Vince Pinto Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Hi guys, This is not IPSC, but I thought you might be interested in the following article, because it mentions a number of prominent IPSC competitors: August 23, 2004 = STEEL CHALLENGE WINNER: Tatsuya Sakai, a 33 year-old computer programmer from Kanagawa, Japan, won the STEEL CHALLENGE handgun competition and returns to his homeland, where private ownership of firearms is prohibited, ironically wearing the title of World Speed Shooting Champion. Sakai edged out defending champion K.C. Eusebio by .59 seconds. J.J. Racaza took third just .05 seconds behind Eusebio. Sakai, who trains using air-soft pistols until he arrives in the U.S., also claimed the Limited title. In the women's event Kay Miculek defeated last year's champion Athena Lee by just .72 seconds to claim her fourth STEEL CHALLENGE title. The article is available for online viewing here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Incredible! I wonder what happens when you give that guy a real gun to train with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Honestly? About the same, I'd guess. It's all about ability, commitment and practice. Sakai's got those in spades. Airsoft, dry-fire, live fire, it's all good if you do it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Hm, I beg to differ. I have no doubt that he is a very committed man. But training in your homeland with one gun and moving to the US to train a few weeks with another? He has to learn a new trigger, different recoil impulse different weight of gun to transition etc. I think he'd do even better when you enable him to train all year with his match gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I have no idea what Sakai does in particular, but I do know that several competitors come to the range and shoot many many thousands of practice rounds in the weeks (months) before the match. The stages are set up in advance so anybody with the time can pretty much shoot all they want. I know that when I switch to steel loads in my Open gun, which involves removing a lot of heavy parts, it takes me less than a hundred rounds to get used to the recoil and transition changes. In less than a thousand rounds, I'm as tuned in to the gun and load as I'm going to get. Given as how he shot a Limited gun one day and won with it and an Open gun the next and also won, I'd guess he's pretty good at adapting to shooting what he's got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I think if I were a heavily-sponsored full-time professional shooter from the United States (you know, the kind of guy who has a website, sells his own training books and videos, teaches shooting classes, and perhaps has various equipment items and/or techniques named after him), I might be feeling a little funny right now about the Steel Challenge. In particular: (1) getting smoked last year by a 15-year-old kid, and (2) being beaten this year by a guy who isn't even allowed to own firearms and only gets to shoot 1 month out of the year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Bill Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 BWAHAHAHAHA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 @Carmoney: Shred, maybe there is just so much you can do to prepare for the SC, and maybe Sakai just does all he can do, but what Carmoney wrote kind of reflects what I mean, LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Buff Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I think this guy has the right attitude...some seem to loose it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBaneACP Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Sakai told me it takes him about a day to "shift gears." The 2004 Steel Challenge will be a 2-part special on SHOOTING GALLERY in early February, BTW. Two camera HDTV coverage...eat it up! mb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Dammit Bane...you are going to cause me to buy HDTV and upgrade to HD service on DirecTV just to watch your show in HD. You sure you weren't a crack dealer in a former life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckrun Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 When? Where? Can I get the DVD? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Incredible! I wonder what happens when you give that guy a real gun to train with I dunno know spook, 120pf 9mm loads in a comp gun might actually kick LESS than an airsoft. lol. Seriously though, and not to in any way diminish his and KC's accomplishments, but Steel Challenge and Bianchi for that matter are "carnival" events. You practice them until you are buried in your own brass (or green gas cans?). I have heard astronomical figures of how many rounds the top guys used to shoot getting ready for those matches. I guess the secret is to be able to hit a good average on "race day". Honestly the repitition would make me nuts. I'd get to where I could hit a good run and then get bored. Kinda like Brian said in his book. It's like hitting 5,000 7-irons at the same pin placement from the same spot. You can probably get to where you can do some amazing things. Yes, a gifted guy who works hard, like Sakia and KC, will produce better results and more consistently, but don't think those 5,000 7-irons get you ready to shoot 65 at the Masters. Again, not downing another sport, but what I like about IPSC is that it's different every time. You want to do well at a major IPSC match, you'll need every shot in the bag. All that aside, I am in awe of Sakai's dedication to make that happen in spite of the beaurocrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ong45 Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Being able to hit a good average on"race day" ? is that anything like not making mistakes and shooting good points on nationals day? Freestyle ipsc courses may not be as different as you think, you can only enter so many different positions and target arrays vary very little and start to look the same to me after a while. Btw i don't think SC is the only game where you have to practice a lot ( knee deep in brass) to get better. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 The year he won, KC didn't practice much at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 I agree with both of you, I guess my point was you don't know what you'll face and have to bring the "whole bag". As to KC not practicing, well, ok, maybe he's an alien like ROBTODDJERRY and can do it on light practice, I know I couldn't and if I wanted a shot, I would set itup exactly as it wouldbe and wear it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 I should clarify that. Comparatively speaking, he didn't practice much. He was, uh, not allowed to shoot until the school year was over. It's not like he spent the year practicing for the SC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ong45 Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 SC is easier to practice for since the stages are well known ahead of time, the flip side of this is that this game gives you instant feedback. When you have a good or bad run, you know it and you either deal with the bad and perform on the next string, or you fall apart. After shooting a so-so ipsc stage you might think-well that wasn't so bad was it? not so with SC, succes and failure is clear right away. This is the cruel and difficult (for me) part of this game and also why it is so addicting. I am not arguing that there is not a lot more going on in an ipsc match, steel is harder than it looks though. Notice that with the exception of Sakai, the top dogs in steel are the same people who dominate practical shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 DP, It will suprise you. I have never been to the real match. We do have one on the local level. Pretty challenging. You will look at an array with only 4 transitins and won't be able to decide which target to line up on...what order to shoot...etc. And, I don't think there is any shooting game that has more tension. I was less tense going head to head against Phil Starder in the finals of the Ohio shoot-offs than I am on just about any steel challenge stage. Trying to find that extra tenth of a second... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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