HBI Malta (Malta Paintball Team)
HBI Malta was a Maltese competitive paintball team associated with the international HBI (How Big Is Paintball) organisation. Based in Żejtun, Malta, the team competed in the National Xball League Europe European Championships between 2022 and 2024, as well as tournaments in Italy.[1][2]
HBI Malta participated in Division 3 Xball during the 2022 and 2023 European Championships before moving to Division 4 in 2024, finishing 16th among 24 teams.[1]
History
Formation and 2022 European Championships
HBI Malta was registered with PBLeagues on 31 May 2022, listing Żejtun as its home town. The registration date is the earliest documented appearance of the team under this name, rather than a confirmed founding date.[1]
Maltese player Chris Cioffi had previously competed with the wider HBI organisation at the 2021 NXL European Championships in Chantilly, France, representing HBI How Big Is Paintball 3 in the Amateur 3-Man division.[3]
HBI Malta entered the 2022 NXL European Championships at Ace Paintball in Dreux, France, held from 15 to 18 September.
Competing in Division 3 Xball, the team faced United Strasbourg, ENERGY, Consilium Dei Zuerich and Trash Pandas.
HBI Malta lost all four preliminary matches by scores of 0–4, finishing 32nd among 32 teams.[4]
Chris Cioffi also competed in the separate Open 10-Man tournament with the wider HBI squad, which finished sixth among seven teams.[4]
2023 season
HBI Malta returned to Dreux for the 2023 NXL European Championships, held from 30 August to 3 September.
The team again competed in Division 3 Xball, playing four preliminary matches:
| Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Monkey Family | 0–4 | Loss |
| Outlaw Kings | 0–4 | Loss |
| Ronholt Detonation | 0–4 | Loss |
| Mambang Di Awan | 1–5 | Loss |
HBI Malta finished 33rd among 33 teams.[1][5]
The same tournament featured HBI W in the professional Women's National Xball League division. Maltese player Jovana Roncevic competed with HBI W, which reached the semi-finals and finished fourth among five teams.[5]
On 26 November 2023, HBI Malta competed at the MacDev Cup, held at Paintball La Fortezza in Rome, Italy.[6]
2024 season
HBI Malta participated in the CPS Champions Paintball Series "Living the Dream" tournament in Rome on 20–21 April 2024.
Following the event, Chris Cioffi described the experience of competing against established international opposition and the team's efforts to improve its competitive performance.[7]
In August, HBI Malta returned to the NXL European Championships at Ace Paintball in Dreux.
The team entered Division 4 Xball, competing on 31 August and 1 September.
HBI Malta opened with a 3–1 victory over Consilium Dei Zuerich 2 before losing 1–3 to Hannover Painthers Red.
On the second day, the team drew 2–2 with C.O.P. 60 and lost 0–2 to Redball 2.
The team finished 16th among 24 competitors, recording one victory, one draw and two defeats.[1][8]
This was HBI Malta's highest documented placing across its three NXL European Championships appearances.
Training facilities
HBI Malta was associated with Epic Fields Paintball, a paintball training facility in Burmarrad, Malta.
On 17 September 2022, Team HBI Paintball published an announcement referring to the development of a home field in Malta.[9]
The playing area included protective netting, inflatable paintball bunkers and a prepared playing surface suitable for speedball practice.
Epic Fields was also used by Southclan Malta, whose 2024 PBLeagues registration identified it as the team's home field.[10]
Chris Cioffi documented training activity at Epic Fields during January 2024.
In September 2024, Cioffi announced the end of the team's use of the facility. The available records do not establish the permanent closure of the business.[10]
Organisation
The HBI name was also associated with the HBI Extreme Sports Club, a Maltese voluntary organisation registered under VO/2222.[11]
On 23 October 2024, the HBI Extreme Sports Club amalgamated with the Malta Tactical Airsoft Club, an affiliate of the Association of Maltese Arms Collectors and Shooters (AMACS).
The combined organisation became the Malta HBI Extreme Sports Club, later renamed Valletta Paintball Club.[12]
Chris Cioffi served as president of the combined club during the 2024–2025 period, with Jesmond Cioffi as secretary and Jovana Roncevic as treasurer.
These organisational changes are distinct from HBI Malta's tournament registration and should not be interpreted as evidence that the competitive team itself formally merged or ceased operating.
Tournament results
| Year | Tournament | Division | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | NXL European Championships | Division 3 Xball | 32nd of 32 |
| 2023 | NXL European Championships | Division 3 Xball | 33rd of 33 |
| 2023 | MacDev Cup, Rome | Not established | Participated |
| 2024 | CPS Champions Paintball Series, Rome | Not established | Participated |
| 2024 | NXL European Championships | Division 4 Xball | 16th of 24 |
Results are based on official PBLeagues records and contemporary tournament reporting.[1][4][5][6][7][8]
See also
- Paintball in Malta
- Southclan Malta
- HBI W
- Chris Cioffi
- Epic Fields Paintball
- Valletta Paintball Club
- Malta Paintball
- NXL Europe
References
- PBLeagues, "HBI Malta", official team profile and tournament history.
- Malta Paintball, "Maltese Players Compete in Xball and 10-Man at the 2022 NXL European Championships", 19 September 2022.
- Malta Paintball, "Chris Cioffi Competes at the 2021 NXL European Championships in France", 7 September 2021.
- PBLeagues, "HBI Malta at the 2022 European Championships", official match results.
- Malta Paintball, "Jovana Reaches the Women's Semi-Finals at the 2023 NXL European Championships", 5 September 2023.
- Malta Paintball, "HBI Malta Competes at the MacDev Cup in Rome", 27 November 2023.
- Malta Paintball, "HBI Malta Competes at CPS in Rome", 22 April 2024.
- Malta Paintball, "Malta Players Compete in Two Divisions at the 2024 NXL European Championships", 9 September 2024.
- Team HBI Paintball, announcement concerning the development of HBI Malta's home field, 17 September 2022.
- WikiPaintball, "Epic Fields Paintball", historical facility records.
- Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, directory entry for HBI Extreme Sport Club, VO/2222.
- Association of Maltese Arms Collectors and Shooters, "Valletta Paintball Club", official club history.