Well 2001 is upon us already. I have worked very hard during the last months of 2000 to provide the New Zealand paintballer with a complete calendar for the 2001 season, but alas have been unable to do so. Despite all of my best efforts, the dream of a complete Published tournament calendar available before the season begins remains a dream.
On a positive note there is talk of a League of events called the Rotorua Invitational" in the Central North Island region to be run by Tag n' Release out of their "Paintball Rotorua" Field. Information on this is still scant, and any that comes to my attention will be published here as it comes to hand.
The events listed below are those events for which there is a reasonable guarantee they will be played every year. They are ordered by date through the year, starting with the
beginning of the season in February through to the last date in November. MercStar tries to keep them up-to-date but there seems to be a conspiracy of silence on behalf of all tournament organizers in New Zealand where details of the event they are trying to host is concerned. Information needed to plan a teams season is not usually available until a few months (Sometimes a few weeks!) before the Tournament is due. Even then it is often only through
Chinese whispers that most teams outside the region the event is to be played in get to hear of it. So please If you come across any details of any events please email Mercenaries star and I'll try to get it up in a timely fashion.
A relatively new event on the calendar, never the less it is a must for teams in the Central North Island.
The regional tournament that kick starts the playing season, virtually every year this event has been run at different venues. 2000's event was held on a rugby field converted to a speedball field of the day! and if you missed it this year, 2001 will be played on the same rugby field.
One of New Zealand's oldest events. Centrally located this tournaments gets patronage by teams from both Islands.
New Zealand's (and possibly the worlds) southern most paintball field puts on a 3 man competition. If you were much further south you'd be in Antarctica! Definitely a hard competition!
A new tournament for 2001, backed by APSA and the Rotorua Paintball club this tournament promises a truly world class venue with New Zealand's first Sup Air Ball tournament run in an international stadium. I for one am looking forward to this event!
This is a brand new addition to the New Zealand Tournament circuit.
New Zealand's most widely recognized and best patronized event. A must on any Mercenaries CV.
This is a brand new addition to the New Zealand Tournament circuit and currently the second event on the South Island.
The big game appears to be dead in New Zealand for the moment. Once names like "VADER" in Christchurch, "Bethels Revolution" in Auckland and "Fantasyland" in Hawkesbay would have figured prominently in this section. Today however New Zealand Paintballers don't seem to want rec-ball. Fantasy land became the Hawkesbay Triples after dwindling attendances. Likewise Vader 1999 was cancelled due to lack of interest and there appears to be no sign of a VADER 2000 or 2001.
Please feel free to email any submissions, corrections or updates to me and I will attempt to verify and correct the information within the week.