[INTERVIEW] Maelk & Levent Double Interview

[jkt-Seen]

Double interview with Maelk and LevenT

Two unknown Russian teams, the two favorites Kingsurf.int and Ravens. Thats how the participants of DTS-Cup looked like on the first glance. A determined ending from start on. But it was different than everyone thought. The Eastern European teams suprised everybody with their impressive teamplay and new tactics. On the other hand Ks.int had to play without Levent 'LevenT' Isyapar and even Ravens came to Ukraine without Ingame-Leader Jacob 'Maelk' Toft-Andersen. fragster had a talk with both about the progress of the tournament.

Suprisingly some of the favourits already lost during the group stage. The first victim was the romanian team Next!Please. The team full of players that reached third place with TeG at ESWC Master 2008 could only achieve one win in three games and dropped lacklusterly out the tournament. But also the big favorite Kingsurf.international joined them shortly after. The tournament ended for the winner of the Dota-League Master after two loses in the two playoff games. Facing the excellent teamplay of their opponents, they seemed pretty helpless and even trying to bring the game to late game could not save their day. The games were mostly already decided in the first half. It seems as if leader Puppey did not trust in the skills of stand-in ash, because he gave up trained strategies that ash could play the crystal maiden which is easy for him to handle.

The second big favorite Ravens is still in the tournament but it was not that easy as they may thought. With only four victories from six games they are currently in the Lower Bracket Finals. The euphoric announcement of an all-Danish team seems not to bear any fruits at the moment. A reason for that could be the absence of their leader Jacob 'Maelk' Toft-Andersen who was not able to attend due to time issues.

Interview with Levent 'LevenT' Isyapar of Kingsurf.int

fragster: Problems with visa are the offcial reason for your absence at the tournament. What happened exactly?

The gridLevent 'LevenT' Isyapar: I did not inform myself adequately enough and the problem is quiet simple: EU citizens are allowed to travel to Ukraine without visa. Since I only have a Turkish passport, there were some complications. I actually thought that I would get treated as a kind of EU citizens due to my permanent residence permission for Germany and that there won't be any problems. In other words, I was all too casually and therefore I was rejected at the check-in at the airport in Berlin.

When did you get to know that you won't be able to participate in the tournament?
LevenT: On Friday. A woman at the check-in called someone from the Ukrainian consulate in Berlin. He told me that I would get a visa if I would show up personally at the consulate and apply for it. That was rather impossible because the plane would start in half an hour. I tried everything to get another flight but there were no later ones and the earliest was on Saturday what would have been too late. So I told Kuro that I would not be able to accompany him but at least he should take the flight, so the team could play with 4 players plus one stand-in.

Why did you ultimately choose Ash? Was he already at the tournament?

LevenT: We wanted to play there with a 5-men line-up and so it was clear from beginning that Hann1 would not travel with us because he is new and the rest of the team got a better synergy at the moment. I can't tell you anything about ash. I told Kuro that they should try to get a stand-in, so they would be able to play. Probably ash was at the tournament as an organizer or visitor and as he was well known in the scene, I thing it was a logic move to use him.

Did you think beforehand that teams like CosmosTV and 1dota would be such a hard challenge, or are you rather suprised about their strength?

LevenT: I was definitely surprised. There was always a strange feeling about the unkown Russian team but that they would play that good, I never imagined. I think they got the advantage that nobody of the West European teams knows them and their style. But after I watched the replays, I can say without any doubt that we would have been able to beat them.

Do you think that the results in the tournament would be different if you had the chance to participate?

LevenT: Yes, I'm convinced it would have run differently. I think they are all pretty disappointed, especially Kuro. All our strats are build around the 5-man lineup. And they didn't seem to really have the confidence when playing with a stand-in and therefore have played accordingly.

Who do you think will win the tournament?

LevenT: In my opinion the team from Kazakhstan or 1dota will win the tournament because the showed the best teamplay and coordination. I don't think Ravens can keep up with this.


Interview with Jacob 'Maelk' Toft-Andersen of Ravens

fragster: As ingame leader of Ravens but you're missing at the tournament. What are the reasons for your absence?

Jacob 'Maelk' Toft-Andersen: I couldn't be absent from my job during the traveldays of the tournament (Friday/Monday) and I already commited to an event in my family, that I simply couldn't bail out on.

Did you think beforehand that teams like CosmosTV and 1dota would be such a hard challenge, or are you rather suprised about their strength?

Maelk: 1DotA is, to my knowledge, also known as the Russian national team and we have played them before where players such as BeasT and Dread proved their worldclass talent, so that they are a tough opponenent doesn't surprise me at all. The Kazakhs, Os|One, is a big surprise although they seem to play the same herolineup all their games.

Would your attendance have changed the progress of the tournament? For example to evade losses against OsOne and 1dota?

Maelk: With all due respect to our opponents, yes. I prefer not going into details, though.

Have you already talked to your teammates?

Maelk: I've talked briefly with PusHer, but nothing in details, just results and such.

Who is going to win the tournament in your oppinion after all?

Maelk: If not us, then I believe 1DotA will. They seem to have great coordination and I believe them to be more wellrounded than Os|One, meaning that if blowyourbrain does his research, they'll most likely be able to pick a lineup that fits them better than Os|One can.

Source: fragster.de

[LakonE]

Maelk tuh urusan keluarga apa ya? pa gak boleh sama Mamanya :P