Editing 1996 ZAP International Amateur Open

The '''1996 ZAP International Amateur Open''' was an amateur [[paintball]] tournament held at [[Three Rivers Paintball]] in Pennsylvania from 8 to 11 August 1996. Promoted as the sixth annual ZAP International Open, it was organised by Debra and Ryan Krischke through Team Effort Events. Bite 'Em Black won the novice five-player competition, Team Raptor won the amateur five-player competition, and the Green Dragons won the amateur ten-player competition.[1][2]

== Organisation ==
The event formed part of the annual [[International Amateur Open]], with [[ZAP Paintballs]] supplying the tournament paint. Advance publicity anticipated more than 800 competitors and US$60,000 in sponsored prizes.[1]

A novice five-player division was introduced for 1996. Organiser Debra Dion Krischke also revised the amateur eligibility rules. Players considered too experienced to compete could instead participate as judges or coaches.[1]

== Competition format ==
The five-player competition was scheduled for Thursday and Friday, using a centre-flag format and ten-minute games. The ten-player competition took place on Saturday and Sunday, using two flags and twenty-minute games. Each team was scheduled to play between seven and thirteen games.[1]

Both formats used divisional competition and International Amateur rules, previously known as IPPA rules. All competitors were required to use ZAP tournament paint, and officiating crews included NAPRA-certified judges.[1]

Additional scheduled activities included a five-player pump-marker tournament, target shooting, a public speedball arena and Gotya three-player speedball for players aged 13–22.[1]

[[Kingman International]] offered a US$10,000 prize if the ten-player championship was won by a team whose members all used Spyder semi-automatic markers.[1]

== Results ==
=== Novice five-player ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Place !! Team
|-
| 1 || Bite 'Em Black
|-
| 2 || Criminal Mischief
|-
| 3 || Rapid Fire
|-
| 4 || The Family
|}

=== Amateur five-player ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Place !! Team
|-
| 1 || Team Raptor
|-
| 2 || Dragoons
|-
| 3 || TAGG Team
|-
| 4 || Thunder Chickens
|}

=== Amateur ten-player ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Place !! Team
|-
| 1 || Green Dragons
|-
| 2 || SOB's
|-
| 3 || Thunderstorm
|-
| 4 || Virginia Gentlemen I
|}
Source for all three divisions: [[WARPIG]].[2]

== Trade show and associated events ==
Advance publicity advertised more than 60 trade-show booths, a players' party and the Ms. International Paintball competition.[1]

The accompanying Paintball Industry Conference attracted more than 130 attendees. Discussions included field-paint-only and bring-your-own-paint policies. Products displayed during the event included prototypes of the Palmer Blazer, Angel V6 and Component Concepts Revolution, alongside the Smart Parts Shocker.[2]

== See also ==
* [[International Amateur Open]]
* [[Three Rivers Paintball]]
* [[1994 ZAP International Amateur Open]]

== References ==
# Staff report, “The 6th Annual ZAP International Open”, ''[[Action Pursuit Games]]'', August 1996, pp. 30–32.
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/zap/zap.shtml “The ZAP International Amateur Open”], [[WARPIG]], contemporary event coverage, August 1996.

[[Category:International Amateur Open]]
[[Category:Paintball tournaments in the United States]]
[[Category:Paintball in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1990s in American paintball]]
[[Category:1996 in paintball]]
[[Category:Paintball tournament results]]