Phoenix Tahiti
Phoenix Tahiti (also known as Phœnix Tahiti, Phoenix Authority and Phoenix Tahiti Aisawan) is a competitive paintball team based in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Founded in 2009, the team has competed internationally in Asia, Oceania and North America.
Phoenix Tahiti has participated in competitions organised by the Paintball Asia League Series (PALS), New Zealand Paintball Players League (NZPPL), Almost Famous Paintball League (AFPL) and National Xball League (NXL).
Ralph Tsing has been a long-standing captain and organiser of the team, with his leadership dating to at least 2010 according to firsthand recollections from former teammate Michael Earley.[2]
Phoenix Tahiti competed under the alternative name Phoenix Authority at the 2012 Paintball World Cup Asia. Original tournament accreditation cards document six players associated with this entry, including Tsing and Earley.[2][3]
The team's international achievements include fourth place at the 2014 NZPPL International Pacific Championship, fifth place at the 2017 World Cup Asia, third place at the 2023 New Zealand Race Series finale and second place in Division 5 X-Ball at the 2025 NXL World Cup.[4][7][9]
History
Formation
Phoenix Tahiti was established in 2009 by three friends who wanted to form a competitive paintball team combining players from different existing teams.
The team's original public description emphasised enjoying the sport and bringing players together.[1]
Phoenix Tahiti developed within the French Polynesian paintball community, initially participating in local activities before establishing an international tournament presence.
Its historical PBLeagues profile identifies Tahiti Ultimate Paintball in Punaauia as its home field.[4]
Ralph Tsing
Ralph Tsing has been closely associated with Phoenix Tahiti throughout its international tournament history.
Former teammate Michael Earley recalls Tsing serving as team captain from at least 2010.[2]
Tsing has continued to organise international tournament participation and has been involved in assembling teams for events outside French Polynesia.
His role in organising Phoenix Tahiti's 2023 New Zealand Race Series squad is independently documented in a contemporary interview published by Air Tahiti Nui.[7]
The exact date on which he first became captain has not been independently established.
Early international competition
World Cup Asia, 2012
Phoenix Tahiti competed at the 2012 Paintball World Cup Asia under the alternative name Phoenix Authority.
Original tournament accreditation cards preserved in the personal collection of Michael Earley identify a Division 2 entry registered as Phoenix Authority.[3]
Earley, who played with Phoenix Tahiti during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, confirms that Phoenix Authority was simply an alternative team name, rather than a separate organisation or combined squad.[2]
The photograph documents six named player credentials and three additional support credentials.
These records establish an international tournament appearance predating the team's September 2013 registration in PBLeagues.
The team's final placing at the 2012 tournament has not yet been recovered.
World Cup Asia, 2013
Phoenix Tahiti competed at the 2013 NAZA World Cup Asia in Malaysia from 15 to 17 November 2013.
The team entered Division 3 RaceTo-2 and finished 47th of 54 teams.[4]
This is the earliest Phoenix Tahiti tournament entry in its surviving PBLeagues team history.
Michael Earley also recalls competing with Phoenix Tahiti during the 2013 season.[2]
The available records do not establish a complete player roster for the November 2013 tournament.
Competition in New Zealand
NZPPL International Pacific Championship, 2014
Phoenix Tahiti competed at the NZPPL International Pacific Championship in Auckland on 25–26 October 2014.
The team entered Division 1 RaceTo-4 and finished fourth of eight teams.[4]
This was an early documented top-four international finish for Phoenix Tahiti.
The event also strengthened connections between the Tahitian team and the New Zealand tournament community.
Asylum Paintball Cup, 2015
Phoenix Tahiti returned to Auckland for the Asylum Paintball Cup on 26–27 September 2015.
The event was held at Asylum Paintball in South Auckland.
The team competed in Open RaceTo-4.[4]
PBLeagues confirms the team's entry but does not provide a final placing in its surviving team results.
Auckland Paintball Cup, 2016
Phoenix Tahiti competed at the Auckland Paintball Cup on 16–17 April 2016.
The team entered Division 2 X-Ball and finished seventh of eight teams.[4]
The tournament represented another appearance in the Auckland competition circuit.
New Zealand Race Series, 2023
Phoenix Tahiti returned to New Zealand in October 2023 for the final round of the New Zealand Race Series.
The event took place at Arena Paintball in Feilding.
Ralph Tsing assembled the squad following an invitation from tournament organiser David Hopkins.[7]
The team included five players from French Polynesia and two international players.
Phoenix Tahiti finished the preliminary stage with six victories, one draw and one defeat.
The team advanced to the semifinals against Ballistic Unit.
After recovering from a 2–0 deficit to lead 3–2, Phoenix Tahiti finished regulation time tied 3–3.
Ballistic Unit won the deciding sudden-death point.
Phoenix Tahiti subsequently defeated Charcharodons 3–0 in the third-place playoff.
The result secured third place of nine teams.[7]
Competition in Asia
Paintball Asia League Series
Phoenix Tahiti has maintained connections with the Paintball Asia League Series (PALS), participating in tournaments that attracted teams from across Asia, Oceania and other regions.
The team's international competition history includes several events in Malaysia and Thailand.
World Cup Asia, 2017
Phoenix Tahiti competed under the name Phoenix Tahiti Aisawan at the 2017 Paintball World Cup Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The tournament took place from 10 to 12 November 2017.
The team finished fifth of sixteen teams in Division 3 RaceTo-2.[4]
This was one of its strongest documented Asian tournament results.
George Town International X-Ball Cup, 2018
Phoenix Tahiti Aisawan competed at the George Town International X-Ball Cup in Malaysia on 19 October 2018.
The team entered Amateur Division 2 RaceTo-4.
It finished fifth of seventeen teams.[4]
World Paintball Championship, 2019
Phoenix Tahiti Aisawan entered the 2019 World Paintball Championship in Thailand.
The competition took place from 29 November to 1 December 2019.
The team entered Division 3 X-Ball, Mercy Limit 2.[4]
Its PBLeagues event listing confirms participation but does not provide a final team placing.
Competition in the United States
Almost Famous Paintball League, 2016
Phoenix Tahiti competed at the Almost Famous Paintball League (AFPL) SoCal Chaos #3 tournament in Southern California on 10–11 September 2016.
The team entered Division 4 RaceTo-3 and finished eighth of eight teams.[4][6]
Former Phoenix Tahiti player Michael Earley was living in San Diego at the time.
He attended the same tournament as a member of SD Crush, meaning he was unable to compete for Phoenix Tahiti on that occasion.[2]
The event was a documented appearance for Phoenix Tahiti in American tournament competition.
NXL World Cup, 2025
Phoenix Tahiti achieved one of its most significant international results at the 2025 NXL World Cup in Kissimmee, Florida.
The event took place from 12 to 16 November 2025.
Phoenix Tahiti entered Division 5 X-Ball and advanced to the championship final.[9]
The team won three of its four preliminary matches before progressing through the elimination rounds.
Preliminary results
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| BR Barbies | Won 3–0 |
| Filthy Few | Won 3–1 |
| SoCal Havoc MOB | Won 3–0 |
| APF Family | Lost 2–3 |
Elimination rounds
Phoenix Tahiti subsequently defeated:
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| Thunderducks | Won 3–0 |
| Revolution | Won 2–1 |
| Texas Rampage | Won 4–1 |
| SoCal Havoc Misfits | Won 3–0 |
The victory against SoCal Havoc Misfits secured the team's place in the Division 5 championship final.[9]
Championship final
Phoenix Tahiti faced Protocol D5 in the final.
Protocol D5 won 4–2.
Phoenix Tahiti therefore finished second in Division 5 X-Ball at the 2025 NXL World Cup.[9]
The result was a major international achievement for the team.
It was a divisional result rather than an overall professional championship title.
Players and personnel
Phoenix Tahiti has included players from French Polynesia and other countries throughout its international tournament history.
Its composition has varied between competitions.
The following records identify players associated with specific tournaments or, where complete event rosters are unavailable, their last recorded appearances in PBLeagues.
A player's last recorded event does not establish participation in every earlier tournament entered by the team.
World Cup Asia, 2012
The original 2012 World Cup Asia accreditation photograph identifies six players under the Phoenix Authority team name.
| Player | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Ralph Tsing | Division 2 player accreditation |
| Moana Lei Foc | Division 2 player accreditation |
| Christian Veroux | Division 2 player accreditation |
| Michael Earley | Division 2 player accreditation |
| Ku Zambiri | Division 2 player accreditation |
| Tim Matthee | Division 2 player accreditation |
Source: Original World Cup Asia accreditation photograph, 2012.[3]
The photograph also shows:
- Two unnamed pit-crew credentials
- One unnamed coach credential
The credentials establish the named players' registrations, but do not independently confirm that every accredited player entered a match.
World Cup Asia, 2013
Michael Earley confirms that he was involved with Phoenix Tahiti during the 2013 season, following his 2012 participation.[2]
The team's PBLeagues entry confirms participation in the November World Cup Asia tournament.
However, the available records do not establish a complete roster or independently connect each historical member to that particular event.
NZPPL International Pacific Championship, 2014
The historical PBLeagues membership records identify the following player whose last recorded event with the team was the 2014 NZPPL International Pacific Championship:
- Lepean Tamatoa
The staff records also identify:
- Heimanu Souday
- Tuarii Souday
The player and staff associations are recorded in historical PBLeagues tables.[5]
These names do not necessarily constitute the complete team roster.
Asylum Paintball Cup, 2015
The historical PBLeagues membership records identify two players whose last recorded event with the team was the September 2015 Asylum Paintball Cup:
- Joinville Souday
- Matatini Wong Chou
Both have recorded associations with Phoenix Tahiti during more than one event.[5]
The publicly available information does not establish the complete 2015 playing roster.
Auckland Paintball Cup, 2016
The historical membership records identify the following players with last recorded team appearances at an April 2016 Auckland/Asylum tournament entry:
- Kevin Brodien Sr
- Philippe Danloue
- Rick Faafatua
- Tommy Paie
The historical individual listings describe the April event using the Asylum Cup name, while the team's main event history lists the April 2016 Auckland Paintball Cup.[4][5]
These are documented player associations for that competition period rather than an independently recovered complete match roster.
AFPL SoCal Chaos #3, 2016
The historical PBLeagues membership records identify two players whose last recorded appearance with Phoenix Tahiti was the September 2016 AFPL event:
- Alfredo Valenzuela
- Christian Veroux
The historical staff list also identifies:
- Leo Heath
These records provide named team associations at the American event.[5]
Michael Earley, a former Phoenix Tahiti player, attended the same tournament competing for SD Crush and was not part of the Phoenix Tahiti playing squad.[2]
The full Phoenix Tahiti roster for the event has not been independently recovered.
World Cup Asia, 2017
Phoenix Tahiti Aisawan finished fifth in Division 3 at the 2017 World Cup Asia.
The PBLeagues team results establish the event and final placing, but the available public records do not provide a complete individual roster for that tournament.[4]
Players appearing on later Phoenix Tahiti membership records cannot automatically be assigned to the 2017 event without further documentation.
George Town International X-Ball Cup, 2018
The historical PBLeagues member records identify the following players whose last recorded team event was the October 2018 George Town International X-Ball Cup:
- Emir Rizal Maaruf
- Mat Zain Wan Fairul Anuar
Both are recorded in the historical membership database.[5]
Other players may have participated, but a complete event roster has not been recovered.
World Paintball Championship, 2019
The historical PBLeagues records identify the following players whose last recorded team event was the 2019 World Paintball Championship in Thailand:
| Player | Recorded team events |
|---|---|
| Adams Torea Sr | 6 |
| Azmi Masian | 3 |
| Bahyu Fajri Jr | 1 |
| Johari Tambi Yahaya | 1 |
| Mohamad Roshidi Manjurni | 3 |
| Mohd Hijjas Adam Mohamed Amran | 2 |
| Ralph Tsing | 8 |
| Shahrizat Shami | 3 |
The staff records also identify:
- Katell Perennou – three recorded team events, with the 2019 championship listed as the last
Source: PBLeagues historical member and staff records.[5]
The event counts represent appearances recorded in the team's PBLeagues history rather than complete career totals.
The 2019 event is the last recorded entry for these members in the historical database. This does not independently establish their participation in every match or constitute a complete official tournament roster.
New Zealand Race Series, 2023
The 2023 New Zealand Race Series squad is documented in a contemporary interview with captain Ralph Tsing.
| Player | Association |
|---|---|
| Torea Adams | French Polynesia |
| Steven Wong | French Polynesia |
| Emrick Amaru | French Polynesia |
| Kevin Brodien | French Polynesia |
| Ralph Tsing | French Polynesia |
| Brandon Miller | Australia |
| Jarryd Fouche | South Africa |
Source: Air Tahiti Nui, October 2023.[7]
The squad combined five Tahitian players and two overseas players.
The published names differ slightly from some historical PBLeagues entries, including those for Torea Adams and Kevin Brodien. These variations have been preserved as published rather than assumed to be identical individual records.
NXL World Cup, 2025
Phoenix Tahiti's Division 5 X-Ball runner-up finish is confirmed by the official NXL tournament records.[9]
However, the team's complete 2025 playing roster is not publicly displayed in the accessible PBLeagues archive.
A contemporary French Polynesian news report described three Tahitian participants associated with the team's World Cup result, but the accessible report does not establish their names.[10]
The 2025 players should therefore not be reconstructed from earlier Phoenix Tahiti rosters without further evidence.
Other historical members
The PBLeagues historical membership records also include:
- Andrew Harper – listed as a team member without a recorded event appearance
His inclusion in the database does not establish participation in a particular tournament.
The historical team staff records additionally identify Heimanu Souday, Katell Perennou, Leo Heath and Tuarii Souday, whose documented event associations are listed above.[5]
Tournament results
| Year | Tournament | Country | Division | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Paintball World Cup Asia | Malaysia | Division 2, Phoenix Authority | Player credentials documented; result unconfirmed |
| 2013 | NAZA World Cup Asia | Malaysia | Division 3 RaceTo-2 | 47th of 54 |
| 2014 | NZPPL International Pacific Championship | New Zealand | Division 1 RaceTo-4 | 4th of 8 |
| 2015 | Asylum Paintball Cup | New Zealand | Open RaceTo-4 | Participated; placing unavailable |
| 2016 | Auckland Paintball Cup | New Zealand | Division 2 X-Ball | 7th of 8 |
| 2016 | AFPL SoCal Chaos #3 | United States | Division 4 RaceTo-3 | 8th of 8 |
| 2017 | Paintball World Cup Asia | Malaysia | Division 3 RaceTo-2 | 5th of 16 |
| 2018 | George Town International X-Ball Cup | Malaysia | Amateur Division 2 RaceTo-4 | 5th of 17 |
| 2019 | World Paintball Championship | Thailand | Division 3 X-Ball | Participated; placing unavailable |
| 2023 | New Zealand Race Series finale | New Zealand | Five-man X-Ball | 3rd of 9 |
| 2025 | NXL World Cup | United States | Division 5 X-Ball | 2nd |
Sources: Original 2012 accreditation photograph; PBLeagues; Air Tahiti Nui; official NXL World Cup results.[3][4][7][9]
The table records selected confirmed international appearances rather than every event in the team's history.
Paintball in French Polynesia
Phoenix Tahiti's international activities have continued despite challenges affecting competitive paintball facilities in French Polynesia.
In August 2024, Tahiti Nui Télévision published a report about the shortage of sporting facilities.
Ralph Tsing described the loss of several paintball playing areas in 2012, including locations in Mahina, Papara, Punaauia and Mataiea.[8]
He also discussed the loss of a further practice location in the Punaruu area during 2022.
The loss of local facilities reduced opportunities for regular training and competition.
Phoenix Tahiti's continued participation in tournaments outside French Polynesia reflects the importance of international connections for the territory's competitive players.
Historical significance
Phoenix Tahiti is a notable example of sustained international paintball participation by a team from French Polynesia.
Established in 2009, the team has maintained a presence in international tournament competition over more than a decade.
Its activities have connected Tahitian paintball with events in New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and the United States.
The team's history also demonstrates the changing composition of international amateur paintball squads, with players from French Polynesia and other countries participating together at different events.
Original 2012 World Cup Asia credentials preserve details of an early tournament roster under the Phoenix Authority name.
Later PBLeagues records document the team's participation and identify numerous historical players and staff.
The 2023 New Zealand Race Series podium and 2025 NXL World Cup Division 5 runner-up finish represent significant documented achievements.
The team's continued international participation, despite challenges maintaining local playing facilities, forms an important part of the history of competitive paintball in French Polynesia.
Historical documentation
The team's history is supported by several types of sources.
Its founding year is recorded in its original public description.
The 2012 player accreditation photograph and firsthand testimony establish early international participation under the Phoenix Authority name.
PBLeagues records provide tournament results and historical membership information from 2013 to 2019.
Air Tahiti Nui documents the 2023 New Zealand Race Series roster and podium finish.
Official NXL records establish Phoenix Tahiti's second-place Division 5 X-Ball finish at the 2025 World Cup.
Historical PBLeagues member records identify individual players' last recorded events, but do not provide complete accessible rosters for every tournament.
Consequently, player names are associated with specific events only where supported by accreditation, published rosters, firsthand participation evidence or the last-event information displayed in the historical database.
See also
References
- Phoenix Tahiti Paintball – Historical Team Description. Reproduction of the team's published description identifying its establishment in 2009 by three friends.
- Michael Earley, firsthand recollections supplied to WikiPaintball, October 2026. Confirms participation with Phoenix Tahiti in 2012 and 2013, Ralph Tsing's long-standing captaincy, Phoenix Authority as an alternative team name, and Earley's participation with SD Crush rather than Phoenix Tahiti at the September 2016 AFPL event.
- Michael Earley, personal photographic collection. Original photograph of 2012 Paintball World Cup Asia Division 2 accreditation credentials for Phoenix Authority. Identifies Ralph Tsing, Moana Lei Foc, Christian Veroux, Michael Earley, Ku Zambiri and Tim Matthee, alongside two unnamed pit-crew credentials and one unnamed coach credential. Supplied to WikiPaintball in October 2026. A separate photograph records names written in sand during the same tournament period.
- Phoenix Tahiti Aisawan – Historical Team Profile. PBLeagues. Documents the team's home field, September 2013 registration and tournament appearances from 2013 to 2019.
- Phoenix Tahiti – Historical Membership and Staff Records. PBLeagues. Historical player and staff tables, including recorded event counts and last-event information. Screenshots supplied to WikiPaintball in October 2026.
- Almost Famous Paintball League. PBLeagues. Identifies AFPL as the Almost Famous Paintball League and documents its tournaments.
- Paintball : Ralph Tsing enchaine les bons résultats. Air Tahiti Nui, 31 October 2023. Interview documenting the Phoenix Tahiti roster, results and third-place finish at the New Zealand Race Series finale.
- Les associations sportives en mal d'infrastructures. Tahiti Nui Télévision, 30 August 2024. Report discussing the loss of paintball facilities in French Polynesia, including comments from Ralph Tsing.
- World Cup 2025 – Official Tournament Results. PBLeagues. Official NXL World Cup results confirming Phoenix Tahiti's Division 5 X-Ball runner-up finish following a 4–2 loss to Protocol D5.
- Trois Tahitiens brillent à la NXL Paintball World Cup. DROM-COM, 20 November 2025. Reproduces French Polynesian news coverage of the team's runner-up finish.