Australasia Regional Championship

[lenard]

Hi Guys

I just got back from the Australasia 2001 in Cebu, Philippines. Some of the veteran shooters say this was twice as hard as the World Shoot XII. 24 stages, 300+rnds., of the hardest courses of fire I have ever encountered. Included were 60 swinging,disappearing,bobbing & weaving targets at distances of 8 to 20 yards. Each stage had 1 to 4 very fast movers.Please explain how you call your shots on swinging targets moving so fast between noshoots at 12 yards that you had to shoot at the target while it was still not in view! Most of the stages were 8-9 rounders, so that a miss and a no shoot would get you almost a zero score. On the last day, our squad came to a stage without any mover. Open targets at 10 yards and headshots at 15 yards. Smiles quickly disappeared when we found out we had to shoot it stronghand only. It was fun, but a little unnerving when the veteran shooters play mindgames with you.

400 shooters and match officials from the Philippines,Indonesia, Thailand,Hongkong, Macau, Sri Langka,Japan, South Africa,US,Canada and the UK showed up. Australia confirmed attendance but didnt show up. Team Philippines swept all divisions. I still have nightmares :-)

[bonedaddy]

lenard, sounds like you've been on a real adventure!    I've never heard of a match that difficult. (but I don't get out much) One or two stages yes, but never the entire match. It sounds like a match you'll remember for a long, long, time.  Congratulations on your safe return home, and thanks for sharing your experience.

[Flexmoney]

hmmmm,

Team Philippines sweeps the match...the match is in the Philippines.  

Sounds like somone knew what to prcatice.

Also sounds like they have raised the bar.  Competition is great.  It breads innovation.

(Edited by Flexmoney at 5:58 pm on July 29, 2001)

[lenard]

well judging from the groans , curses , and nervous sweat heard and seen all over the range, the difficulty took everyone by surprise. I was prepared for run and gun type of stages, instead it was a lot of stand and shoot and curse ;-). The match also had a lot of low ports and cars and buses you had to get out off. Being 6'2" didnt help. Cebu Rifle and Pistol Club did raise the bar. Kudos to the match organizers and stage designers.

[benos]

lenard,

Even in the somewhat ridiculous situation of having to shoot at a swinger before it is even in view, the concept of calling the shot at the instant the gun fires is not different from the reality of calliing the shot that you should be training each time you shoot. You have to consciously train this skill so that is "first-nature." The goal is to be able to know, precisely, where each shot landed on the target - simultaneously with the shot's firing.

There are more details in the shooting technique forum, and on my main site at

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/words.html#expanded

be

[lenard]

Hi Brian

Shooters from Cebu really love these fast swingers. On one stage  I was studying the speed of its motion, when I realized you had to  shoot the damn things just before they swing into view! So I just relaxed, and timed my shots. I hit an A and a C, but I couldnt call it when it happened. I just felt it hit but didnt know for sure until the RO was scoring it. I guess I have to start over again, go slow and call my shots in practice.

Another thing I noticed in this match was my time. I was losing a second or two because I was trying to force A hits. I was shooting so slow that the veteran members of my squad were joking that I should be removed from Standard Division and moved to Revolver! I just didnt know what happened to me. Speed usually isnt a problem with me.