The Bees are now champions of France after defeating Solary 3-1 a few days ago in the finals of the Coupe de France at the Paris Games Week. However, with the
League of Legends 2024 season coming to an end, this match also likely marks the end of the Vitality.Bee roster as the players explore their options for next year. In an exclusive interview, Stend, the team's support, discusses his last match with the team, talks about the competition format, and reflects on his future and goals.
With this progression from fourth place in Spring to EMEA Masters runner-up, and finally champion of the Coupe de France, does this title make the year more successful for you?
Paul "Stend" Lardin: "I think it's a good representation of what happened this year. We really climbed in strength little by little as a team, and our peak was reached during the EMEA Masters. Then we faced BDS, who were also in very great form, but I think the results reflect our performance well. So I'm happy and satisfied.
Vitality.Bee, Champions of France. Credit: @TeamVitality on Twitter
After your journey in ERL and your performance at the EMEA Masters, do you think you have what it takes to compete with the best supports in Europe?
Stend: Yes, that was my goal at the beginning of the year, to be one of the best supports in Europe, or at least one of the best supports in ERLs. I think that, despite my experience, this is the year I've progressed the most. So I'm very happy. I think Nahovsky, my coach, has contributed a lot to that. I'm very satisfied with the progress I've made this year, and I hope it continues.
What is your long-term goal?
Stend: I've always said that if I never made it to the LEC by the end of my career and didn't try to be competitive at the highest level in Europe, it would be a failure. So my goal is to play in the LEC, qualify for Worlds, and try to win.
Do you feel personally ready to achieve your goals if the opportunity arises?
Stend: I think right now I'm not yet ready to be the top 1 in Europe, but I think I'm ready to enter the LEC. For me, it's more a big step than an end; it's the beginning of a new era where I will need to continue progressing and working hard to reach the top.
How do you assess your year? What positive and negative points do you take from it?
Stend: If I start with the negative side, I had some periods where I wasn't consistent as a player. I think of the end of Spring and the beginning of Summer, when my performances weren't very stable. That's a negative aspect I'm not very happy about.
On the other hand, I'm very happy to have improved in communication and leadership. I think those are the areas where I've improved the most. As a result, I've also improved in macro, and this progress has made me who I am today. So I'm very proud.
Team Vitality at the EMEA Masters. Credit: Steph Lindgren/Riot Games
Many teams didn't really take the competition seriously. Do you consider that unfortunate? Are you sad you didn't get the chance to get revenge against BDS?
Stend: It's true that the feeling is different when you win a trophy, but the teams didn't play at 100%. However, it's a delicate subject, especially during the off-season period, when many teams are making changes. Some players have tryouts and are already secured in new teams. So it's a bit of a complicated period. Nevertheless, I'm happy to have brought this title home because I think it ends the year on a good note for Vitality. It should make the fans happy, and I'm very happy nonetheless.
How did you approach this tournament? Did you have the confidence and determination to win from the start?
Stend: For me, the only team during the tournament that I thought "this is going to be a bit complicated" was Karmine Corp. I didn't expect us to beat them 3-0. When we 3-0'd them, I knew we were favorites to win the tournament, so I was always confident. In fact, throughout the tournament, we lost only one Nexus, and that was entirely our fault. I think we showed a good face at the end of the year.
Given that there might be movements during the offseason, are there players you will miss next year?
Stend: Of course, I'm thinking of Jopa, with whom I've been playing for almost two years. Our duo is now pretty well-regarded. I'm more happy that this happened than sad because I think our future will be promising. It's true that there's a bit of nostalgia since it's over, but given that we ended on a very good note and the future seems positive, I'm very happy nonetheless.
How do you feel about the transition to a three-split format in all League of Legends leagues next year?
Stend: I think it will put more pressure on the teams, in the sense that it will be harder to take your time and progress as a group. The splits will be very quick, so you need to be good very quickly. I think that's the biggest difference.
What do you think of the Fearless Draft?
Stend: I like Fearless Drafts. I find that it forces players to have a broader champion pool. Personally, I appreciate that because I think I have a pretty wide champion pool. For us at Vitality, it was an advantage during this competition. In game 4 against Solary, we analyzed the draft scenarios and knew they were in a bind. It showed; they blind-picked LeBlanc, that was really their last card. I think it's a good thing, even for the spectators, because it pushes for a bit more diversity. In some series, we often see the same drafts over and over again, so it brings a bit of variety for the audience. I think it's a good thing.
Do you have a message for the Vitality fans before we finish, knowing they supported you throughout the year?
Stend: It's true that the Vitality fans have been very present this year. I've always had a lot of support from them, so I'm very happy we had this success this year, and I thank them very much."
Header Photo Credit: Michał Konkol/Riot Games
