PaintballX3 Magazine April 2014 Issue | Page 89

sional league referees along ears of experience at the highest ent paintball handling the officingle air ball field was used for the ent’s games, with a grass playn unorthodox layout. “I’m tired e old snake side, Dorito side, e center layouts and this layout h the intention of giving players nt that would reward aggresams to push wherever they were otes succeeded, as the layout ” RaceTo bunker moved off-cenken into several individual pieces ulated Dorito side with a fortress ne that proved to be the field’s t and former professional players compete at the Carolina Cup’s inluding several players from legBaltimore Trauma, Chattanooga Topgun Union. Weather for the d chilly for registration and the stly cloudy throughout the day, ures rose to near sixty, making ct for play with no rain or other ms at the Carolina Cup were able 89 to bring their own paintballs if they so-desired, but most purchased paintballs from Glory Road, who offered Empire Evil and All Star paintballs, as well as more cost-effective options. Push-button air fills were available at the field entrance and at no point during the day did air pressure at the whip drop below 4350psi. Play throughout the day was decidedly intense, with teams pushing aggressively to the midfield fortresses in one or two bumps after going guns-up to initial bunkers. During the finals Kyle Bowen made the move of the event as he ran, gun-up all the way, up the center of the field using the large Race bunker to protect himself, then kicking out towards the Dorito side at the last moment and sliding into the large Dorito fifty fortress before wrapping around it, shooting inside and streaking down the wire to finish the game in style. Most of the action was on the Dorito side of the field, as teams battled to control the larger bunkers in the center of the field that would afford them cross shots into their opponents. The vast majority of the event’s games took less than two minutes to decide. Though the preliminary round of the tournament was scheduled to end at around 4:30, thanks to the teams willingness to turn games quickly and the hard work and dedication of the referee staff, the entire event was completed before 5pm. The large pile of Empire and JT masks, medallions and of course a pile of hundred-dollar bills were handed out to the top teams, with Trophimus Red taking top honors at the first event of the Carolina Cup, ahead of the Inglorious Blasters and Brew Crew. The Carolina Cup will promote four more events in 2014, all hosted by Glory Road Paintball of Monroe, North Carolina. Events will be played in June, July, August and November, with cash and &