Official: CacaNito joins Apeks

The Macedonian rifler reunites with Damjan "⁠kyxsan⁠" Stoilkovski on the European roster.

Apeks has officially confirmed the acquisition of Aleksandar "⁠CacaNito⁠" Kjulukoski as a free agent, according to a press release issued by the organization. The 22-year-old player will take over the position previously held by Justinas "⁠jL⁠" Lekavicius, who recently moved to Natus Vincere.

"We have been keeping a close eye on Aleksandar [Cacanito] for quite some time, and with Justinas’ [jL's] transfer to NAVI, this was the perfect opportunity to acquire him. We hold a strong belief in Aleksandar’s abilities and we believe he will integrate well into our team," said Apeks head of esports, Anders Kjær.

With impressive performances in the lower echelons of the competitive scene, CacaNito has garnered substantial acclaim during his 18-month period with North Macedonian combine BLUEJAYS. The Macedonian rifler averaged a 1.16 rating across his tenure on the team, with their biggest success coming at IESF World Championship 2022, where they claimed the title and the $50,000 grand prize.

The roster also won several local titles, such as A1 Adria League Season 9 and Doritos Balkan League 2022, peaking at #30 in the world rankings. The Macedonian left the team after they lost organizational support and has been a free agent since February, notably filling in for ATK at ESL Pro League Season 17.

"I feel grateful for the incredible chance to be part of this team and have the opportunity to change the game together. After some serious back-and-forth with multiple squads, I finally made the decision to join Apeks. The clutch here is getting to play with kyxsan again! I’m ready to jump right in and start making magic happen with these awesome guys," said CacaNito after his signing.

Jakub "⁠kuben⁠" Gurczyński also touched on their new addition, saying that CacaNito has been a long-term target for Apeks. "Aleksandar has been on our radar for quite some time. Few months ago we agreed that if the opportunity arises, Apeks will try to get him immediately. Throughout this period I have heard many positive opinions about his talent. However, Justinas was a great player in his roles, but I am convinced that CacaNito is easily able to match this level and even improve over time."

The organization announced that the team will meet up for a week-long bootcamp before making their debut at IEM Cologne 2023, starting on July 26.

With the change, Apeks are now:

Martin "⁠STYKO⁠" Styk
Joakim "⁠jkaem⁠" Myrbostad
Tim "⁠nawwk⁠" Jonasson
Damjan "⁠kyxsan⁠" Stoilkovski
Aleksandar "⁠CacaNito⁠" Kjulukoski

Jakub "⁠kuben⁠" Gurczyński (coach)