The 1996 National Professional Paintball League World Cup

Friday, October 25th

Friday, things have kicked into high gear.  With the 5 man 
competitions out of the way, the 10 man event is in full swing.  
The jungle like atmosphere of the fields here at Paintball World 
don't leave much room for spectators to see the action, let alone 
for the competitors to see each other.  Often players are 
painting palms, bushes, and bunkers in the general area from 
which they think paint is coming.  In sharp constrast is the 
Ultraball field on which some of the games are played.  
Constructed by Brass Eagle for this event, the Ultraball field 
consists of large plastic pipe barracades in a screened arena.  
Some of the pipes, 4 feet across or more, stand vertically, 
with angled supports, while others are on their sides.  This 
layout provides a perfectly balanced field, with a few surprises.  
It is not uncommon to see a player emerge from the end of a pipe 
and back door an opponant who had been using that pipe end for 
cover moments earlier.  One side of the arena features bleachers, 
often filled with spectators, and the other is the location of 
the Brass Eagle VIP hospitality tent.  On location shooting 
video of the Hyperball games was "Unbelievable Sports", a 
production of ABC/Kane Productions International.

In another quieter unveiling, Dennis Tippmann Jr., and 
Dennis Tippmann Sr., made the rounds with the new Tippmann 
68 Carbine.  While at first glance, this new marker's roots 
in the Pro-Lite are clear, but get ahold of it, and you will 
feel that it is lighter.  Start looking at how it is built, 
and you will notice a more modular construction style meaning 
that it will be much more easily upgraded than their previous 
models.