Editing Southclan (Malta Paintball Team)


'''Southclan Malta''', also known as '''Southclan Paintball Team Malta''', is a Maltese tournament [[paintball]] team associated with the development of competitive paintball in Malta. The team is documented participating in international competition from 2016, including tournaments in Sicily and the [[National Xball League]] (NXL) European Championships.[1][2]

Southclan competed in the Amateur 3v3 division at the 2024 NXL European Championships in Dreux, France, finishing 25th of 28 teams.[2]

== History ==

=== Early competition ===

Southclan was active in Malta by 2016, although its precise founding date has not been established.

In May 2016, the team travelled to Sicily to participate in the Sicilian Paintball Cup, organised by the Sicilian Paintball League.

The documented Maltese squad included:

* [[Chris Cioffi]]
* [[Jesmond Cioffi]]
* Albert Vella

The event was advertised as a two-day competition incorporating three-player speedball at [[Lo Spazio Siracusa]] and woodsball at Palazzolo Acreide.

The competition brought together participants from Italy, Malta and the United States.

Southclan's participation is documented by [[Malta Paintball]], although its final tournament placing has not been established.[1]

=== Epic Fields Paintball ===

During the early 2020s, Southclan was associated with [[Epic Fields Paintball]], a playing and training facility in Burmarrad, within the locality of St Paul's Bay, Malta.

The venue provided a local training area incorporating protective netting and inflatable paintball bunkers.

Southclan's official PBLeagues profile identified Epic Fields Paintball in San Pawl il-Baħar as the team's home field.[3]

The facility was also associated with HBI Malta and the development of organised tournament paintball on the island.

The team's documented use of Epic Fields ended in September 2024, according to a public announcement by Chris Cioffi. This does not establish that Southclan itself ceased operating.[3]

=== 2024 NXL European Championships ===

Southclan Malta competed at the 2024 NXL European Championships, held at Ace Paintball in Dreux, France, from 28 August to 1 September.

The team entered the Amateur 3v3 division, competing against teams from across Europe and other participating countries.

Official PBLeagues records show Southclan finishing 25th among 28 teams, earning 20.5 ranking points.[2]

The competition was separate from the Division 4 Xball entry of HBI Malta, which also represented the Maltese competitive paintball community at the event.[4]

== Tournament results ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Tournament
! Division
! Result
|-
| 2016
| Sicilian Paintball Cup
| Three-player competition
| Participation documented; placing unverified [1]
|-
| 2024
| NXL European Championships
| Amateur 3v3
| 25th of 28 [2]
|}

== Relationship with Maltese paintball ==

Southclan was among the Maltese teams participating in organised tournament paintball before the establishment of the present [[Malta Paintball]] voluntary organisation.

Its international appearances provided documented examples of Maltese players competing abroad during the 2010s and 2020s.

Several individuals associated with Southclan, including Chris and Jesmond Cioffi, subsequently became involved in Malta Paintball's organisational and competitive activities.[1][5]

Southclan, HBI Malta and Malta Paintball should be distinguished as separate team or organisational identities. Shared participants do not establish that one organisation was formally renamed or succeeded by another.

== See also ==

* [[Malta Paintball]]
* [[Epic Fields Paintball]]
* [[Chris Cioffi]]
* [[Jesmond Cioffi]]
* [[National Xball League]]
* [[Paintball in Malta]]

== References ==

# [https://primrose-plane-aasz.squarespace.com/news/southclan-takes-maltese-paintball-to-the-sicilian-paintball-cup Malta Paintball, "Southclan Takes Maltese Paintball to the Sicilian Paintball Cup". Retrospective account of the May 2016 competition and documented team members.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8533/teams PBLeagues, "2024 NXL European Championships: Official Team Rankings". Documents Southclan Malta's 25th-place finish in Amateur 3v3.]
# [https://www.wikipaintball.com/index.php/Epic_Fields_Paintball WikiPaintball, "Epic Fields Paintball". Historical account of the venue and its association with Southclan Malta.]
# [https://primrose-plane-aasz.squarespace.com/news Malta Paintball, "Malta Players Compete in Two Divisions at the 2024 NXL European Championships", 9 September 2024.]
# [https://www.maltapaintball.org/about Malta Paintball, "About Us". Official information concerning the current voluntary organisation and its development activities.]

== External links ==

* [https://pbleagues.com/event/8533/teams Southclan Malta at the 2024 NXL European Championships]
* [https://www.maltapaintball.org/ Malta Paintball official website]

[[Category:Paintball teams]]
[[Category:Maltese paintball]]