Historical Analysis of the Altador Cup

     Good morning sports fans! It is everyone’s favourite time of the year again – it is time for the ALTADOR CUP! This year’s event will be the sixteenth time that nations from Neopia duke it out for the coveted trophy. Personally, I enjoy analyzing data; therefore, this is an article discussing each nation that participates in the Altador Cup, analyzing their averages, and ranking them accordingly.

     Some things to discuss beforehand – every nation’s ranking has been rounded to the closet whole number; therefore, some teams might average the same finish, but their ranking is further determined by the actual decimal value. Also, when teams are mentioned to be in the top half of competitors or bottom half of competitors, remember that means 1st through 9th places (top half) and 10th through 18th places (bottom half) respectively.

     With all that being said, sit back, grab a can of your favourite Neocola and let’s get started.

     TEAM ANALYSIS

     ALTADOR

     Altador is the nation that hosts the legendary Altador Cup. You would think this would give them a leg up in the content – you would think wrong! Altador has consistently placed in the bottom half of the contestants, with their highest placing being a 10th place showing in Altador Cup XI. However, Altador did manage to hit the podium one year, finishing 2nd in Altador Cup VIII. Overall, Altador averages a 14th place finish, ranking them as the 16th best team in the competition.

     BRIGHTVALE

     Brightvale is a nation that prides itself on knowledge. Their knowledge of the Altador cup however seems to be lacking! Out of the 15 Altador Cups thus far, Brightvale has only participated in 14 of them – King Hagan pulling his team out of Altador Cup IV claiming “that reputable scholars were slacking due to their keen support of their Yooyuball squad”. Brightvale tends to finish in the lower half of the teams, with a couple of higher-ranking finishes as 8th (Altador Cup I) and 6th (Altador Cup XI) – however, last year in Altador Cup XV, Brightvale finally found the podium and placed 3rd. Overall, Brightvale averages a 10th place finish, ranking them as the 14th best team in the competition.

     DARIGAN CITADEL

     Darigan Citadel is a dark nation that floats above Meridell. Throughout the history of the Altador Cup, Darigan Citadel has NEVER finished in the lower half of the teams, despite back-to-back 9th place finishes in Altador Cups X and XI. Darigan Citadel has been a strong team throughout the history of the Altador Cup, finishing 3rd (Altador Cup V), 2nd (Altador Cup I), and 1st (Altador Cup II). Last year, Darigan Citadel finished 4th, just narrowly missing the podium. Overall, Darigan Citadel averages a 6th place finish, ranking them as the 3rd best team in the competition.

     FAERIELAND

     Faerieland was once a mighty flying land home to the faeries, which fell to the surface of Neopia in Year 12. Faerieland has consistently been a disappointment to fans of the team throughout the history of the Altador Cup. Faerieland’s highest showing in the Altador Cup has been 4th place; a tie with Meridell for 4th in Altador Cup XI and winning 4th place outright in Altador Cup XIII. Every other year of the Altador Cup, Faerieland has finished in the lower half of the teams, with one last place finish in Altador Cup XIV. Overall, Faerieland averages a 14th place finish, ranking them as the 17th best team in the competition.

     HAUNTED WOODS

     Haunted Woods is a spooky team that always seems to be hungry for brains. Haunted Woods won the very first Altador Cup when it was an elimination tournament. Haunted Woods then delivered mediocre performances in Altador Cups II through VIII, before becoming the first team to ever win the Altador Cup twice in Altador Cup IX. However, that seemed to be the stopping point for their team – since then, Haunted Woods has not finished higher than 15th place. Many fans speculate as to what has caused this sudden shift in their performance. Overall, Haunted Woods averages an 11th place finish, ranking them as the 15th best team in the competition.

     KIKO LAKE

     Kiko Lake is a cove outside of Neopia Central, home to most of the Kikos in Neopia. Throughout the history of the Altador cup, Kiko Lake has been a formidable opponent. However, during Altador Cup III, Kiko Lake could not participate because their team was trapped in a landslide. This did not slow down Kiko Lake though – they found the podium for three straight Altador Cups (X, XI, and XII) with two first place finishes and a third. Kiko Lake is the only team to win three Altador Cups with their spectacular first place finish during last year’s Altador Cup. Overall, Kiko Lake averages a 9th place finish, ranking them as the 11th best team in the competition.

     KRAWK ISLAND

     Krawk Island is a pirate nation located west of Mystery Island. Krawk Island has always been a tough competitor during the Altador Cup, never finishing below 8th place. Krawk Island has finished on the podium four separate times, claiming a third-place trophy, two second-place trophies, and a first-place trophy in Altador Cup IV. Yet, since the bracket system competition was implemented in Altador Cup VII, Krawk Island has not reached the podium, mainly claiming 7th and 8th place finishes. Overall, Krawk Island averages a 4th place finish, ranking them as THE best team in the competition.

     KRELUDOR

     Kreludor is the only moon that orbits around Neopia, home to advanced scientific activities. Kreludor has always been a challenge to competitors throughout the history of the Altador Cup. However, Kreludor has not always been a part of the Altador Cup – due to gravity issues, Kreludor had to withdraw from Altador Cup II. Despite this setback, Kreludor has managed to find themselves on the podium five times during the Altador Cup – one third place finish, three second place finishes, and one first place finish in Altador Cup VII. Overall, Kreludor averages a 5th place finish, ranking them as the 2nd best team in the competition.

     LOST DESERT

     Lost Desert is a lost nation, found during Year 3. Lost Desert has always been a strong competitor throughout the history of the Altador Cup. In the early history of the Altador Cup, Lost Desert finished on the podium three times in a row, finishing third twice (Altador Cups III and IV) before winning Altador Cup V. Since then, Lost Desert has struggled, finishing in a multitude of different places, with their lowest placing being 16th in Altador Cup IX. Overall, Lost Desert averages an 8th place finish, ranking them for a tie as the 6th best team in the competition with Roo Island and Tyrannia.

     MARAQUA

     Maraqua is an underwater nation in Neopia, home to many aquatic Neopets. Maraqua has long since been the fan favourite to win the Altador Cup; yet, they have not made it to the first-place position. Maraqua has had some disappointing finishes, notably, their 14th place finish in Altador Cup XI. However, the next year Maraqua found themselves on the podium, snagging a 3rd place finish. Maraqua ended up on the podium once more, with another 3rd place finish in Altador Cup XIV. Overall, Maraqua averages a 7th place finish, ranking them as the 5th best team in the competition.

     MERIDELL

     Meridell is the rival kingdom to Brightvale, priding themselves on keeping medieval traditions alive. Despite their medieval traditions, Meridell has always put together a tough team of athletes for the Altador Cup. Meridell has only finished in the bottom half of competitors once, finishing 11th in Altador Cup IV. Despite their fighting spirit, Meridell has yet to grab a first-place finish, coming up short in Altador Cups VII, XIII, and XV with a third-place finish, second place finish, and second-place finish respectively. Overall, Meridell averages a 6th place finish, ranking them as the 4th best team in the competition.

     MOLTARA

     Moltara is a cavernous nation, found in Neopia Year 11. Since their discovery was not until Year 11, Moltara did not get a chance to participate in the first four Altador Cups. Despite being a newcomer to the competition, Moltara has only finished in the top half of the competitors once, in Altador Cup XI, with a third-place finish. Every other Altador Cup, Moltara has consistently placed either last or next to last. Overall, Moltara averages a 16th place finish, ranking them as the 18th best team in the competition.

     MYSTERY ISLAND

     Mystery Island is a tropic nation, home to many secrets. Mystery Island has been a consistent opponent throughout the history of the Altador Cup, finishing in a range of places between 16th and 4th. Mystery Island has finished on the podium twice – a 2nd place finish in Altador Cup VII and a 1st place finish in Altador Cup XI. However, since their first-place finish, Mystery Island lost their edge, finishing in the lower half of competitors 3 out of the 4 past Altador Cups. Overall, Mystery Island averages a 9th place finish, ranking them as the 10th best team in the competition.

     ROO ISLAND

     Roo Island is a fun little nation, home to carnivals and merriment. Roo Island has finished all over the board throughout the history of the Altador cup, with their lowest finish coming last year in Altador Cup XV, when they finished 16th. Roo Island has found their spot on the podium three times; a third-place finish in Altador Cup VIII, a second-place finish in Altador Cup II, and a first-place finish in Altador Cup III. Overall, Roo Island averages an 8th place finish, ranking them for a tie as the 6th best team in the competition with Lost Desert and Tyrannia.

     SHENKUU

     Shenkuu is an ancient civilization, settled in the hills of a mountain in Neopia. Shenkuu was a nation that was discovered in Year 8, so they were unavailable to participate in Altador Cup I. However, Shenkuu was quick to put together a team with a fighting spirit, finishing third in Altador Cup II. Shenkuu found the podium for a second-place finish in Altador Cup IV. Since then, Shenkuu has not found the podium again – mainly placing in the lower half of the competitors. Last year, Shenkuu had decent luck, finishing in 8th place. Overall, Shenkuu averages a 10th place finish, ranking them as the 12th best team in the competition.

     TERROR MOUNTAIN

     Terror Mountain is a frozen tundra, located in Neopia’s northern most mountains. Terror Mountain has always put together a strong team, with surprising upsets throughout the competition. Yet, it was not until Altador Cup XIII that Terror Mountain found themselves on the podium, with a strong third place finish. The very next year, Altador Cup XIV, Terror Mountain finally won themselves the coveted Altador Cup. The early years of the Altador Cup were not as kind for Terror Mountain, with them usually placing in the bottom half of competitors. Overall, Terror Mountain averages a 9th place finish, ranking them as the 9th best team in the competition.

     TYRANNIA

     Tyrannia is a prehistoric nation, home to large foods, concerts, and prehistoric Neopets. Tyrannia has been dubbed the “unofficial champions of side games” when it comes to the Altador Cup – something that every other team fears when they must face Tyrannia. Despite this, Tyrannia struggled in the early years of the Altador Cup, with their highest place being a 6th place finish in Altador Cup VI. However, Tyrannia silenced the doubters when they won Altador Cup VIII. Since then, Tyrannia has found the podium three more times, with a third-place finish in Altador Cup X, a second-place finish in Altador Cup XI, and another first-place finish in Altador Cup XIII. Overall, Tyrannia averages an 8th place finish, ranking them for a tie as the 6th best team in the competition with Lost Desert and Roo Island.

     VIRTUPETS

     Virtupets is a floating space station that revolves around Neopia, created by Dr. Frank Sloth. Virtupets has been an inconsistent fighter throughout the history of the Altador Cup. Virtupets has finished as low as 16th place (Altador Cups VIII, X, and XI) but have found the podium three times for a first-place finish (Altador Cup VI) and two second place finishes (Altador Cups IX and XIV). Virtupets has put together a decent team in some years but has generally finished in the lower half of teams. Overall, Virtupets averages a 10th place finish, ranking them as the 13th best team in the competition.

     SUMMARY

     Well, there we have it – the teams of the Altador Cup have been ranked according to their average finishing places throughout the history of the Altador Cup. Who will take home the Altador Cup this year? Will Faerieland finally win a spot on the podium? Will Moltara make it into the top half of competitors? Will Kiko Lake repeat their amazing performance from last year? Only time will tell, folks!

     1st: Krawk Island

     2nd: Kreludor

     3rd: Darigan Citadel

     4th: Meridell

     5th: Maraqua

     T-6th: Tyrannia, Lost Desert, Roo Island

     9th: Terror Mountain

     10th: Mystery Island

     11th: Kiko Lake

     12th: Shenkuu

     13th: Virtupets

     14th: Brightvale

     15th: Haunted Woods

     16th: Altador

     17th: Faerieland

     18th: Moltara