US IPSC Nationals Beginner Question

[ericjhuber]

I'm starting on doing USPSA action shooting here in Florida with the goal of getting good enough where I can shoot at the US IPSC Nationals in Frostproof later in the year. I'm not under any illusions that I'll be competitive at this event, but my goal is to be good enough where I have a good time and learn by watching the skilled people compete. It's a nice thing about these sort of high level matches. Lower level people like me get to come out and play and we also help support the match financially for the more skilled people. Win-win.

My silly rookie question is...how many days does it take to shoot the 24 stages? If I do get to attend something like this, do I just assume I'll be shooting all three days to get through the stages with whatever squad I'm assigned to work with?

[ima45dv8]

Looks like 3 days to shoot (10-12Oct), with shoot-off and awards on the following day (13Oct).

[ericjhuber]

Ok, that's very helpful. When they say three days, they mean three days. I was wondering whether it was like GSSF matches where they have them for two days, but you could get through them in a day depending on how things went.

[remoandiris]

Lvl II and above matches typically have scheduled times for each squad to start each stage. Sometimes the schedule is posted in advance, sometimes you see it the first time when you look at your shooter's packet.

ROs may allow a squad to start a stage early as long as every squad member is present. If it happens, it is usually just few minutes (10 - 15) early. If the squad ahead of you isn't done when your squad is supposed to start (reshoots, REFs, etc.), your squad is delayed.

[ericjhuber]

And that's very helpful also. Registration is here in a couple weeks so this will be a good learning experience. It's also a good goal for me to work (learn as much as I can so I don't have a clown show performance at a major match) at for the rest of the year.

[yoshidaex]

Sounds like 8 stages a day on a half day schedule (am, pm, am or pm, am, pm)

With the 3-2-1 course balance (3 short, 2 medium and 1 long) squads should get done as scheduled.

At the IPSC Australasia match, we got done almost an hour early shooting 6 stages per half day schedule.

[Azoneonly]

I was one of the R.O.'s at last year back to back nationals in Las Vegas. This was my first Nationals but I did not shoot the match. Have you earned a slot? Typically you will need to have this. It will take 3 days to shoot the match as stated by Mark. The timeing of squads is held very close. We as R.O.'s have very little down time and sometimes we got behind and had to work through lunch or keep things moving to catch up. Last year the weather was great but I can imagine that being a factor on the timing of squads. Even with great weather some of the stages had to shoot after the sun was down.