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Created page with " '''Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament''' (also known as '''Volcanic Rotorua''') was a New Zealand competitive paintball tournament advertised for '''2–3 June 2001''' at '''Rotorua International Stadium''' in Rotorua, New Zealand. The event was developed by the '''Rotorua Paintball Club''' in association with the Rotorua-based tournament team Tag n' Release, with support from Actions Paintball Sports Arena (APSA). The tournament wa..."
 
Rewrite using recovered contemporary reports; add complete 2001 preliminary and divisional final scores, 2002 Cup and Plate standings, dated player identifications and captains; replace speculative and repetitive material with documented history.
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'''Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament''', also advertised as '''RotoVegas Rotorua''', was a competitive paintball tournament held at Rotorua International Stadium, New Zealand. [[Tag n' Release]] and the Rotorua Paintball Club organised the 2001 event, while the 2002 report credited the club and Peter Mumby. Australia's Jetts won the leading division in both years.[1][2][4]


'''Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament''' (also known as '''Volcanic Rotorua''') was a New Zealand competitive [[paintball]] tournament advertised for '''2–3 June 2001''' at '''Rotorua International Stadium''' in [[Rotorua]], New Zealand. The event was developed by the '''Rotorua Paintball Club''' in association with the Rotorua-based tournament team [[Tag n' Release]], with support from [[Actions Paintball|Actions Paintball Sports Arena]] (APSA).
== History ==


The tournament was promoted as a major addition to New Zealand's competitive paintball calendar, with plans for a two-day, seven-player competition using inflatable Sup'AirBall playing fields within an international sporting stadium.[1][2]
=== Development ===


The original announcement specified an open-division, two-flag format using Australian Paintball Players League (APPL) rules. Team entry was advertised at NZ$500, with teams permitted to supply their own paintballs.[1]
The tournament developed within the organising community behind the [[Rotorua Invitational]], which began at Blue Lake Reserve in December 2000. Russell Clement's contemporary account described plans for a larger stadium competition over Queen's Birthday weekend in 2001, with inflatable fields, spectator seating and facilities for visiting teams.[3]


The independent [[Valhalla National Rankings]] subsequently recorded results from a 2001 Rotorua seven-man tournament, including preliminary and divisional rounds. These results provide evidence of competitive play associated with the event, although a complete final classification has not been recovered.[3]
Clement credited Tag n' Release members with most of the planning and stated that Kyn Jackson had been asked to assist with running the tournament.[3]


Volcanic Rotorua formed part of efforts by the Rotorua paintball community to establish major tournament competition outside Auckland and to develop facilities and events comparable with those used internationally.
=== 2001 ===


== Background ==
The first Volcanic tournament was held on '''2–3 June 2001''' at '''Rotorua International Stadium'''. Seventeen teams competed in seven-player games with a flag at each end of the field.[1]


=== Tournament paintball in New Zealand ===
The announcement specified Australian Paintball Players League rules, entry of NZ$500 per team and permission for teams to supply their own paintballs.[4]


During the late 1990s and early 2000s, New Zealand tournament paintball was organised through commercial playing fields, regional clubs and independent event organisers.
Play took place across a Sup'Air inflatable field and a smaller speedball field. Contemporary reporter Rob Maddox described the event as the first occasion on which Sup'Air had been available for play in New Zealand.[1]


Major competitions included the [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], [[Northland Open]] and South Pacific Championships.
Martin Dannefaerd was head referee. Other referees named in the report included Vanessa, Dirk Koorneef, Tekno and Stimpy.[1]


The original [[National Paintball League (New Zealand)|National Paintball League]] had attempted to coordinate national competition beginning in 1997.
==== Preliminary results ====


However, its original two-division structure had been discontinued by 1999.
Each team played fourteen preliminary games. The top four teams in each division advanced to separate finals.[1]
 
Tournament organisers continued to operate individual events, while teams travelled between Auckland, Northland, Wellington, Rotorua and other regions to compete.
 
The development of Volcanic Rotorua reflected an interest in establishing a major tournament in the central North Island.
 
=== Rotorua paintball community ===
 
Rotorua had an active recreational and competitive paintball community by 2000.
 
The region was associated with '''Paintball Rotorua''', the '''Rotorua Paintball Club''' and the team '''Tag n' Release'''.
 
Tag n' Release was formed in March 2000 and developed rapidly from recreational woodland games into national tournament competition.
 
The team won Second Division at the 2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals.
 
Its stated objectives included promoting competitive paintball in the central North Island, encouraging new players and organising tournaments.[4]
 
These objectives contributed to the development of the Rotorua Invitational and the subsequent plans for a larger stadium event.
 
== Origins ==
 
=== Rotorua Invitational ===
 
The [[Rotorua Invitational]] was established by Tag n' Release and the Rotorua Paintball Club in 2000.
 
Its inaugural competition took place on '''3 December 2000''' at Blue Lake Reserve in Rotorua.
 
Four teams participated:
 
* Katipo
* Tag n' Release
* Havoc
* DamNatives
 
The competition used a temporary speedball playing field constructed with portable barriers.
 
Each team played every other team twice.
 
Katipo finished with the highest score and won the event.[5]
 
The Invitational was intended to encourage participation, interregional competition and the development of refereeing experience.
 
=== Plans for a larger tournament ===
 
The Rotorua organisers subsequently developed plans for a larger tournament over Queen's Birthday weekend in 2001.
 
The proposed event would differ substantially from the smaller Rotorua Invitational.
 
Instead of using a temporary field at Blue Lake Reserve, it was planned for Rotorua International Stadium.
 
The organisers proposed a two-day competition with seven-player teams, prizes, spectator seating and tournament infrastructure.
 
An announcement written by Russell "Dangermouse" Clement described the aim of establishing a major tournament that could attract teams from throughout New Zealand and potentially Australia.[2]
 
The proposal subsequently appeared under the formal event name '''Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament'''.
 
== Organisation ==
 
=== Rotorua Paintball Club ===
 
The original tournament announcement identified the Rotorua Paintball Club as one of the presenting organisations.
 
The club had previously assisted with the inaugural Rotorua Invitational, including providing facilities and gas.
 
Its involvement in Volcanic Rotorua reflected the continuation of efforts to develop organised tournament paintball in the region.
 
The club's complete committee and legal structure have not been established from the surviving event records.
 
=== Tag n' Release ===
 
Tag n' Release was named alongside the Rotorua Paintball Club in the original event announcement.[1]
 
The team had already been involved in establishing local tournament competition.
 
Russell Clement's organising account specifically stated that Tag n' Release members had undertaken most of the planning for the stadium tournament.[2]
 
The team was therefore a central participant in developing the event.
 
=== Russell Clement ===
 
'''Russell Clement''', also known as '''Dangermouse''', was a Tag n' Release player and the team's information contact and historian.
 
He published information about Volcanic Rotorua through the [[Mercenaries Star]] website.
 
His correspondence described the planned facilities, competition format, accommodation arrangements, entry fees and division structure.
 
He also explained how responsibilities were being divided between the Rotorua organisers and outside tournament administrators.
 
=== Kyn Jackson ===
 
[[Kyn Jackson]], associated with Actions Paintball Sports Arena in Auckland, was involved in arrangements for the proposed tournament.
 
Clement's announcement explained that Jackson had been asked to assist with running the competition on the day.[2]
 
The distinction between planning and event-day administration was made explicitly.
 
Tag n' Release members had undertaken most of the planning, while Jackson was expected to assist with the running of the tournament itself.
 
Jackson had previously been involved in the administration of the original National Paintball League.
 
His association brought experience from the Auckland tournament scene to the Rotorua project.
 
=== Actions Paintball Sports Arena ===
 
The Mercenaries Star tournament calendar described Volcanic Rotorua as being backed by '''APSA''' and the Rotorua Paintball Club.[6]
 
APSA was an abbreviation used for Actions Paintball Sports Arena.
 
The Auckland operator had previously hosted national tournament competitions and maintained links with competitive paintball players.
 
The exact commercial or financial arrangements associated with APSA's support have not been established.
 
== Tournament announcement ==
 
The original Volcanic Rotorua announcement preserved the following information:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament, 2001
|+ 2001 preliminary scores
! Item
! Team !! Division !! Points
! Advertised details
|-
|-
| Event name
| [[Katipo Paintball Team|Katipo A]] || One || 1,215
| Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament
|-
|-
| Dates
| [[Saints (New Zealand paintball team)|Saints]] || One || 1,168
| 2–3 June 2001
|-
|-
| Venue
| Black Dragon || One || 1,155
| Rotorua International Stadium
|-
|-
| Region
| Jetts || One || 1,154
| Rotorua, New Zealand
|-
|-
| Organisers
| [[Wellington Phoenix (paintball team)|Phoenix]] || One || 1,048
| Rotorua Paintball Club and Tag n' Release
|-
|-
| Team format
| Phantom || One || 920
| Seven-man
|-
|-
| Game format
| Damage || Two || 895
| End flags, two flags
|-
|-
| Division
| [[Kamo Karzi]] || One || 895
| Open
|-
|-
| Rules
| [[Tag n' Release]] || One || 875
| Australian Paintball Players League
|-
|-
| Entry fee
| [[Katipo Paintball Team|Katipo B]] || One || 830
| NZ$500 per team
|-
|-
| Paintball policy
| Damn Natives || Two || 695
| Bring your own
|-
|-
| Compressed gas
| Full Boar || Two || 400
| By arrangement
|-
| Havoc || Two || 395
|-
| Shock Tactics || Two || 350
|-
| Warp Speed || Two || 350
|-
| Brew Ha || Two || 290
|-
| [[Team Insane|Insane]] || Two || 79
|}
|}


Source: Original Volcanic Rotorua tournament announcement.[1]
==== Final results ====


The announcement provides a contemporary record of the event's intended format and operating arrangements.
Jetts won Division One, ahead of Saints and Katipo A. Team Damage won Division Two, followed by Damn Natives and Full Boar.[1]


== Rotorua International Stadium ==
{| class="wikitable"
 
|+ 2001 divisional finals
=== Venue selection ===
! Place !! Division One !! Points !! Division Two !! Points
 
|-
Rotorua International Stadium was selected as the proposed venue for the tournament.
| 1 || Jetts || 290 || Team Damage || 220
 
|-
Unlike conventional woodland paintball fields, the stadium offered an established sporting facility with spectator seating, dressing rooms and player facilities.
| 2 || [[Saints (New Zealand paintball team)|Saints]] || 220 || Damn Natives || 210
 
|-
Clement's announcement described the stadium as having recently undergone an upgrade costing approximately '''NZ$5 million'''.[2]
| 3 || [[Katipo Paintball Team|Katipo A]] || 145 || Full Boar || 135
 
|-
The stadium was intended to provide a professional setting for a national paintball competition.
| 4 || Black Dragon || 30 || Havoc || 20
 
|}
=== Player facilities ===
 
The original promotional account identified several advantages of the venue.
 
These included:
 
* Dressing rooms
* Player lounges
* Spectator seating
* Space for tournament playing fields
* Facilities suitable for visiting teams
 
Such facilities were not always available at commercial recreational paintball fields.
 
The choice of a stadium reflected the organisers' ambition to present competitive paintball as a spectator sport.
 
=== Spectator access ===
 
The organisers expected members of the public to be able to attend and watch the competition.
 
The use of an established stadium was intended to make spectator accommodation easier than at a temporary woodland field.
 
The planning documents referred to dedicated seating for spectators.
 
The surviving sources do not establish actual spectator attendance.
 
== Sup'AirBall playing fields ==
 
=== Proposed field infrastructure ===
 
The organisers proposed using '''two Sup'AirBall playing fields'''.
 
Sup'AirBall was a system of inflatable tournament bunkers that could be arranged in different layouts.
 
The equipment was increasingly used in international competitive paintball during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
 
Compared with fixed woodland obstacles, inflatable bunkers could be positioned to create purpose-built competition layouts.
 
They could also be packed away and transported between venues.
 
=== International-standard competition ===
 
The 2001 tournament calendar described Volcanic Rotorua as a proposed Sup'AirBall tournament in an international stadium.[6]
 
The combination of a major sporting venue and inflatable tournament bunkers was promoted as an important development for New Zealand paintball.
 
It reflected the growing international influence of specialist speedball competition.
 
The organisers intended for the event to provide playing conditions comparable with major overseas tournaments.
 
=== Field verification ===
 
Clement's planning account stated that the use of two Sup'AirBall fields was still being finalised when the announcement was written.[2]
 
The surviving records do not independently confirm that both proposed fields were ultimately installed.
 
The stadium and inflatable playing-field arrangements should therefore be understood as documented plans rather than assumed completed infrastructure.
 
== Competition format ==
 
=== Seven-man ===
 
The original announcement specified a seven-man competition.[1]
 
Seven-player teams were increasingly prominent in international tournament paintball at the time.
 
The larger roster allowed teams to distribute players across defensive, central and attacking positions.
 
The format was also used in major New Zealand tournaments during the 2001 season.
 
=== Two-flag format ===
 
The event was advertised as an '''end-flags''' competition using two flags.
 
Teams would compete within a defined playing area according to the event's scoring and elimination rules.
 
The original announcement confirms the game format but does not preserve the exact point values awarded for eliminations, flag captures or other objectives.
 
=== Australian Paintball Players League rules ===
 
The organisers adopted Australian Paintball Players League rules.
 
The APPL provided a recognised set of tournament regulations used by Australasian paintball organisers.
 
The rules covered competition administration, player equipment, eliminations and refereeing.
 
Adopting an established rules framework was intended to make the tournament accessible to travelling teams familiar with Australian-style competition.
 
=== Divisions ===


The formal tournament announcement identified the competition class as '''Open'''.
These are the tournament report's raw scores. The [[Valhalla National Rankings]] subsequently expressed performances from the event as normalised ranking contributions.[1][5]


An earlier organising account discussed awarding prizes in two divisions.[2]
==== Named players ====


The original event records therefore contain both an Open-class announcement and references to multiple divisions.
The event report identifies the following players. These are partial squad records, not complete team rosters.[1]
 
The 2001 Valhalla records subsequently identify separate First and Second Division rounds for the Rotorua tournament.[3]
 
This indicates that the results were recorded using a divisional structure following the opening round.
 
The exact qualification rules and the number of teams advancing into each division have not been recovered.
 
== Entry fees and equipment ==
 
=== Team entry ===
 
The advertised entry fee was '''NZ$500 per team'''.
 
This was substantially higher than the NZ$70 team entry fee advertised for the 2001 Northland Open.
 
The difference reflected the greater scale and facilities proposed for the Rotorua stadium event, although the surviving records do not provide a detailed tournament budget.
 
=== Paintball supply ===
 
The announcement permitted teams to bring their own paintballs.
 
It also offered paintballs by prior arrangement at '''7.5 cents per ball'''.
 
The named contacts for paintball supply included '''Tony Witheridge''' and '''Lucas Kreusei'''.[1]
 
The announcement advised players to give suppliers sufficient notice when making arrangements.
 
=== Compressed gas ===
 
Both carbon dioxide and nitrogen or compressed-air supply were listed as available by arrangement.
 
During the early 2000s, New Zealand tournament players used a mixture of CO2 and high-pressure air systems.
 
The availability of suitable gas supply was therefore an important logistical requirement for tournament organisers.
 
The original announcement does not identify the precise filling equipment, pressure ratings or number of filling stations proposed for the event.
 
=== Supplier displays ===
 
The organisers hoped to provide space for equipment suppliers at the stadium.
 
The formal announcement identified Tony Witheridge as intending to establish a supplier booth.
 
The earlier planning account also referred to a proposed suppliers' tent.
 
The surviving materials document these arrangements as advertised intentions.
 
== Travelling teams and accommodation ==
 
=== Visiting players ===
 
Volcanic Rotorua was intended to attract competitors from outside the central North Island.
 
The stadium tournament was promoted as an opportunity for teams from different regions to compete in one location.
 
The organisers also hoped to attract Australian teams.
 
Clement's early announcement referred to possible Australian participation but stated that details had yet to be finalised.[2]
 
The available sources do not identify any Australian team as a confirmed participant.
 
=== Accommodation ===
 
Tag n' Release manager '''Peter Mumby''' was involved in contacting Rotorua accommodation providers.
 
Clement reported that local motels were willing to offer discounted rates for visiting players.
 
The anticipated cost was approximately '''NZ$25–40 per person per night'''.
 
These arrangements were intended to reduce the expense of travelling to Rotorua for a two-day tournament.
 
=== Social activities ===
 
The organisers also discussed holding a players' social event after the tournament.
 
The proposed programme included prizes, giveaways and opportunities for competitors to meet outside the playing field.
 
These arrangements reflected the community-building approach previously used by Tag n' Release at the Rotorua Invitational.
 
== Tournament results ==
 
=== Surviving Valhalla records ===
 
The 2001 Valhalla National Rankings preserve results from a Rotorua seven-man tournament.
 
The recorded stages include:
 
* Round 1 Open
* Round 2 First Division
* Round 2 Second Division
 
These records provide strong evidence of tournament competition in Rotorua during 2001.[3]
 
The ranking database, however, used normalised scores for its national ranking calculations.
 
Its point values are not the original event's raw tournament scores.
 
=== Opening-round performances ===
 
The following teams had recorded values in the Rotorua opening-round column:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Rotorua 2001 – Valhalla opening-round contributions
! Team !! Players identified at the 2001 event
! Team
! Ranking value
|-
| Katipo
| 86.8
|-
| Saints Gold
| 83.4
|-
| Black Dragon
| 82.5
|-
| Jetts
| 82.4
|-
| Phoenix (WGN) Red
| 74.9
|-
| Phantom 5
| 65.7
|-
| Kamo Karzi
| 63.9
|-
| Damage
| 63.9
|-
|-
| Tag n' Release
| Saints || Rik Goldsworthy (captain), Kane Anderson
| 62.5
|-
|-
| Katipo B
| Wellington Phoenix || Ryan Pike
| 59.3
|-
|-
| DamNatives Red
| Kamo Karzi || Rob Maddox
| 49.6
|-
|-
| Full Boar
| Tag n' Release || Tony Dickson
| 28.6
|-
|-
| Havoc
| Katipo A || Reg
| 28.2
|-
|-
| Shock Tactics
| Full Boar || Robert (captain)
| 25
|-
|-
| Warp Speed
| Damn Natives || Toka
| 25
|-
|-
| Brew Ha
| Warp Speed || Des, Mike
| 20.7
|-
|-
| Insane
| Havoc || Ange
| 5.6
|}
|}


Source: 2001 Valhalla seven-man rankings.[3]
Ryan Pike received the '''Volcanic Player''' award. Tony Dickson received the Saturday NeoTech Player of the Day award, and Reg of Katipo A received Sunday's award. Warp Speed received the fair-play award, while Full Boar was recognised as the highest-scoring newcomer team.[1]


The figures reflect the normalised performance of each team in the recorded opening round.
=== 2002 ===


They are not final tournament placements.
The second tournament, described in the contemporary report as the '''Tracs Volcanic''', was held on '''1–2 June 2002''' at Rotorua International Stadium. Twenty teams attended, including Australian entries Jetts and Diabolique, both of which included some New Zealand players.[2]


The source identifies seventeen named entries with non-zero opening-round contributions.
The Rotorua Paintball Club and '''Peter Mumby''' organised the event. Two inflatable fields were used: the previous year's Sup'Air field, subsequently acquired by Extreme Events, and another field from Christchurch supplemented by wooden barricades.[2]


It does not establish whether additional teams participated without a recorded ranking contribution.
Teams initially competed in four seeded pools. The ten highest-scoring teams advanced to the '''Cup''' competition, while the remaining ten played for the '''Plate'''. Games used a centre flag and lasted ten minutes.[2]


=== First Division ===
==== Final results ====


The Valhalla table contains separate First Division round values for four teams.
Jetts retained the Cup, with Saints second and Katipo third. Rush won the Plate ahead of Titans and Fusion.[2]


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Rotorua 2001 – First Division ranking contributions
|+ 2002 Cup and Plate standings
! Team
! Place !! Cup !! Points !! Plate !! Points
! Ranking value
|-
| 1 || Jetts || 705 || Rush || 793
|-
| 2 || [[Saints (New Zealand paintball team)|Saints]] || 627 || Titans || 708
|-
|-
| Jetts
| 3 || [[Katipo Paintball Team|Katipo]] || 567 || Fusion || 600
| 96.7
|-
|-
| Saints Gold
| 4 || Diabolique || 514 || Flashpoint || 440
| 73.3
|-
|-
| Katipo
| 5 || Damage || 486 || Marksmen || 439
| 48.3
|-
|-
| Black Dragon
| 6 || Phantom || 425 || Damage Inc || 392
| 10
|}
 
These results establish the teams recorded in the First Division round.
 
Jetts had the highest normalised value in that stage.
 
However, the surviving table does not provide a complete final tournament classification or explicitly designate a tournament champion.
 
=== Second Division ===
 
The Valhalla table also records Second Division round values.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Rotorua 2001 – Second Division ranking contributions
! Team
! Ranking value
|-
|-
| Damage
| 7 || Shock Tactics || 417 || Havoc || 323
| 73.3
|-
|-
| DamNatives Red
| 8 || [[Kamo Karzi]] || 370 || Brew Ha || 225
| 70
|-
|-
| Full Boar
| 9 || Dam Natives || 277 || [[Team Insane|Insane]] || 210
| 45
|-
|-
| Havoc
| 10 || [[Wellington Phoenix (paintball team)|Phoenix]] || 214 || Solidaire || 4
| 6.7
|}
|}


Damage recorded the highest Second Division round value.
Damage and Damage Inc were separate entries, appearing in the Cup and Plate respectively.[2]
 
As with First Division, this does not independently establish an officially declared tournament winner.
 
=== Tournament winner ===
 
The surviving Valhalla rankings do not explicitly name the overall winner of Volcanic Rotorua.
 
They record separate preliminary and divisional-round performances but do not reproduce a complete final score sheet or awards listing.
 
Jetts recorded the highest First Division round value, while Damage recorded the highest Second Division value.
 
Those observations should not be converted into definitive event championship claims without an original results report confirming the event's scoring and placing rules.
 
== Relationship with other Rotorua competitions ==
 
=== Rotorua Invitational ===
 
The Rotorua Invitational began in December 2000 as a smaller event at Blue Lake Reserve.
 
It was organised by Tag n' Release and the Rotorua Paintball Club.
 
The inaugural event featured four teams and was won by Katipo.
 
Volcanic Rotorua developed within the same organising community but was a larger project associated with Rotorua International Stadium.
 
The two competitions should be distinguished in historical accounts.
 
=== National tournament calendar ===
 
Volcanic Rotorua formed part of the 2001 competitive calendar alongside established events such as the Northland Open, South Pacific Championships and New Zealand Paintball Nationals.
 
The original Mercenaries Star calendar welcomed its addition and described the proposed stadium and Sup'AirBall arrangements as an important development for the sport.[6]
 
=== National rankings ===
 
The Rotorua seven-man results contributed to the 2001 Valhalla National Rankings.


These rankings also incorporated results from the Northland Open and New Zealand Paintball Nationals.
==== Named captains and awards ====


Saints Gold finished first in the published national seven-man rankings, followed by Jetts and Katipo.
Maddox identified '''Alan Gatland''' as Kamo Karzi's captain and '''Rik Goldsworthy''' as Saints captain. Their teams' second-day encounter ended with Gatland eliminating Goldsworthy and hanging the flag for Kamo Karzi.[2]


Those national standings represent cumulative performances across the recorded season, not the final results of Volcanic Rotorua alone.
Goldsworthy received the players' choice award for the event's top player. Titans received the NeoTech ProGear award for an up-and-coming team. Jetts donated its team-uniform prize to Solidaire, the lowest-scoring amateur team.[2]


== Historical significance ==
At the event's conclusion, Peter Mumby stated that he intended to step back from actively organising the tournament.[2]
 
Volcanic Rotorua represented an ambitious attempt to develop major tournament paintball in the central North Island.
 
The event was promoted for an established international stadium rather than a conventional commercial woodland field.
 
Its planned use of Sup'AirBall bunkers reflected the growing influence of international speedball competition.
 
The involvement of Tag n' Release and the Rotorua Paintball Club demonstrates the role played by regional teams and volunteers in expanding New Zealand's tournament infrastructure.
 
The project also drew support from the Auckland competitive paintball community through Actions Paintball Sports Arena and Kyn Jackson.
 
The published arrangements provide valuable evidence of early-2000s tournament organisation, including entry fees, paintball supply, compressed gas, accommodation and player facilities.
 
The surviving Valhalla records document competitive activity and a field of participating teams, including several of New Zealand's leading tournament organisations.
 
Although the complete final standings and the delivery of every advertised stadium facility have not been independently verified, Volcanic Rotorua remains a significant example of efforts to establish purpose-built, high-profile competitive paintball events in New Zealand during the early 2000s.


== See also ==
== See also ==


* [[Paintball in New Zealand]]
* [[Rotorua Invitational]]
* [[Rotorua Invitational]]
* [[Tag n' Release]]
* [[Tag n' Release]]
Line 577: Line 164:
* [[Valhalla National Rankings]]
* [[Valhalla National Rankings]]
* [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
* [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
* [[Northland Open]]
* [[Katipo Paintball Team]]
* [[Saints Paintball Team]]
* [[Kyn Jackson]]
* [[Actions Paintball]]
* [[Mercenaries Star]]


== References ==
== References ==


# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/VRT.htm Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament]. ''Mercenaries Star'', 2001. Original event announcement identifying the formal tournament name, dates, Rotorua International Stadium, seven-man format, entry fee, APPL rules and equipment arrangements.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020811192709/http://www.paintball.co.nz/volcanic.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2001 Rotorua Volcanic Paintball Tournament'', Paintball.co.nz; archived 11 August 2002.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/RIIndex.htm Rotorua Invitational Paintball Days]. Russell "Dangermouse" Clement, ''Mercenaries Star'', 2001. Contemporary organising account discussing stadium facilities, two proposed Sup'AirBall fields, accommodation, Kyn Jackson and Tag n' Release's planning responsibilities.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020613131436/http://www.paintball.co.nz/volcanic2.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2002 Rotorua Volcanic Paintball Tournament'', Paintball.co.nz; archived 13 June 2002.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/2001Hall.htm Valhalla Hall of Heroes – 2001]. ''Mercenaries Star''. Seven-man rankings with Rotorua preliminary and divisional-round values.
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/RIIndex.htm Russell Clement, ''Rotorua Invitational Paintball Days'', Mercenaries Star, including the inaugural event report and plans for the 2001 stadium tournament; preserved by OoCities.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Links/TagNRelease.htm Tag n' Release Team Profile]. Russell Clement, ''Mercenaries Star'', April 2001. Describes the Rotorua team's formation, objectives, home field and tournament activities.
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/VRT.htm ''Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament'', Mercenaries Star, 2001 tournament announcement; preserved by OoCities.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/RIIndex.htm Rotorua Invitational – Inaugural Event]. Russell Clement. Documents the 3 December 2000 tournament at Blue Lake Reserve and Katipo's victory.
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/2001Hall.htm ''Valhalla Hall of Heroes – 2001'', Mercenaries Star, seven-player rankings; preserved by OoCities.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/EventsIndex.htm Annual Tournament Events]. ''Mercenaries Star'', 2001. Lists Volcanic Rotorua as a new tournament backed by APSA and the Rotorua Paintball Club, with planned stadium and Sup'AirBall facilities.
 
== External links ==
 
* [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/VRT.htm Original Volcanic Rotorua tournament announcement]
* [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/RIIndex.htm Original Rotorua tournament planning account]
* [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/2001Hall.htm Rotorua results in the 2001 Valhalla rankings]
* [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Events/EventsIndex.htm Historical 2001 New Zealand tournament calendar]
* [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/Links/TagNRelease.htm Tag n' Release's contemporary team profile]


[[Category:Paintball tournaments in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Paintball tournaments in New Zealand]]
Line 605: Line 177:
[[Category:Paintball in Rotorua]]
[[Category:Paintball in Rotorua]]
[[Category:Paintball in the Bay of Plenty]]
[[Category:Paintball in the Bay of Plenty]]
[[Category:2001 in paintball]]
[[Category:2000s in New Zealand paintball]]
[[Category:2000s in paintball]]

Revision as of 08:33, 25 October 2026

Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament, also advertised as RotoVegas Rotorua, was a competitive paintball tournament held at Rotorua International Stadium, New Zealand. Tag n' Release and the Rotorua Paintball Club organised the 2001 event, while the 2002 report credited the club and Peter Mumby. Australia's Jetts won the leading division in both years.[1][2][4]

History

Development

The tournament developed within the organising community behind the Rotorua Invitational, which began at Blue Lake Reserve in December 2000. Russell Clement's contemporary account described plans for a larger stadium competition over Queen's Birthday weekend in 2001, with inflatable fields, spectator seating and facilities for visiting teams.[3]

Clement credited Tag n' Release members with most of the planning and stated that Kyn Jackson had been asked to assist with running the tournament.[3]

2001

The first Volcanic tournament was held on 2–3 June 2001 at Rotorua International Stadium. Seventeen teams competed in seven-player games with a flag at each end of the field.[1]

The announcement specified Australian Paintball Players League rules, entry of NZ$500 per team and permission for teams to supply their own paintballs.[4]

Play took place across a Sup'Air inflatable field and a smaller speedball field. Contemporary reporter Rob Maddox described the event as the first occasion on which Sup'Air had been available for play in New Zealand.[1]

Martin Dannefaerd was head referee. Other referees named in the report included Vanessa, Dirk Koorneef, Tekno and Stimpy.[1]

Preliminary results

Each team played fourteen preliminary games. The top four teams in each division advanced to separate finals.[1]

2001 preliminary scores
Team Division Points
Katipo A One 1,215
Saints One 1,168
Black Dragon One 1,155
Jetts One 1,154
Phoenix One 1,048
Phantom One 920
Damage Two 895
Kamo Karzi One 895
Tag n' Release One 875
Katipo B One 830
Damn Natives Two 695
Full Boar Two 400
Havoc Two 395
Shock Tactics Two 350
Warp Speed Two 350
Brew Ha Two 290
Insane Two 79

Final results

Jetts won Division One, ahead of Saints and Katipo A. Team Damage won Division Two, followed by Damn Natives and Full Boar.[1]

2001 divisional finals
Place Division One Points Division Two Points
1 Jetts 290 Team Damage 220
2 Saints 220 Damn Natives 210
3 Katipo A 145 Full Boar 135
4 Black Dragon 30 Havoc 20

These are the tournament report's raw scores. The Valhalla National Rankings subsequently expressed performances from the event as normalised ranking contributions.[1][5]

Named players

The event report identifies the following players. These are partial squad records, not complete team rosters.[1]

Team Players identified at the 2001 event
Saints Rik Goldsworthy (captain), Kane Anderson
Wellington Phoenix Ryan Pike
Kamo Karzi Rob Maddox
Tag n' Release Tony Dickson
Katipo A Reg
Full Boar Robert (captain)
Damn Natives Toka
Warp Speed Des, Mike
Havoc Ange

Ryan Pike received the Volcanic Player award. Tony Dickson received the Saturday NeoTech Player of the Day award, and Reg of Katipo A received Sunday's award. Warp Speed received the fair-play award, while Full Boar was recognised as the highest-scoring newcomer team.[1]

2002

The second tournament, described in the contemporary report as the Tracs Volcanic, was held on 1–2 June 2002 at Rotorua International Stadium. Twenty teams attended, including Australian entries Jetts and Diabolique, both of which included some New Zealand players.[2]

The Rotorua Paintball Club and Peter Mumby organised the event. Two inflatable fields were used: the previous year's Sup'Air field, subsequently acquired by Extreme Events, and another field from Christchurch supplemented by wooden barricades.[2]

Teams initially competed in four seeded pools. The ten highest-scoring teams advanced to the Cup competition, while the remaining ten played for the Plate. Games used a centre flag and lasted ten minutes.[2]

Final results

Jetts retained the Cup, with Saints second and Katipo third. Rush won the Plate ahead of Titans and Fusion.[2]

2002 Cup and Plate standings
Place Cup Points Plate Points
1 Jetts 705 Rush 793
2 Saints 627 Titans 708
3 Katipo 567 Fusion 600
4 Diabolique 514 Flashpoint 440
5 Damage 486 Marksmen 439
6 Phantom 425 Damage Inc 392
7 Shock Tactics 417 Havoc 323
8 Kamo Karzi 370 Brew Ha 225
9 Dam Natives 277 Insane 210
10 Phoenix 214 Solidaire 4

Damage and Damage Inc were separate entries, appearing in the Cup and Plate respectively.[2]

Named captains and awards

Maddox identified Alan Gatland as Kamo Karzi's captain and Rik Goldsworthy as Saints captain. Their teams' second-day encounter ended with Gatland eliminating Goldsworthy and hanging the flag for Kamo Karzi.[2]

Goldsworthy received the players' choice award for the event's top player. Titans received the NeoTech ProGear award for an up-and-coming team. Jetts donated its team-uniform prize to Solidaire, the lowest-scoring amateur team.[2]

At the event's conclusion, Peter Mumby stated that he intended to step back from actively organising the tournament.[2]

See also

References

  1. Rob Maddox, The 2001 Rotorua Volcanic Paintball Tournament, Paintball.co.nz; archived 11 August 2002.
  2. Rob Maddox, The 2002 Rotorua Volcanic Paintball Tournament, Paintball.co.nz; archived 13 June 2002.
  3. Russell Clement, Rotorua Invitational Paintball Days, Mercenaries Star, including the inaugural event report and plans for the 2001 stadium tournament; preserved by OoCities.
  4. Volcanic Rotorua Paintball Tournament, Mercenaries Star, 2001 tournament announcement; preserved by OoCities.
  5. Valhalla Hall of Heroes – 2001, Mercenaries Star, seven-player rankings; preserved by OoCities.
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