Wellington Phoenix (paintball team)
Wellington Phoenix was a competitive paintball team based in Wellington, New Zealand. The team’s Facebook page states that Phoenix was established in 1999.[1] Contemporary tournament records document Phoenix competing nationally in several formats during 2000 and 2001, while the team’s public photograph archive records later activity in the New Zealand Paintball Players League (NZPPL) during 2012.[2][3][4]
History
The earliest confirmed tournament result found for Phoenix is from the 2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals. Competing as Phoenix Wellington, the team finished second to Tag n' Release in the Second Division.[2]
The 2001 Valhalla National Rankings recorded several Phoenix squads. Phoenix (WGN) Red placed seventh in the national seven-player rankings, recording results from the Northland Open, RotoVegas and the New Zealand Nationals.[3] Phoenix (WGN) placed fifth in the five-player rankings after competing in the South Pacific Championships.[3]
Phoenix also entered several three-player squads in 2001. Phoenix (WGN) Red, Phoenix (WGN) Grey and Phoenix (WGN) Orange were recorded in the Hawke's Bay Triples results and finished eighth, ninth and fifteenth respectively in the national three-player rankings.[3]
The team’s public Facebook albums document renewed or continuing activity in 2012. Albums titled NZPPL Event#1 Lock and Load Auckland and 2012 NZPPL Event 2 contain photographs associated with the first two NZPPL events of that season.[4][5] The Event 2 album contains 84 images and credits Kelsey for taking the photographs.[4] A separate album titled Ryan Greenspan training contains three images, although the publicly accessible material does not establish the date, location or participating team members.[6]
The public records examined do not provide a verified team roster. People visible or tagged in photographs have therefore not been identified as Phoenix players without supporting roster or tournament documentation. The relationship between the Phoenix squads recorded in 2000–2001 and the Facebook page documenting activity in 2012 has not been independently established beyond the shared team name and Wellington association.
Tournament record
| Year | Competition or ranking | Format | Recorded result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | New Zealand Paintball Nationals | Second Division | Runner-up |
| 2001 | Valhalla National Rankings | Seven-player | Phoenix (WGN) Red ranked 7th |
| 2001 | Valhalla National Rankings | Five-player | Phoenix (WGN) ranked 5th |
| 2001 | Valhalla National Rankings | Three-player | Phoenix (WGN) Red ranked 8th; Grey 9th; Orange 15th |
| 2012 | NZPPL Event 1 | Not confirmed | Participation documented by the team’s photograph album |
| 2012 | NZPPL Event 2 | Not confirmed | Participation documented by the team’s photograph album |
The Valhalla positions are season rankings calculated from recorded tournament rounds, rather than final placings at a single championship.[3] No verified 2012 event placements were found.
See also
- Paintball in New Zealand
- New Zealand Paintball Nationals
- New Zealand Paintball Players League
- Valhalla National Rankings
- Northland Open
References
- Phoenix — official Facebook page
- New Zealand Paintball Nationals — WikiPaintball
- Mercenaries Star — 2001 Valhalla National Rankings
- Phoenix — 2012 NZPPL Event 2 photograph album
- Phoenix — NZPPL Event#1 Lock and Load Auckland photograph album
- Phoenix — Ryan Greenspan training photograph album