32 things. One champion. Infinite bragging rights.
Welcome to the 2014 G Adventures Tournament of Wonders, an epic contest that will pit nation against nation, culture against culture, and thing against thing to determine once and for all the Greatest Thing in the Entire World.
The big day is here at last, everyone. Thanks for joining us. After weeks of thorough review, intense lobbying, heated arguments, and more than a few tears, we’ve whittled the field of the world’s most wondrous things down to 32 of the very best. Now the time has come for you to tell us which one is the very bestest of the best.
32 things. One champion. Infinite bragging rights.
We scoured the earth for the most iconic landmarks, natural formations, and cultural contributions. Each one has been sorted into a group alongside three other contenders, and when they square off, your votes will determine the winner. National and cultural pride is on the line here, folks. Vote for the wonder you like the best as often as you’d like. And be sure to tell your friends – your favourites are counting on you.
The tournament begins on Thursday, June 12 with the group stage. Voting commences at 12pm (noon) EST and concludes at 11:59am the following day. View the day’s matchups and vote—and chat with us on Twitter (@gadventures) by using the #gtourney hashtag.
Have fun, play safe, vote often, and may the best thing win.
Today’s Featured Matchup: Carnaval (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) vs Old City of Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik, Croatia)
The world’s biggest, boldest, and most bodacious street festival, Carnaval brings over two million revellers (and a mind-boggling acreage of gyrating human flesh) into the streets of Rio every spring. Anything and everything goes at Carnaval, and its flash, flair, and unpredictability make it one of the Tournament’s wildest wildcards.
Experience, endurance, and an impregnable defence have been the Old City of Dubrovnik’s trademarks for over 500 years. Fortified by almost 2,000m (over 6,000 ft) worth of impenetrable limestone, the “Pearl of the Adriatic” holds the Tournament’s longest shutout streak, having not yielded to an opponent since the late Middle Ages.
Who will be the breakout stars of the Tournament of Wonders?
… And who will survive the Group Stage? In order to celebrate the kickoff, we’ve put together a scouting report of all the Wonders who could be destined for big things — plus a handy cheat sheet of what you can expect from the Group Stage. Who will rise to the top, and who will go home early? We’ve got a few ideas…
