New Zealand Paintball Nationals

New Zealand Paintball Nationals, commonly called the Nationals, is a name associated with New Zealand's Labour Weekend paintball tournaments. Documented examples include the competitions hosted by Actions Paintball from 1997 to 2001 and the final round of the New Zealand Paintball Players League in 2013.[1][2][3][4][5][7][8]

Name and tradition

The Nationals has traditionally been associated with Labour Weekend and the conclusion of the tournament season. The name spans different league structures and tournament formats rather than identifying a single continuously administered competition. Its historical use should be distinguished from formal designation or sanction as a national championship.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

The relationship between the tournament and the season championship also varied. In 2013, the NZPPL promoted its final Super 5 Man round as the Nationals, but the tournament winner and overall series champion were different teams.[7][8]

Labour Weekend finales have also appeared under other names. In March 2014, the NZPPL's forthcoming International Pacific Championship on 25–26 October was advertised as the final event of that season.[8]

History

League context

According to the historical account published by Mercenaries Star, the Nationals was already established when the original National Paintball League began in 1997. The league incorporated the Nationals, Queen's Birthday tournament and Northland Open into its First Division calendar. That league structure operated until 1999, while its constituent tournaments continued.[6]

The 1997 and 1998 Nationals took place at Actions Paintball in Te Atatū. The 1998 competition was the final event before that field closed for relocation. The 1999 and 2000 reports place those editions in Helensville and Swanson respectively.[1][2][3][4]

1997

Main article: 1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals

The tournament took place on 25–26 October at Actions Paintball Sports Arena in Te Atatū, following a change from a planned Māngere venue. Dave Pellet organised the event. Eleven teams competed in five-player centre-flag games lasting ten minutes, using a bush field and a constructed barricade field.[1]

Katipo One won with 1,008 points. Kamo Karzi finished third overall and won Division Two. Its divisional tournament victory was separate from its season-long NPL Division Two title. Published scores included 100-point byes following Gothique's withdrawal from the draw.[1]

1998

Main article: 1998 New Zealand Paintball Nationals

Fourteen teams competed on 24–25 October at Actions Paintball in Te Atatū. Kyn Jackson organised the tournament.[2]

Saints Gold won with 1,290 points from a possible 1,300, followed by Paint Contractors and Saints Grey. Black Dragon finished fifth overall and won Division Two.[2]

1999

Main article: 1999 New Zealand Paintball Nationals

The tournament took place on 23–24 October at Actions Paintball Sports Arena in Helensville. Thirteen teams played five-player centre-flag games with an eight-minute time limit on the Bunker and Speedball fields.[3]

Paint Contractors won with 1,045 points, ahead of Saints Gold on 1,025 and Phantom 5 Purple on 820. Kamo Karzi supplied most of the referees rather than entering the playing competition.[3]

2000

Main article: 2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals

The 21–22 October tournament at Actions Paintball in Swanson attracted sixteen teams. Games used seven players per side and two flags. Preliminary competition on two fields determined four finalists in each division.[4]

Saints won Division One, while Tag n' Release won Division Two. Tag n' Release's contemporary team profile records 655 preliminary points and 235 points in the divisional final round.[4][9]

2001

Main article: 2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals

Eighteen teams competed at Actions Paintball over the Saturday and Sunday of Labour Weekend. Seven-player, two-flag games were played across three fields, with the top four teams in each division advancing to finals on the Sup'Air field.[5]

Saints won Division One with 225 final-round points. Katipo finished second on 165, ahead of the Australian Jetts on 160. Jetts initially received the second-place trophy, but a countback established Katipo's five-point advantage and the trophies were exchanged.[5]

Tag and Training won Division Two with 180 points. The report described it as Tag n' Release's amateur team; the two competed as separate entries.[5]

2013

Main article: 2013 NZPPL Super 5 Man Event 3

The NZPPL promoted its third Super 5 Man event as the New Zealand Nationals. It took place on 26–27 October at Asylum Paintball in Kingseat, Auckland, concluding the series.[7][8]

KC Damage won the tournament, followed by Wellington Vendetta and X-Fighter$ Fracture. X-Fighter$ Fracture won the season championship after winning the opening two rounds and finishing third at the Nationals.[8]

Selected results

These are individual tournament placings, not season standings. Overall and divisional classifications are shown separately.

Year	Classification	First	Second	Third	Fourth
1997	Overall	Katipo One	Saints Black	Kamo Karzi	Paint Contractors
1997	Division Two	Kamo Karzi	Team Raven	Katipo Two	Flashpoint
1998	Overall	Saints Gold	Paint Contractors	Saints Grey	House Steiner
1999	Overall	Paint Contractors	Saints Gold	Phantom 5 Purple	Katipo One
2000	Division One	Saints	Grey	Katipo	Crisis
2000	Division Two	Tag n' Release	Phoenix	Solidaire	Fusion
2001	Division One	Saints	Katipo	Jetts	Flashpoint
2001	Division Two	Tag and Training	Damn Natives	Fusion	Damage
2013	NZPPL Super 5 Man Event 3	KC Damage	Wellington Vendetta	X-Fighter$ Fracture	—

Sources: contemporary tournament reports and the 2013 event report.[1][2][3][4][5][8]

Black Dragon's 1998 Division Two victory is documented, but the report does not provide a complete separate divisional table.[2]

References