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Royal Air Force News Friday, November 14, 2025 P27
Speed king duo secure third place in championship
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Bowled over..again ESPORT
Call of Duty team are flying high in Vegas Staff Reporter HIGH ROLLERS from RAF Esports have won the sixth Call of Duty Endowment Bowl (CODE Bowl VI) tournament in Las Vegas. The Royal Air Force are the first Service to take home the prestigious trophy twice, after also triumphing in the international competition in 2022. CODE Bowl brings together military teams from Canada, the USA and all three UK Services in a test of concentration, communication, collaboration and strategy. Each Service enters four players split across two mini squads who are then paired with professional gamers and influencers to form two squads of three. Representing the Air Force were Cpl Ethan Grange (Captain), Cpl Harry Hemeter, Cpl Matty Ingham and AS1(T) Blaine Langford. They were joined by ‘Fifakill’ and ‘Sophiesnazz,’ who are both professional players, and after a close contest with the US Air Force, the RAF came out on top and were awarded the CODE Bowl trophy. Throughout the team event, judges also assessed the performances of all 60 players for the Monster Energy-sponsored Most Valuable Player award, won by the RAF’s Cpl Ethan Grange (gamertag Whoopty), in a first for a British Service person. Fol low ing the main event, players competed individually in the
HISTORY-MAKERS: RAF team celebrate in Vegas with professional gamers Sophiesnazz and Fifakill (right)
CAPTAIN MARVEL: Cpl Grange with his MVP prize ring
Corsair-sponsored ‘Solo YOLO’ battle royale, pitting all players against each other. At the end, two RAF teammates were the last competitors standing, with Fifakill eventually defeating Grange and completing a remarkable triple crown for the RAF, another first for the event. “Winning the CODE BOWL VI was an incredible team achievement – I couldn’t be prouder of the team’s efforts the last year and it clearly shows,” Grange told RAF News Sport. “Now we’re more
focused than ever on building on this success, with numerous sponsors getting in touch and more Service personnel interest. They all want this MVP ring.” Veterans The goal for the annual event is to not only capture some great competitive action, but to also raise awareness and money for the Call of Duty Endowment, a charitable organisation that places thousands of veterans a year in high-quality, full-time jobs. The charity also supports the RBL and Walking with the Wounded in the UK. CODE Bowl 25 was broadcast live across the official Call of Duty YouTube and Twitch channels, with total viewers reaching nearly 1.9 million. RAF VGEA is the fastest
growing hobby association in RAF history, supporting more than 1,200 members – making it second in size only to RAF Football. Beyond the charitable and mental health benefits proven with esports, RAF VGEA has grown to provide tangible evidence of digital skills that translate to Service jobs and duties day-to-day. The RAF and wider military esports platforms can capture the transition of skills from a safe, synthetic environment on high-spec gaming PCs and simulators, through to the realworld physical domain and warfighting scenarios. ● Search for RAFVGEA on Instagram, Facebook or Discord or go to rafcf.org.uk/sports/rafesports for more details about the association.