273.15 // Galactic Swoop Cup Champion Announced
The sound of the vehicles slashing through the durasteel alleys became almost intoxicating, as the spectators’ eyes were fixed on the finish line. Two rivals came in neck and neck, determined to defeat the other, both as competitors as well as mortal enemies. They approached the line, the other swoops trailing behind laggardly. At an instant, they both slashed through the line in a blur, nobody able to determine the outcome. As the computers eventually found the winner, the crowd fell silent. Jerruq Xarlv would finally bring glory back to Kinyen.
After a 26-year drought, a citizen of Kinyen at last defeated a Malastarian in a clash of the same species, but different cultures. As the Gran from the homeworld triumphed over Drelyli Grah of Malastare, an essence of nostalgia came upon the winner’s fans and supporters. Some fifty years ago, Kinyen would take the Cup on an average of every other year, with Malastarians coming up short. Eventually that ended however, and the tables switched quickly as the famous Wekulti went on to win four straight championships. There was always a sort of arrogance and longing on both sides for many years, until Mister Xarlv finally freed his people.
Winning by a margin of two hundredths of a second, Xarlv becomes the first native of Kinyen to win the Cup in 48 years, and the first to even finish within the Top Three in thirteen. Could this be a new age of dominance by the Kinyens, or was this simply a blight in the path of continued dominance by Malastare? Perhaps a new, rogue champion will surface next year. Whatever the future sees, this is a great day for swoop racing fans everywhere, as the largest of underdogs at the start of the season eventually trumped all perceived superiors in his path to ultimate victory.
273.15 Matheus Albion // GHN