By Amber Wong

Paintballs flew hard and fast once more at the third leg of the Malaysian Paintball Official Circuit (MPOC) last weekend at Xtion Paintball Park in Bukit Jalil. A total of 39 teams competed, and it was a festive day as crowds of supporters turned up to cheer their favourite paintball teams.

"Malaysia currently has the largest paintball scene in Asia," says Paul Lam, Tournament Director "By opening the MPOC up to regional teams, we hope to raise the standard of Malaysian paintball by allowing local teams to become exposed to different styles of gameplay, while at the same time inviting teams from other countries to be a part of the Malaysian paintball community."

This leg, the MPOC introduced new merchandise in the forms of t-shirts and lanyards, which was a big hit with the crowd. Many players and visitors, including children, could be seen sporting the trademark colors of the MPOC - black, white and red. Back in the fray was team Perth City Trauma, who this time went home with the Champion's trophy for division 1, a step up from the 4th place they achieved in the last leg. In a moment of deja vu, they battled team Macdev Ronin in the first game of Division 1. The Ronins went home with the silver at the end of the tournament.

The other divisions were won by local teams Eastsiderzz (Division 2), Hammer Zero (Division 3), and KSK Flash (Division 4). The MPOC is quickly becoming the regional league of choice for Asia, with bonus prizes from Dye Precision contributing RM10,000 on top of the usual cash and prizes; more teams are expected from regional countries such as Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia.

Despite the common conception about paintball being painful, paintball is actually one of the safest extreme sports, with an injury rate that's far lower than that of soccer, baseball, or even golf. At speedball tournaments, safety comes first, and the Malaysian Marshals (MM), the official marshalling body for the MPOC, are very strict about enforcing the safety rules and regulations.

The league, sanctioned and recognised worldwide by international paintball bodies from Europe and the US, leads up to the World Cup Asia 2010, the jewel in the crown for Asian paintball tournaments. It is hailed as the largest international paintball tournament in Asia and held annually in Kuala Lumpur.

The next leg of the MPOC will take place on July 24 and 25. For more details, visit http://www.xtionpaintball.com/forum.