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Expanded 2020 ECPL season coverage using Vince Knipmeijer's photographed Season Champions 2020 trophy. Added championship award evidence and partial results table while preserving uncertainty about the winning team.
Expanded ECPL history with documented 2020 Round 2 plans, verified Round 3 and Round 4 podium results, and photographic evidence of a 2020 season championship trophy. Preserved existing 2021 and 2022 coverage, clarified unverified standings and retained source references.
 
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'''East Coast Paintball League''' ('''ECPL''') is a New Zealand tournament [[paintball]] competition established in 2020 to develop regional participation in the upper North Island. Its documented programme includes tournaments at the [[Bay of Plenty Paintball Club]] field at [[TECT All Terrain Park]].[1][2]
'''East Coast Paintball League''' ('''ECPL''') is a New Zealand tournament [[paintball]] competition established in 2020 to develop regional participation in the upper North Island. Its documented programme includes tournaments at [[Bay of Plenty Paintball Club]]'s field at [[TECT All Terrain Park]], near Tauranga.[1][2]


== History ==
== History ==
Line 6: Line 6:
=== Establishment ===
=== Establishment ===


On 8 February 2020, ECPL announced plans to establish a regional competition following the cessation of the [[New Zealand Local Series]] (NZLS).
On 8 February 2020, ECPL announced that it intended to provide regional competition following the cessation of the [[New Zealand Local Series]] (NZLS).[1]


The organisers intended to encourage participation by newer players, including through the involvement of experienced competitors. The announcement also identified X-Ball as the intended competition format, following the example of the [[New Zealand Race Series]].[1]
The organisers aimed to encourage participation by new players while providing competition for established teams. The announcement also identified X-Ball as the intended format, following the example of the [[New Zealand Race Series]].[1]


=== 2020 season ===
=== 2020 season ===


The inaugural tournament, [[2020 ECPL Round 1]], took place on 23 February 2020.
==== Opening round ====


Surge won the opening round, earning 100 championship points. The league published standings for six entries in its Champions Division.[2]
The inaugural tournament, [[2020 ECPL Round 1]], took place on 23 February 2020 at TECT Park.
 
Surge won the opening round, receiving 100 championship points.[2]
 
The league published the following Champions Division standings after the event:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Team
! Team
! Points after Round 1
! Championship points
|-
|-
| Surge
| Surge
Line 26: Line 30:
| 94
| 94
|-
|-
| [[Ballistics Unit (New Zealand Paintball Team)|Ballistics Unit]] 1
| Ballistics Unit 1
| 88
| 88
|-
|-
Line 39: Line 43:
|}
|}


A third round was held at TECT Park on 26 July 2020. Bay of Plenty Paintball Club reported that two of its entries finished first and fourth. The club described the competition as the first tournament since the COVID-19 lockdown for many participants.[3]
Bay of Plenty Paintball Club subsequently described the opening event as attracting both established and developing teams.[7]
 
==== Round 2 ====
 
On 16 March 2020, Bay of Plenty Paintball Club reported that another ECPL tournament was planned for late April.[7]
 
Although subsequent records identify a third round in July, the exact date, completion and results of Round 2 have not been independently established.
 
The available evidence does not establish whether the planned April tournament was held, cancelled or rescheduled.
 
==== Round 3 ====
 
[[2020 ECPL Round 3]] took place at TECT Park on 26 July 2020.
 
Victoria Kate Photography documented the competition in an album published on 27 July, identifying the following podium:[8]
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Team
|-
| 1st
| The Ponies
|-
| 2nd
| [[Expendables Feilding|Expendables]]
|-
| 3rd
| Surge
|}
 
Bay of Plenty Paintball Club separately reported that two club entries finished first and fourth at the event and occupied first and fourth positions in the series standings.[3]
 
The club did not identify the individual squad names in that report. The relationship between its reported club placings and the photographer's published podium has not been fully established.
 
The tournament was described as the first competition since the COVID-19 lockdown for many participants.[3]
 
==== Round 4 ====
 
[[2020 ECPL Round 4]] took place on 22 November 2020 at TECT Park.
 
The competition was advertised as "ECPL Round #4 - 3man Xball lite", identifying a three-player X-Ball Lite format.[10]
 
Before the tournament, ECPL announced that its field layout would be adapted from a World Cup Asia layout.[11]
 
Victoria Kate Photography documented the competition in an album titled "East Coast Paintball League Round Four", published in November 2020.[9]
 
The photographer identified the tournament as the fourth and final round of the 2020 season and congratulated The Ponies on winning.[9]
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Team
|-
| 1st
| The Ponies
|}


Another tournament was advertised for 22 November 2020.[3]
The remaining placings have not been recovered.


==== Season championship trophy ====
==== Season championship ====


A trophy from the historical collection photographed by Vince Knipmeijer in 2026 bears the ECPL logo and an engraved plaque reading "Season Champions 2020".[7]
A trophy photographed by Vince Knipmeijer in 2026 bears the ECPL logo and an inscription identifying the 2020 season championship.[12]


Knipmeijer described the collection as consisting mainly of trophies and medals associated with [[BOP Blast (New Zealand Paintball Team)|BOP Blast]] and its predecessor TPC Blast.[7]
Knipmeijer described his historical trophy and medal collection as consisting mainly of awards associated with BOP Blast and its predecessor TPC Blast.


The trophy documents a championship award for the 2020 season. However, the inscription does not identify the winning team, and an official final championship standings table has not been recovered.
However, the photographed championship trophy does not identify the winning team, and the complete final 2020 championship standings have not been independently verified.


The relationship between the BOP Black entry recorded in the opening round and the BOP Blast team has also not been independently established.
Winning an individual round is distinguished from winning the season championship.


=== 2021 season ===
=== 2021 season ===


The published 2021 calendar advertised three rounds at TECT Park:[4]
ECPL announced a three-round calendar for 2021 at TECT Park:[4]


* Round 1: 2 May 2021
* Round 1: 2 May 2021
Line 61: Line 119:
* Round 3: 28 November 2021
* Round 3: 28 November 2021


At [[2021 ECPL Round 1]], Expendables finished first and Surge second. The league also acknowledged the participation of Crisis Paintball Northland and Kaos Theory.[5]
The opening competition, [[2021 ECPL Round 1]], was won by Expendables, with Surge finishing second.[5]


The September and November dates were advertised in advance. Their publication does not independently establish that both events took place.
Victoria Kate Photography identified the winning entry specifically as Expendables 1.[13]
 
The organisers also acknowledged participation by Crisis Paintball Northland and Kaos Theory.[5]
 
The September and November dates were published as part of the competition programme. Their announcement does not independently establish that both tournaments took place.


=== 2022 programme ===
=== 2022 programme ===


The league announced four tournaments for the 2022 season, scheduled for 20 February, 1 May, 18 September and 27 November at Bay of Plenty Paintball Club.[6]
The league announced four competitions for 2022, scheduled for 20 February, 1 May, 18 September and 27 November at Bay of Plenty Paintball Club.[6]


Further information is covered in [[2022 East Coast Paintball League]].
The programme is covered separately in [[2022 East Coast Paintball League]].


== Competition format ==
== Competition format ==
Line 75: Line 137:
=== 2021 ===
=== 2021 ===


The 2021 competition was advertised as three-player X-Ball with a 10.5 balls-per-second firing-rate limit and a two-point mercy rule.[4]
The advertised 2021 format was three-player X-Ball with a firing-rate limit of 10.5 balls per second and a two-point mercy rule.[4]


Entries were limited to twelve teams. Each team was guaranteed at least five matches before the knockout stages.
The competition was limited to twelve teams, with each guaranteed at least five matches before the semi-finals and finals.


The entry fee was NZ$140 per team.[4]
The advertised entry fee was NZ$140 per team.[4]


=== 2022 ===
=== 2022 ===


The 2022 format continued using three-player X-Ball, with seven-minute matches and a two-point mercy rule.[6]
The 2022 programme continued with three-player X-Ball and specified seven-minute matches.[6]


The advertised rules included:
The advertised rules included:


* Maximum firing rate of 10.5 balls per second.
* A firing-rate limit of 10.5 balls per second.
* Paint allowance designated M500, comprising one hopper and two pods per player.
* A two-point mercy rule.
* Ten-team entry limit.
* A paint allowance designated M500, consisting of a hopper and two pods per player.
* Group matches followed by knockout finals involving the top four teams.
* A maximum of ten teams.
* NZ$150 team entry fee.
* Group competition followed by knockout finals involving the top four teams.
* An entry fee of NZ$150 per team.


These details describe the advertised 2022 rules and should not be assumed to apply to every previous ECPL season.
These were the published 2022 rules and should not be assumed to have applied to every earlier season.


== Documented results ==
== Documented tournament results ==
 
The following results are supported by contemporary tournament reports.


{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Date
! Competition
! Event
! Result
! Position
! Team
! Source
! Source
|-
|-
| 2020
| 23 February 2020
| [[2020 ECPL Round 1]]
| [[2020 ECPL Round 1]]
| Surge, 1st
| 1st
| Surge
| [2]
| [2]
|-
|-
| 2020
| 26 July 2020
| ECPL Round 3
| [[2020 ECPL Round 3]]
| Bay of Plenty Paintball Club entries, 1st and 4th
| 1st
| [3]
| The Ponies
| [8]
|-
|-
| 2020
| 26 July 2020
| ECPL season championship
| [[2020 ECPL Round 3]]
| Championship trophy documented; winning team not independently confirmed
| 2nd
| [7]
| [[Expendables Feilding|Expendables]]
| [8]
|-
|-
| 2021
| 26 July 2020
| [[2020 ECPL Round 3]]
| 3rd
| Surge
| [8]
|-
| 22 November 2020
| [[2020 ECPL Round 4]]
| 1st
| The Ponies
| [9]
|-
| 2 May 2021
| [[2021 ECPL Round 1]]
| [[2021 ECPL Round 1]]
| Expendables, 1st; Surge, 2nd
| 1st
| Expendables 1
| [5][13]
|-
| 2 May 2021
| [[2021 ECPL Round 1]]
| 2nd
| Surge
| [5]
| [5]
|}
|}


The table contains documented partial results rather than complete league standings.
The table contains documented individual event results rather than complete season championship standings.


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 136: Line 224:
== References ==
== References ==


# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/hi-teamswith-the-nzls-no-longer-running-we-have-decided-to-fill-the-void-left-in/100524221533348/ East Coast Paintball League – Establishment announcement, Facebook, 8 February 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/hi-teamswith-the-nzls-no-longer-running-we-have-decided-to-fill-the-void-left-in/100524221533348/ East Coast Paintball League: Establishment announcement, Facebook, 8 February 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/congratulations-su%D1%8Fge-paintball-team-hawkes-bay-on-taking-first-placealso-a-big-/115412863377817/ East Coast Paintball League – Opening-round results and Champions Division standings, Facebook, 24 February 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/congratulations-su%D1%8Fge-paintball-team-hawkes-bay-on-taking-first-placealso-a-big-/115412863377817/ East Coast Paintball League: Opening-round results and Champions Division standings, Facebook, 24 February 2020].
# [https://www.bayofplentypaintball.co.nz/post/ecpl-paintball-series-bop-team-hold-their-own Bay of Plenty Paintball Club – ECPL Series: BOP teams hold their own, 20 September 2020].
# [https://www.bayofplentypaintball.co.nz/post/ecpl-paintball-series-bop-team-hold-their-own Bay of Plenty Paintball Club: ECPL Series, BOP teams hold their own, 20 September 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/pfbid0E6ek9zZrnE8duK58Pjiix8pw117xMzp6ziZg5s84sxrJZg367afCVGGXZs4mNTuBl East Coast Paintball League – 2021 season dates and competition format, Facebook, 13 January 2021].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/pfbid0E6ek9zZrnE8duK58Pjiix8pw117xMzp6ziZg5s84sxrJZg367afCVGGXZs4mNTuBl East Coast Paintball League: 2021 season dates and competition format, Facebook, 13 January 2021].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/pfbid0215xTHnkmrAaZaXGn3ZN4QgjzgVG8HD2uBsLRCj6ZxgKaP5iDT1M6BWTRShDjVeml East Coast Paintball League – 2021 opening-round results, Facebook, 3 May 2021].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/pfbid0215xTHnkmrAaZaXGn3ZN4QgjzgVG8HD2uBsLRCj6ZxgKaP5iDT1M6BWTRShDjVeml East Coast Paintball League: Opening-round results, Facebook, 3 May 2021].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/pfbid0RfCg1cHAovuwRPF59U9cPGh7AoSdXijco4gz66Phbk7dsMHU1w9Em3rP63do2tXzl East Coast Paintball League – 2022 calendar and competition format, Facebook, 18 January 2022].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/posts/pfbid0RfCg1cHAovuwRPF59U9cPGh7AoSdXijco4gz66Phbk7dsMHU1w9Em3rP63do2tXzl East Coast Paintball League: 2022 competition calendar and format, Facebook, 18 January 2022].
# [https://www.facebook.com/share/1FXQVMms57/ Vince Knipmeijer – Photographic collection of historical paintball medals and trophies, including ECPL Season Champions 2020 trophy, Facebook, 2026].
# [https://www.bayofplentypaintball.co.nz/post/first-round-of-ecpl-a-success Bay of Plenty Paintball Club: First round of ECPL a success, 16 March 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/boppaintball/posts/great-photos-from-victoria-kate-photography-of-the-ecpl-race-series-thank-you/3419706211395471/ Victoria Kate Photography: ECPL Round Three photographs and podium, 27 July 2020, shared by Bay of Plenty Paintball Club, 28 July 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/victoria.kate.photographynz/photos/882117112534627/ Victoria Kate Photography: East Coast Paintball League Round Four photographs and tournament winner, November 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/ East Coast Paintball League: Official Facebook page and 22 November 2020 Round 4 event listing].
# [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/photos/layout-drop-for-the-last-event-of-the-2020-calendar-well-be-stealing-world-cup-a/193931052192664/ East Coast Paintball League: Final 2020 tournament field-layout announcement, November 2020].
# [https://www.facebook.com/share/1FXQVMms57/ Vince Knipmeijer: Historical paintball trophy and medal collection, including 2020 ECPL championship trophy, Facebook, 2026].
# [https://www.facebook.com/victoria.kate.photographynz/posts/pfbid02HHKo1UvbDhqSGKuamwgYWQyjXjfeKigwfpSDD7gBKu6gSXF16uYFYChS8mXYxeQ3l Victoria Kate Photography: ECPL Round 1 2021 photographic report, 3 May 2021].


== External links ==
== External links ==


* [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/ East Coast Paintball League – Official Facebook page]
* [https://www.facebook.com/ECPLPB/ East Coast Paintball League official Facebook page]


[[Category:Paintball tournaments in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Paintball tournaments in New Zealand]]

Latest revision as of 05:13, 1 November 2026

East Coast Paintball League (ECPL) is a New Zealand tournament paintball competition established in 2020 to develop regional participation in the upper North Island. Its documented programme includes tournaments at Bay of Plenty Paintball Club's field at TECT All Terrain Park, near Tauranga.[1][2]

History

[edit]

Establishment

[edit]

On 8 February 2020, ECPL announced that it intended to provide regional competition following the cessation of the New Zealand Local Series (NZLS).[1]

The organisers aimed to encourage participation by new players while providing competition for established teams. The announcement also identified X-Ball as the intended format, following the example of the New Zealand Race Series.[1]

2020 season

[edit]

Opening round

[edit]

The inaugural tournament, 2020 ECPL Round 1, took place on 23 February 2020 at TECT Park.

Surge won the opening round, receiving 100 championship points.[2]

The league published the following Champions Division standings after the event:

Team Championship points
Surge 100
The Ponies 94
Ballistics Unit 1 88
Ballistics Unit 2 84
BOP Black 80
IDK 76

Bay of Plenty Paintball Club subsequently described the opening event as attracting both established and developing teams.[7]

Round 2

[edit]

On 16 March 2020, Bay of Plenty Paintball Club reported that another ECPL tournament was planned for late April.[7]

Although subsequent records identify a third round in July, the exact date, completion and results of Round 2 have not been independently established.

The available evidence does not establish whether the planned April tournament was held, cancelled or rescheduled.

Round 3

[edit]

2020 ECPL Round 3 took place at TECT Park on 26 July 2020.

Victoria Kate Photography documented the competition in an album published on 27 July, identifying the following podium:[8]

Position Team
1st The Ponies
2nd Expendables
3rd Surge

Bay of Plenty Paintball Club separately reported that two club entries finished first and fourth at the event and occupied first and fourth positions in the series standings.[3]

The club did not identify the individual squad names in that report. The relationship between its reported club placings and the photographer's published podium has not been fully established.

The tournament was described as the first competition since the COVID-19 lockdown for many participants.[3]

Round 4

[edit]

2020 ECPL Round 4 took place on 22 November 2020 at TECT Park.

The competition was advertised as "ECPL Round #4 - 3man Xball lite", identifying a three-player X-Ball Lite format.[10]

Before the tournament, ECPL announced that its field layout would be adapted from a World Cup Asia layout.[11]

Victoria Kate Photography documented the competition in an album titled "East Coast Paintball League Round Four", published in November 2020.[9]

The photographer identified the tournament as the fourth and final round of the 2020 season and congratulated The Ponies on winning.[9]

Position Team
1st The Ponies

The remaining placings have not been recovered.

Season championship

[edit]

A trophy photographed by Vince Knipmeijer in 2026 bears the ECPL logo and an inscription identifying the 2020 season championship.[12]

Knipmeijer described his historical trophy and medal collection as consisting mainly of awards associated with BOP Blast and its predecessor TPC Blast.

However, the photographed championship trophy does not identify the winning team, and the complete final 2020 championship standings have not been independently verified.

Winning an individual round is distinguished from winning the season championship.

2021 season

[edit]

ECPL announced a three-round calendar for 2021 at TECT Park:[4]

  • Round 1: 2 May 2021
  • Round 2: 5 September 2021
  • Round 3: 28 November 2021

The opening competition, 2021 ECPL Round 1, was won by Expendables, with Surge finishing second.[5]

Victoria Kate Photography identified the winning entry specifically as Expendables 1.[13]

The organisers also acknowledged participation by Crisis Paintball Northland and Kaos Theory.[5]

The September and November dates were published as part of the competition programme. Their announcement does not independently establish that both tournaments took place.

2022 programme

[edit]

The league announced four competitions for 2022, scheduled for 20 February, 1 May, 18 September and 27 November at Bay of Plenty Paintball Club.[6]

The programme is covered separately in 2022 East Coast Paintball League.

Competition format

[edit]

2021

[edit]

The advertised 2021 format was three-player X-Ball with a firing-rate limit of 10.5 balls per second and a two-point mercy rule.[4]

The competition was limited to twelve teams, with each guaranteed at least five matches before the semi-finals and finals.

The advertised entry fee was NZ$140 per team.[4]

2022

[edit]

The 2022 programme continued with three-player X-Ball and specified seven-minute matches.[6]

The advertised rules included:

  • A firing-rate limit of 10.5 balls per second.
  • A two-point mercy rule.
  • A paint allowance designated M500, consisting of a hopper and two pods per player.
  • A maximum of ten teams.
  • Group competition followed by knockout finals involving the top four teams.
  • An entry fee of NZ$150 per team.

These were the published 2022 rules and should not be assumed to have applied to every earlier season.

Documented tournament results

[edit]

The following results are supported by contemporary tournament reports.

Date Event Position Team Source
23 February 2020 2020 ECPL Round 1 1st Surge [2]
26 July 2020 2020 ECPL Round 3 1st The Ponies [8]
26 July 2020 2020 ECPL Round 3 2nd Expendables [8]
26 July 2020 2020 ECPL Round 3 3rd Surge [8]
22 November 2020 2020 ECPL Round 4 1st The Ponies [9]
2 May 2021 2021 ECPL Round 1 1st Expendables 1 [5][13]
2 May 2021 2021 ECPL Round 1 2nd Surge [5]

The table contains documented individual event results rather than complete season championship standings.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. East Coast Paintball League: Establishment announcement, Facebook, 8 February 2020.
  2. East Coast Paintball League: Opening-round results and Champions Division standings, Facebook, 24 February 2020.
  3. Bay of Plenty Paintball Club: ECPL Series, BOP teams hold their own, 20 September 2020.
  4. East Coast Paintball League: 2021 season dates and competition format, Facebook, 13 January 2021.
  5. East Coast Paintball League: Opening-round results, Facebook, 3 May 2021.
  6. East Coast Paintball League: 2022 competition calendar and format, Facebook, 18 January 2022.
  7. Bay of Plenty Paintball Club: First round of ECPL a success, 16 March 2020.
  8. Victoria Kate Photography: ECPL Round Three photographs and podium, 27 July 2020, shared by Bay of Plenty Paintball Club, 28 July 2020.
  9. Victoria Kate Photography: East Coast Paintball League Round Four photographs and tournament winner, November 2020.
  10. East Coast Paintball League: Official Facebook page and 22 November 2020 Round 4 event listing.
  11. East Coast Paintball League: Final 2020 tournament field-layout announcement, November 2020.
  12. Vince Knipmeijer: Historical paintball trophy and medal collection, including 2020 ECPL championship trophy, Facebook, 2026.
  13. Victoria Kate Photography: ECPL Round 1 2021 photographic report, 3 May 2021.
[edit]
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