International Practical Shooting Confederation 2010 US Championship to be held in Columbia
Columbia, SC - (September 28, 2010) - Columbia will be the hot spot for top-notch shooters from around the world this weekend. The Mid-Carolina Rifle Club is hosting the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) 2010 United States Championship. Competitors are shooting for a position on the US team for the IPSC World Championship that will be held in Greece in 2011. The tournament will begin Friday, October 1 at 8:30 a.m. and continue through October, 2. The Mid-Carolina Rifle Club is located at 3462 Fish Hatchery Road in Gaston.
This event is significant in many ways. Shooting enthusiasts, that follow many of the top shooters, will be waiting to hear the outcome of the tournament. The championship will bring in an estimated $12,000 into the local economy and the competitors coming to Columbia from Canada, Jamaica and South America will experience the city its southern hospitality.
Scott Powers, executive director of the Columbia Regional Sports Council, says the Mid-Carolina Rifle Club continues to bring prestigious events to the region. "The 2010 IPSC US Nationals are attracting most of the very top action pistol shooters in the world. Columbia will definitely be the epicenter of the competitive shooting world this weekend," he said.
Spectators are welcome to attend (eye and ear protection is required). Competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. Friday and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. For more information, contact Jack Suber, Match Director, at 803.206.5917, or visit www.southcarolina-uspsa.org.
About International Practical Shooting Confederation:
IPSC-style competitive shooting developed in southern California, in the late 1950's and quickly spread throughout the shooting world. As the sport attracted more interest, participants sought a more structured format and competition environment. As a result, in May of 1976, the International Pistol Conference was held in Columbia, Missouri where sportsmen from around the world participated in determining the structure, organization, and future of IPSC marksmanship.
A constitution was established and the Confederation was born. Accuracy, power, and speed were recognized as the quintessential elements that have become the foundation of IPSC. The motto -DVC- Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas (Accuracy, Power, Speed) was introduced to reflect these balanced elements. Safe gun handling skills, as well as procedures and rules for competitions were also adopted.
Handgun targets are 57 centimeters by 45 centimeters with a 15 centimeter center representing the "A zone" or bullseye. Most shooting takes place at relatively close distances, with rare shots out to 50 meters. Hitting a 15 centimeter zone might seem easy to an experienced pistol shooter, but in IPSC only full power handguns are used (9mm or larger). Mastering a full power handgun is considerably more difficult than shooting a lightly recoiling target pistol, especially when the competitor is trying to go as fast as possible. Time is a key factor. Scores are divided by the time taken to achieve them, adding to the challenge.
Contact:
Nicole D. Smith
Director of Media Relations & Publications
Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism
803.545.0011
nsmith@columbiaauthority.com
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