Pro SPEC Kickoff: A Night of Thrills and Rivalries in Kansas City

In Kansas City, both pilots showed why their rivalry has become the stuff of legends. In the first match, CaptainVanover dominated, flying with precision and speed that left his competitors trailing in his wake. He clinched the victory, securing his place in the Grand Final. Not to be outdone, Headsup responded with a flawless performance in Match 2, taking the win and earning his spot alongside Vanover in the ultimate showdown. The stage was set for a clash of titans in the Grand Final, with everyone eager to see who would come out on top.

Amari’s Incredible Comeback

Christian “Amari” Von Sloun, a fan-favorite and top contender, faced an uphill battle throughout the night. After leading the qualifying rounds with a blistering top 3 consecutive time of 1:13.962, Amari’s journey took a dramatic turn. A crash in Match 1 followed by another in Match 2 saw him plummet to 16th place on the leaderboard, a position unthinkable for someone of his caliber.

Amari point leadeboard position before Match 3

With his back against the wall, Amari knew Match 3 was his last shot. In a display of grit and determination, he pulled off what seemed impossible—winning the race against strong opponents like Adrone, KalliFPV, and Taxoo. But Amari wasn’t done. In the Match 3 final, he capitalized on mistakes by Vanover and Headsup, soaring to victory and securing his spot in the Grand Final. The crowd erupted as Amari, against all odds, completed his sensational comeback.

Raceoff Drama: Proximo secures the Final Spot

The last seat in the Grand Final came down to a nail-biting raceoff between Adrian “Adrone” Adams and Colin “Proximo” Rountree. Both pilots had a brillant Top 16 race and finished the 3 matches with 154 points, necessitating a head-to-head battle to break the tie. The race was close until a heart-stopping crash by Adrone on the second lap cleared the path for Proximo, who seized the opportunity to clinch the final Grand Final spot. It was a bitter end for Adrone, who had shown immense skill throughout the event but fell just short when it mattered most.

Kalli FPV: A Star Performance

Special mention goes to Kalli FPV, arguably the fastest female pilot in the world, who turned heads with her performance. Kalli finished 5th overall in the points leaderboard and 6th in the final rankings. Her consistency, with a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd place finish in her Top 16 races, was remarkable. Though she missed out on the Grand Final, Kalli’s performance proved she’s a force to be reckoned with in this class, and it’s only a matter of time before she breaks through.

The Grand Final

The Grand Final was better than a scripted movie, with tension and excitement building at every turn. The “Chase the Ace” format meant that a pilot needed two wins to seal the championship, and it didn’t take long for the action to heat up. In the first round, CaptainVanover took the lead, completing the four laps in 1:52.390 with a best lap of 24.916 seconds. Amari secured second place after a thrilling last-minute pass over Proximo, while Headsup suffered an unfortunate crash in the first lap, leaving him out of contention.

The second race seemed like it would be the end of the story, with CaptainVanover once again crossing the finish line first, ahead of Headsup, while Amari and Proximo both crashed out. But the drama intensified when the judges reviewed the race and invoked the Hole Shot rule. A midair collision between Amari and Proximo caused Amari’s crash before he reached the hole shot  gate meant the race was invalidated, erasing Vanover’s match point and forcing another round.

In the repetition of the 2nd round, Amari answered the call once again during the race and  emerged as the expected leader, pulling ahead early and dominating the race until the end of the fourth lap, clocking in at 1:50.997—only  half a second ahead of Vanover who was coming back and finished second. Another crash by Headsup allowed Proximo to secure third place in the round.

With both Amari and Vanover now holding one Ace each, the final race was set to be a nail-biter. The tension was palpable as Vanover and Headsup engaged in an epic battle, beyond the time and the space,  fighting for every inch, every gate, and every second. In the end, Vanover edged out Headsup by a mere 0.1 seconds, finishing with a time of 1:50.534 to Headsup’s 1:50.649. As the saying goes, “Life is a matter of inches,” but in this case, it was a matter of milliseconds that determined the champion. Vanover’s second win in the final froze the rest of the leaderboard, sealing his victory.

Amari finished second overall, followed by Headsup in third, and Proximo rounding out the top four.

The Captain is back

CaptainVanover, who had joked about not showing up to races in the past, silenced any doubts with his performance. More than just showing up, Vanover dominated, proving once again why he’s one of the best in the world. “The captain is back!” he declared, and indeed, the PRO SPEC race showed that Vanover is as formidable as ever.

The Top 16 bracket was a masterclass in competitive drone racing. The race was balanced, with results often uncertain until the final moments. The closeness of the competition kept spectators on the edge of their seats, and the sheer talent on display was awe-inspiring.

As the dust settles on the KC Multirotor field, one thing is clear—the PRO SPEC class has arrived with a bang, and the future of FPV drone racing has never looked brighter. Congratulations to all participants for making the night unforgettable, and here’s to many more epic battles to come.