2000 WPF ZAP Tour
The 2000 WPF ZAP Tour was a North American tournament paintball circuit organised by the World Paintball Federation (WPF) and sponsored by ZAP Paintballs. The circuit consisted of six regional five-player tournaments leading to the season-ending ZAP International Masters in the New Orleans area.[1][2]
Teams earned points towards the WPF's Race for the Ace season titles. Successful regional competitors also received prizes and assistance towards attending the International Masters.[1][2]
Establishment
[edit]The 2000 season was the first tournament circuit organised by the reconstituted World Paintball Federation under Jim Lively and Sam Caldwell.[1]
Lively and Caldwell had been involved in paintball as players and tournament organisers since the 1980s. Contemporary WPF material stated that the organisation was established in response to the rapid growth of paintball during the late 1990s and concerns about inconsistent standards among tournament promoters.[1]
The organisation's stated objectives included:
- coordinating previously separate regional tournaments;
- standardising tournament rules;
- developing trained referees;
- improving the quality of tournament promotion;
- providing membership benefits and consistent competition records; and
- establishing a circuit points system.[1]
Tournament circuit
[edit]The tour incorporated six regional tournaments held in:
- Atlanta, Georgia;
- Los Angeles, California;
- St Louis, Missouri;
- New Jersey;
- Colorado; and
- Portland, Oregon.[1][2]
These events were organised by regional promoters under WPF rules and contributed points towards the circuit championship.[1]
The St Louis Open was described as the third regional event of the season. Landslide won its amateur competition, while Confused won the novice division.[2]
Regional prize packages could include entry to the ZAP International Masters, tournament paint, accommodation and travel assistance. At the St Louis event, leading amateur teams received free Masters entry and cases of ZAP paint, while the winning team also received accommodation and US$1,000 towards travel costs.[2]
Competition standards
[edit]The WPF introduced a standard tournament rulebook for the 2000 season, supplemented by published amendments. It also developed a standard referee-training programme and a membership and points system for participating teams.[1]
The organisation intended these measures to improve consistency between independently promoted tournaments operating as part of the circuit.[1]
Race for the Ace
[edit]Teams competing in WPF-affiliated events accumulated points towards the organisation's Race for the Ace classifications.[1]
The principal titles were subsequently identified as:
- World Ace, awarded to the leading amateur five-player team; and
- Nov Ace, awarded to the leading rookie or novice team.
The Ace classification system continued during the expanded 2001 WPF/ZAP Tour.[3]
ZAP International Masters
[edit]The tour was scheduled to conclude with the 2000 ZAP International Masters at the Alario Center near New Orleans, Louisiana. The wider event programme was announced for 5–8 October, with contemporary Action Pursuit Games coverage listing tournament activity from 6 to 8 October.[1][2]
The Masters had previously been held in Nashville, Tennessee. The 2000 tournament marked its first announced staging in the New Orleans area and the first season in which it served as the championship event of the new WPF circuit.[1]
The Alario Center provided a large sports and exhibition venue in Westwego, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans.
Sponsorship
[edit]ZAP Paintballs was the circuit's principal sponsor and supplied paint for WPF competition.[1]
Other companies identified as supporters of the 2000 circuit included:
- Action Pursuit Games;
- Airgun Designs;
- Crossfire;
- Indian Creek Design;
- JT USA;
- Kingman International;
- National Paintball Supply;
- Paintball News;
- Paintball 2Xtremes;
- Raven;
- Scott USA;
- Tippmann Pneumatics;
- Unique Sporting Goods;
- WDP; and
- Worr Products.[1]
Legacy
[edit]The WPF/ZAP Tour expanded to 13 affiliated tournaments in 2001. The later circuit included established independent events such as the National Indoor Paintball Championships and Skyball, while retaining the World Ace and Nov Ace season classifications.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- “WPF ZAP Tour 2000: New Orleans!”, Action Pursuit Games, Vol. 14, No. 11, November 2000, pp. 72–73.
- WARPIG – WPF St Louis Open 2000
- WARPIG – WPF announces ZAP Skyball 2001 format and WPF/ZAP Tour details