Sep 12 - Zane Sets Off On Paintballing Odyssey
A tightly knit team barks orders at each other as a rapid volley of paint balls comes from beyond an inflatable bunker. You hunch, duck, take a peek and fire… It’s a fast-paced sport requiring a mixture of stamina and cool-headed strategy; welcome to the world of competitive Paintball.
This excitement, which can be compared to playing chess on a battlefield, is what drew Zane Mañasco to Paintballing four years ago. This month, after what he says has been a “long rollercoaster journey” which has seen him improve his fitness and technique, the local paintball player is travelling to compete in some of the highest tournaments in Europe. First he is off to Madrid to compete in the Spanish National Championships facing other teams from across Spain in a highly charged contest. Then, at the end of the month, he will compete in the European World Cup at the 2014 Millennium Series. Zane is the only Gibraltarian competing in these leagues at the first ever to represent Gibraltar at this level.
But what do ordinary people, even those with a passion for sport, know about Paintballing? We caught up with Zane before he set off on his travels.
The first illusion he’s keen to dispel is that Paintballing is just guys mucking about with guns in a forest.
“It doesn’t help that the first impression people have of Paintballing is that it’s just people playing around in the woods, pretending to be soldiers; competitive paintballing is very different. I would like to show people that it is in fact a sport and considered to be such in most territories,” he explains.
Zane’s introduction to the sport came thanks to a former workmate who suggested they set up a team. They started playing in Spain and managed to win some regional tournaments. At first, though, it was a struggle.
“It was challenging to go from being overweight and unknown to being able to get into a team that had some history and a few respectable wins under their belt. I worked as hard as I could and competed as much as possible,” he says.
The dedication has certainly paid off. Zane has played in all major tournaments throughout Europe and hopes to play in the World Cup in the US later this year.
Casual observers might be ignorant of the sport’s physical demands. Players, in their fitness training, tend to concentrate on core strength and stamina, as a typical 20-minute long game will involve explosive movements combined with plenty of jumping and sliding across the ground. If a team survives until the later stages of a competition, this might mean playing several games in a row over a weekend which can represent a real athletic test of grit and stamina.
But it’s not all about mastering the physical side of the sport – Paintballing, Zane explains, also has an important strategic component.
“It’s a little bit like chess with guns. There are certain positions which people occupy – players at the back, the centre and those who act as forwards. We shout information to each other and we might follow a pre-planned strategy or set plays. The best teams are not necessarily those with the best players; what makes a good team is when everyone has the same mentality,” he says.
The modern game has evolved and, even in the few years that Zane’s been involved, there have been major changes.
“The rate of fire has decreased and the sport has changed to make it more enjoyable for the viewer. The ‘Race To’ Xball format means that a team, if it has lost some rounds, can still come back and win the game. And one final change is that we no longer have coaches giving us orders,” he says.
Like most extreme sports that require specialised equipment, however, the sport is “cripplingly expensive” according to Zane. Sponsorship, once achieved, can soften the blow but those wishing to explore the sport must be prepared to part with around £2,000 for a decent initial set up including protective gear, a gun (or ‘marker’ as those in the sport call them), air tanks and, of course, the surprisingly pricey paint. Add to this travel, accommodation and training costs and a typical season can run into several thousand pounds per player.
Unfortunately, Zane cannot currently train in Gibraltar with his own equipment. Without his equipment, he is also unable to train others who are attracted to the sport. This, argues Zane, is disappointing despite the recent encouraging news of the new Europa Paintballing facility.
The reason is a complex legal situation according to which Paintball markers are considered to be firearms. This means that you cannot be in possession of one or import one into Gibraltar unless you have a firearms license.
“We have to differentiate between what is a sport and what is a pastime and between what is sport equipment and what is a firearm. I would like to push this forward with the help of Gibraltar Paintball Association, who have put in a lot of good work, we need to cement the fact that this is a sport –I mean you wouldn’t prosecute a javelin player for having a dangerous weapon?!”
Zane would like to thank his local and industry sponsors, along with all those who have helped him progress in this exciting sport. We wish him the best of luck this weekend, and for the rest of his season.
Check out Zane’s Facebook page and like to show your support: https://www.facebook.com/rexpaintballer
Here are some of the leagues Zane plays in:
http://www.millennium-series.com/
http://www.championspaintballseries.com/
https://www.facebook.com/EXPLPaintball?fref=ts
