon Company International.

The final results for the 2011 Pokémon Video Game U.S. National Championships are as follows:

JUNIORS
1^st Place – Henry Maxon, age 11, Carnation, WA
2^nd Place – Brendan Zheng, age 8, Fresh Meadows, NY
3^rd Place – Luke Lavin, age 11, Marietta, GA
4^th Place – Brian Hough, age 6, Ann Arbor, MI
5^th Place – Scott Ramirtha, age 8, Sugarland, TX
6^th Place – Tristan Lankford, age 9, Athens, GA
7^th Place – Janelle Hagan, age 7, New Bremen, OH
8^th Place – Grace Arnold, age 11, Frankfort, IL

SENIORS
1^st Place – Aaron Zheng, age 13, Freshmeadows, NY
2^nd Place – David Arnold, age 14, Frankfort, IL
3^rd Place – Phillip Codio, age 14, Floral Park, NY
4^th Place – Aaron Traylor, age 14, Boston, MA
5^th Place – Kristian Mosquito, age 15, New York, NY
6^th Place – Brandon Mitchell, age 15, Memphis, TN
7^th Place – Enosh Shachal, age 15, Tenafly, NJ
8^th Place – Brandon Tang, age 13, Fort Wayne, IN

 MASTERS

1^st Place – Wolfe Glick, age 15, McLean, VA
2^nd Place – Dan Zollner, age 23, Edgeweater Park, NJ
3^rd Place – Simon Yip, age 19, New York, NY
4^th Place – Michael Floccare, age 18, Baltimore, MD
5^th Place – Greyson Garren, age 17, Metamora, IL
6^th Place – Jason Fisher-Short, age 28, Phoenix, AZ
7^th Place – Matt Coyle, age 21, Buffalo, NY
8^th Place – Stephen Morioka, age 21, Chicago, IL