WSXIII

[Detlef]

yeah, Vince, I was looking for you and Julien, too. Even showed me a pic of Julien (wonder why he didn't take a pic of you?), that's all I saw of him... Met Glocklady, though, and Phil (for a picosec or so)...

Tom, as I say, I am left wondering what hit me. I had prepared for the many swingers, and all turned out fine there (reengaged a few, missed one shot on one, but there were dozens...). I knew that 50 y shots were not my strength, and I blew the one stage badly where they couldn't be avoided. I felt good physically all the way through (boy, you should have seen some of the competitors hit by traveler's diarrhea and colds and other viruses!), and the stages that I blew *unexpectedly* were straightforward and I had no excuse. The weirdest experience was a double miss on a 12 y target where I called both shots A hits! All in all I made some sort of serious mistake on 4 out of 5 stages that I shot.

Indisputably, the fact that this was the WS, and that I had spent serious actual money and time to go had gotten to me in a way that I did not notice at the time. It felt like my conscious mind was alert and well, and the unconscious one was disturbed and off balance w/o me noticing it. Weird experience...

On the good side, I did not DQ (the most prominent DQ was probably the European Revolver Champ on his last stage!), my gun did not have a single malfunction, and I shot some stages pretty well. You always walk away a better shooter from those kinds of matches, it's unavoidable.

The competitors were basically divided into two equal groups: those that had trained hard for this match, and the *tourists* (i.e. those in more for the experience). I knew from the beginning that I was in the 2nd group, so I am not going to kill myself over my performance.

Now I will however leave the gun at rest for a few months....

--Detlef

[Patrick Sweeney]

Detlef,

Met Phil & Julian, but not you.  I was the one racing around with a pair of Canon F-1's (now desperately in need of cleaning, to get the dust out) and trying to get photos of everyone and thing.

My impression of the match was that while it was physical (and why not, it is the World Shoot, after all) the stages were more subtle than difficult.  The impression I got was that someone had gone to a lot of trouble to set things up so they LOOKED like you could hammer a target as you raced by, but if you did you'd have a miss.  I did just that on the first day, and had to reconsider my game plan.

I too was in the second group, since I couldn't write books, articles, and photograph the shoot and still practice beforehand.  I still did good in a bunch of stages.

I'm planning to go to Ecuador, but Imight switch to Revolver from Modified.  On a team with Jerry?  Who'd turn that down?

[Detlef]

sorry Patrick that I forgot to mention you. In fact, neither did I mention occasional BE poster Bruce Gray who, given his recovery from illness and lack of preparation period did *outstanding* in Production! Plus he also photographed the match (though I think he was using a real camera, not a Canon...).

Yes, the stage design was indeed exceptional. It will be hard to go back to shooting club matches. As if to make my point, here is what I just saw on our local USPSA section's home page:

"...match will consist of 4 stages with 100+ rounds. MD ... plans to make the stages fun with no tricks and not too tough with lots of paper and few no shoots. ..."

Talk about watered-down IPSC...no thank you....

--Detlef

[Phil Dunlop]

I too got back yesturday and shattered!

Sorry our meeting was so brief detlef, I hoped to catch up with you at the shootoffs and the dinner, but it'll have to happen next time now!

It was a great match, could hardly have been better, and like all the matches I've been too it was a huge pleasure to meet some great people, just wish it could happen more regularly.

congratulations to the organisers, and the champions and hope everyone got home saftely,

P.D.

[Julien Boit]

I placed 45th, thanks to a big crash on one stage (4 mikes ) !

But it was my goal: finishing in the 50s.

The stages were fun, some were difficult, in fact I think the shooter was making the stages difficult or not , depending on which strategies he chose.

Lots of fun, lots of dust and lots of strange beverages (remember Powerade ?)

Vince,

Alain Tarrade placed second in Senior open, winner is Miroslav Kamenicek and third is another french shooter Philippe Gibert.

Vive la France ! ! !

Hope to see you soon guys

DVC

Julien

(Edited by Julien Boit at 7:27 am on Sep. 25, 2002)

[Jerome Poiret]

Does anyone know where I can find the shoot offs results ?

They aren't released yet on the WS website.

[Even]

Jerome,

These were the winners:

Open - Eric G

Standard - Mike V

Modefied - Austin S

Production - David S

Revolver - Jerry M

Well, I made it back yesterday. Not much to add to what the others have said. It was a great match, and I liked it much more then the last one. I again had the pleasure of shooting on the same squad as Julien and the other guys from France. But in addition to this I had the pleasure of spending the week with Phil and the rest of the Kiwis on the same squad. Hope to see all of you sometime next year!

Detlef, hope we get to meet again, and not just so briefly. I'll try and make it to the US next year, maybe for the 3-gun I didn't make this year. Guess I'll see you there Patrick...

even

[Jerome Poiret]

Thanks Even.

Congrats for your finish !!