Editing New Zealand Paintball Nationals (section)

== Championship history ==

=== 1997 ===

The 1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals was held on 25–26 October at Actions Paintball Sports Arena in Te Atatū, Auckland.

Eleven teams competed in the five-player centre-flag tournament.

[[Katipo Paintball Team|Katipo]] won the championship with 1,008 points, followed by Saints Black and Kamo Karzi.[2]

=== 1998 ===

The 1998 Nationals took place on 24–25 October at Actions Paintball Sports Arena in Te Atatū.

Fourteen teams entered the tournament.

[[Saints Gold]] won the championship with 1,290 points. Paint Contractors finished second with 1,008 points, followed by Saints Grey with 970 points.[3]

The event was among the final major tournaments held at Actions Paintball's Te Atatū facility before its relocation.

=== 1999 ===

The 1999 championship was held on 23–24 October in the Auckland region.

Paint Contractors won the tournament ahead of Saints Gold, according to contemporary tournament reporting by [[Rob Maddox]].[4]

The event took place during the final year of the original National Paintball League structure.

=== 2000 ===

The 2000 Nationals was held on 21–22 October in Auckland.

Saints Gold won the First Division championship, with Grey finishing second.[5]

The Second Division was won by Rotorua-based [[Tag n' Release]], ahead of Phoenix Wellington.

A contemporary Tag n' Release team profile confirms that the team won its Second Division final with 235 points from a possible 400, after recording 655 points from a possible 1,000 in the preliminary round.[6]

=== 2001 ===

The 2001 Nationals was held in Auckland as a seven-player tournament.

The surviving [[Valhalla National Rankings]] database records an open preliminary round followed by separate First Division and Second Division finals.[7]

Documented First Division finalists included Saints Gold, Jetts, Katipo and Flashpoint.

Second Division finalists included TNT, Damage, DamNatives Red and Fusion.

The surviving ranking data does not establish the official championship winners or complete finishing order.