The people in IPSC

[Pierruiggi]

This past weekend (nov 20 and 21) there was a level III national here in Argentina. Forum member dirtypool40 told me he was coming here and though I was not participating, I thought I could drop by. I live about 100 km (62.5 miles) from the range where it was to be shot. So I took the bus and after 2 hours journey I arrived at 9AM when the competitors were "just finishing to arrive".

The entrance guard (not armed, more an information kinda guy) asked me what was I doing there (since things were a little hectic there, they needed to keep records of people circulating the range). I explained I got there to watch the match. "Do you come invited by one of the shooters?" "Kinda yes... I come to meet a foreign shooter from the US, Eric Stanley; but thing is, he doesn't know me... Well, not personally, you see I know him from the intern..." "You may walk in sir" he said noticing I was not a thief or terrorist or whatever he was watching out for. Yes, I can get pretty dense sometimes.

Upon getting there I spot Mr. Jorge Baigorria, one of the local (national) top shooters, whom I met earlier in august at the 2004 Feria de Armas (gunshow). I walk up to him and after greeting him I ask him wich squad would Mr. Marcos Kruzewski and Mr. Roberto Tagle (both top shooters and Mr. Tagle is also one if not THE most important gunsmith IPSC wise in the country) be in since Eric (dirtypool40) told me he was shooting with them. "Yeah, I'm on the same squad as them, follow me... Oh, and since you are here I'm gonna make you work too" he said with a smile, "could you grab that ammo there?" "sure" I said while grabbing the plastic bag with 300 rounds of .40.

We get to the range as I look everywhere in amazement, since this is the first match I ever watched, for God's sake, I hadn't even seen an open gun before!

And with 250 competitors, almost all of them M class or above, I was on for a treat.

"There's Marcos" said Mr. Baigorria. I introduced myself to Marcos and I got the first (and only) bad news of the day: dirtypool40 was sick and couldn't make it for the match. Damn.

We began chatting and soon I got really comfortable about these people I just met.

Needless to say, I stayed for the first 3 stages of the match with this squad watching them shoot and flooding them with questions of all kind "who's that?", "what activates that swinger?", "why did you choose to shoot at T1 first instead of T2?"; I asked everything to everyone. In the middle of a match. ALL of them answered me politely and with genuine interest of solving my doubts, not just to shut me up. Heck, some of them even started a chat with me by themselves!

I don't know if I see them as heroes or idols or what. Suffice it to say that they are really good at what I am trying to be good at. I look up on them and at the same time they do not look down on me.

They are the most humble, helping, patient and nice people I've ever met! And this seems to be the trend, not the exception.

A very big THANK YOU for welcoming me to the entire squad 5 but specially to Adrián Burgos, Jorge Baigorria, Marcos Kruzewski, Roberto Tagle and Carlos Palma (this last one a 16 year old shooter from Ecuador; truly the most respecful person in this "age range" I've met).

[Vince Pinto]

They are the most humble, helping, patient and nice people I've ever met! And this seems to be the trend, not the exception.

The more you travel internationally, the more you will realise that your statement is 100% correct. Welcome to the family!

[spook]

Ah, cool! You'll be hooked in no time.

[Eye Cutter]

ipsc shooters are some of the most level-headed and fun people you'll ever meet! on and off the range!!!