Brian Thornley: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 18:38, 23 October 2026

Brian Thornley, known as B2, is a New Zealand-based tournament paintball player and co-founder of Combat Zone Paintball Dunedin. His playing career includes Flashpoint, Team Kiwi and Chaos. According to a firsthand contributor account, he was the oldest known paintball player still competing in New Zealand as of October 2026.[1]

A video posted on Mark Kressin's Instagram account identifies Thornley as 70 years old and states that he began playing paintball in 1984.[2]

Playing career

Thornley's reported playing history spans more than four decades. Mark Kressin's Instagram video gives his starting year as 1984, while a firsthand contributor account confirms his continued participation in tournament speedball with Chaos in October 2026.[1][2]

Team Kiwi

In 2004, Thornley travelled to Malaysia with Team Kiwi, alongside Kyn Jackson, Brendon Charles, Peter Mumby and Martin Dannefaerd. The team competed at Xtion Paintball in Kuala Lumpur and finished fifth. Its participation was documented in a tournament report published by NZ Paintball Online and preserved through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.[3]

Flashpoint

Thornley previously played for Flashpoint. In a retrospective social media post, he identified Flashpoint as his former team while sharing footage of its match against Blindboyz at Grenada Field in Wellington in 2007.[4]

Chaos

By October 2026, Thornley was competing with Chaos in New Zealand tournament paintball.[1]

Combat Zone Paintball

Brian and Gaye Thornley founded Combat Zone Paintball in Abbotsford, Dunedin, in 2005. The company's own history identifies Brian's competitive playing experience as part of the background to the business.[5]

An October 2013 profile in the Otago Daily Times documented Thornley's operation of the venue, which hosted club days, public games and competitions. By that time, the property incorporated three paintball fields.[6]

References

Firsthand contributor account supplied on 24 October 2026. Identifies Thornley's nickname as B2, confirms his participation with Chaos, and describes him as the oldest known paintball player currently competing in New Zealand.
Video featuring Brian Thornley. Mark Kressin, Instagram. Identifies Thornley as 70 years old and states that he began playing paintball in 1984. Video contents reported by a contributor on 24 October 2026.
Michael Earley, report on Team Kiwi's 2004 Malaysian tournament appearance. NZ Paintball Online. Archived through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine; a copy was supplied by a contributor. Documents the playing roster and fifth-place finish.
Flashpoint vs Blindboyz at Grenada Field, Wellington, 2007. Brian Bman Thornley, Facebook.
About Us. Combat Zone Paintball. Identifies Brian and Gaye Thornley as the founders and dates the business to 2005.
Rosie Manins, Best of both worlds. Otago Daily Times, 8 October 2013.

External links

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Brian Thornley''', known as '''B2''', is a New Zealand-based tournament [[paintball]] player associated with [[Chaos (New Zealand)|Chaos]] and formerly [[Flashpoint (New Zealand)|Flashpoint]]. He competed in Malaysia with [[Team Kiwi]] in 2004 and is associated with the operation of [[Combat Zone Paintball Dunedin]].[1][2][3][4]
+'''Brian Thornley''', known as '''B2''', is a New Zealand-based tournament [[paintball]] player and co-founder of [[Combat Zone Paintball Dunedin]]. His playing career includes [[Flashpoint (New Zealand)|Flashpoint]], [[Team Kiwi]] and [[Chaos (New Zealand)|Chaos]]. According to a firsthand contributor account, he was the oldest known paintball player still competing in New Zealand as of October 2026.[1]
+A video posted on Mark Kressin's Instagram account identifies Thornley as 70 years old and states that he began playing paintball in 1984.[2]
 == Playing career ==
-According to a firsthand account supplied by a fellow New Zealand player, Thornley began playing paintball in 1984 and remained active in tournament competition with Chaos in October 2026. His reported playing history spans more than four decades, including participation in modern [[speedball]].[1]
+Thornley's reported playing history spans more than four decades. Mark Kressin's Instagram video gives his starting year as 1984, while a firsthand contributor account confirms his continued participation in tournament [[speedball]] with Chaos in October 2026.[1][2]
+=== Team Kiwi ===
+In 2004, Thornley travelled to Malaysia with Team Kiwi, alongside [[Kyn Jackson]], [[Brendon Charles]], [[Peter Mumby]] and [[Martin Dannefaerd]]. The team competed at [[Xtion Paintball Park|Xtion Paintball]] in Kuala Lumpur and finished fifth. Its participation was documented in a tournament report published by NZ Paintball Online and preserved through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.[3]
 === Flashpoint ===
-Thornley previously played for Flashpoint. In a retrospective social media post, he identified Flashpoint as his former team while sharing footage of its match against Blindboyz at Grenada Field in Wellington in 2007.[2]
+Thornley previously played for Flashpoint. In a retrospective social media post, he identified Flashpoint as his former team while sharing footage of its match against Blindboyz at Grenada Field in Wellington in 2007.[4]
-=== Team Kiwi ===
+=== Chaos ===
-In 2004, Thornley travelled to Malaysia with Team Kiwi, alongside [[Kyn Jackson]], [[Brendon Charles]], [[Peter Mumby]] and [[Martin Dannefaerd]]. The team competed at [[Xtion Paintball Park|Xtion Paintball]] in Kuala Lumpur and finished fifth.[4]
+By October 2026, Thornley was competing with Chaos in New Zealand tournament paintball.[1]
-=== Chaos ===
+== Combat Zone Paintball ==
-By October 2026, Thornley was playing for Chaos in New Zealand tournament paintball.[1]
+Brian and Gaye Thornley founded Combat Zone Paintball in Abbotsford, Dunedin, in 2005. The company's own history identifies Brian's competitive playing experience as part of the background to the business.[5]
-== Paintball business ==
+An October 2013 profile in the ''Otago Daily Times'' documented Thornley's operation of the venue, which hosted club days, public games and competitions. By that time, the property incorporated three paintball fields.[6]
-Thornley's professional profile identifies him as the owner of Combat Zone Paintball Dunedin Ltd.[3]
 == See also ==
@@ Line 22: / Line 26: @@
 * [[Combat Zone Paintball Dunedin]]
 * [[Paintball in New Zealand]]
+* [[Speedball]]
 == References ==
-# Firsthand contributor account supplied on 24 October 2026. Identifies Thornley's nickname as B2, his playing start as 1984, his former Flashpoint membership and his participation with Chaos in 2026. The start date has not been independently corroborated.
+# Firsthand contributor account supplied on 24 October 2026. Identifies Thornley's nickname as B2, confirms his participation with Chaos, and describes him as the oldest known paintball player currently competing in New Zealand.
+# [https://www.instagram.com/reel/De2j60mTPzh/ Video featuring Brian Thornley]. Mark Kressin, Instagram. Identifies Thornley as 70 years old and states that he began playing paintball in 1984. Video contents reported by a contributor on 24 October 2026.
+# Michael Earley, report on Team Kiwi's 2004 Malaysian tournament appearance. NZ Paintball Online. Archived through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine; a copy was supplied by a contributor. Documents the playing roster and fifth-place finish.
 # [https://www.facebook.com/Brian.Bman.Thornley/posts/only-seems-like-yesterday-my-old-team-flashpoint-and-blindboyz-were-battling-it-/10164071103033778/ Flashpoint vs Blindboyz at Grenada Field, Wellington, 2007]. Brian Bman Thornley, Facebook.
-# [https://nz.linkedin.com/in/brian-thornley-37850031 Brian Thornley: Owner, Combat Zone Paintball Dunedin Ltd]. LinkedIn.
+# [https://www.combatzonepaintball.co.nz/about About Us]. Combat Zone Paintball. Identifies Brian and Gaye Thornley as the founders and dates the business to 2005.
-# Michael Earley, ''Team Kiwi Malaysia Tournament Report'', January 2005. Historical participant account documenting the 2004 delegation, playing roster and fifth-place finish. Original publication URL has not yet been recovered.
+# Rosie Manins, [https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/best-of-both-worlds-nqva91xn Best of both worlds]. Otago Daily Times, 8 October 2013.
+== External links ==
+* [https://www.instagram.com/reel/De2j60mTPzh/ Mark Kressin's Instagram video featuring Brian Thornley]
+* [https://www.combatzonepaintball.co.nz/ Combat Zone Paintball official website]
 [[Category:Players]]
 [[Category:New Zealand paintball players]]
 [[Category:Paintball industry people]]

Admin (talk | contribs)