Vertress Conference
The Vertress Conference (Japanese: イッシュリーグ・ヒガキ大会 Isshu League Higaki Conference) is the Unova League general championship competition. All Pokémon Trainers who have earned eight Gym Badges from the Unova region are eligible to enter.
It is held annually in Vertress City. Competing Trainers are housed in lodgings in small villages similar to previous League locations. In Beauties Battling for Pride and Prestige!, Jervis informed Ash about the tournament. It took place from Curtain Up, Unova League! to A Unova League Evolution!.
Competition
Opening ceremonies
The opening ceremony consists of Freddy O'Martian jumping down from a helicopter and Officer Jenny lighting the Pokémon League torch.
Rounds
Preliminary round
In the preliminary round, which consists of Single Battles, Trainers must use only one Pokémon. All 128 competitors are randomly matched up by a computer. The 64 winning Trainers move on to the qualifying rounds.
Qualifying rounds
The qualifying rounds are divided in three portions consisting of Single Battles. In the first two, the competing Trainers must use two Pokémon, while in the third portion they have to use three Pokémon. Trainers are knocked out of the tournament when all of their Pokémon are left unable to battle. The winning Trainers proceed to the final rounds.
Final rounds
The final rounds are a series of Full Battles with the Top 8 Trainers participating. The Trainer who wins all of the final rounds is declared the winner of the Vertress Conference, earning the chance to participate in Unova's Champion League.
Known contestants
In the games
The You Challenge the Unova League Too! in the Pokémon World Tournament is based on the Vertress Conference. This tournament was downloadable for the Japanese versions of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 games from December 3, 2012 to January 31, 2013 and featured Trip, Stephan, Cameron, and Virgil as the opponents in the tournament.
Trivia
- This is the only Pokémon League Conference where:
- Ash regresses in his placement through the anime, placing in the Top 8 after having previously placed in the Top 4.
- The Team Rocket trio is not featured, due to them having returned to Kanto at the time of the Conference.
- This is the shortest Pokémon League Conference to date, lasting only six episodes.
- This is the first Pokémon League Conference where:
- Themed battlefields aren't used.
- Charles Goodshow does not appear.
- The Top 8 consists entirely of named contestants.
- The winning Trainer was introduced before Ash and his friends' arrival at the tournament site.
- Freddy O'Martian's entrance by parachute at the opening ceremony may be a reference to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, in which stunt doubles for Daniel Craig (in character as James Bond) and Queen Elizabeth II made their entrance by parachute.
In other languages
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The Pokémon League | 
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| Participation Trainer • Battle • Gym Leaders Gyms • Badges • Referee Championship matches Elite Four • Orange League Champion League Pokémon League Conferences Indigo • Silver • Ever Grande • Lily of the Valley Vertress • Lumiose • Manalo |
Regional Pokémon Leagues Indigo • Orange* • Johto • Hoenn • Sinnoh Unova (BB) • Kalos • Alola • Galar • Paldea Areas of jurisdiction Pokémon League Reception Gate • Hall of Fame Palace of Victory • Cerulean Cave • Area Zero Others Admissions Exam • Pokémon Association PIA • World Coronation Series (Masters Eight Tournament) | ||
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
