Lots of small plates, partial targets, and no-shoots added to the need for accuracy, even on shorter distances.

BY DAVID THOMPSON

Held over the weekend of the June 3-4, this year’s STI European Open offered 16 stages to shooters from some 15 nations. Since the next European Practical Pistol Championship does not take place until 2007, the 5th SII European Open (held in Philipsburg, Germany) became one of the main matches for European IPSC shooters this year. The match organizers took on the big task of allowing 335 shooters to participate - and the match sold out.

The Euro Open was almost like shooting a mini European Championship. The range officers and staff shot the match on Friday, freeing up space for competitors over the weekend.

Irene Canetta won the Ladies Open Division Match.

The ranges at Philipsburg are probably among the best club ranges in Europe. The IPSC European Championship was held on this range in 2001, and may return to this venue in the near future.

The semi-open range construction with 180-degree backstops and multiple portable bullet traps protects you Lots of small plates, partial targets, and no-shoots added to the need for accuracy, even on the shorter distances. from the elements, and allows designers to build and shoot any stage imaginable. The many wide 25-meter bays and two huge 50-meter bays provide the space needed to build both depth and range into stage designs.

16 Stage Match

This year the round count was an impressive 337 rounds for 16 stages. Per the IPSC guidelines, there were a few small nine-round stages, but not too many. Most of the stages offered 20 rounds or more, so there were points to be had (and lost!) on most stages. This match attracted many of the top European practical pistol shooters across all IPSC divisions. The competition was tough across the board.

This is what happens to a match that builds up a reputation as a great event over several years. There are a few such events on the annual calendar in Europe: the Med Cup in the south of France, and the Rooster Mountain in Denmark, for example.


STI IPSC Team

As well as sponsoring this match, this year STI International formed a European IPSC Shooting Team. Launched at the IWA Fair in Nuremburg, the team is taking part in the top level IPSC matches on the continent. Irene Canetta won the Ladies Open Division match.

Philipsburg’s ranges are among the best club ranges in Europe. Its 180-degree back stops and portable bullet traps allow designers to build and shoot any stage imaginable.

The team includes a total of six shooters, spanning Open and Standard Division. Saul Kirsch and Irene Canetta shoot in Open Division, while Fabrizio Pesce, Gregory Midgley, Herbert Jakob and Rail K. Jensen shoot in Standard Division.

This was a demanding match with the need for accurate shooting. There were targets out to nearly 40 meters, lots of 25-meter targets, some partial or with no-shoots obscuring them. The stage designers cleverly allowed the shooters the tactical choice of whether to shoot long distance, or run up closer to the targets. This gave the competitors options designed to suit all levels of ability. Lots of small plates and partial targets added to the need for accuracy, even on the shorter distances, yet there were also several stages of closeup high-speed run-and-gun.

With portable bullet stops, the stage designs could easily vary the direction of fire. Cleverly positioned barricades and windows forced the shooter to move quickly and adopt different shooting positions. Lots of moving targets added sophistication and a degree of difficulty to many stages. Swingers, bobbers, pop-up and drop-down targets were scattered everywhere. This match had at least as many activated targets as any Level III IPSC Match in Europe.

Ralf K. Jensen shooting his way to second place in Standard Division.

After the shooting there was a barbeque on Saturday evening, which was included in the entry fee. Many IPSC matches in Europe are adding this feature to their events, as it gives competitors from many different countries the opportunity to mix.

Five members of the STI Euro Team were at the match. Irene Canetta won Ladies Open and Gregory Midgley and Ralf K Jensen took first and second places respectively in Standard Division. It was a good weekend for the STI team. Herbert Jakob shot the match as part of the staff and spent the weekend heading up the match administration, which kept everything ticking over properly. Saul Kirsch was not able to make the match due to family commitments.

RaIf K. Jensen shooting his way to second place in Standard Division.

Events like this one do not happen by themselves; they require a lot of effort from dedicated individuals to make them happen. The organizers of the 5th STI European Open ran an excellent competition; and many of us are looking forward to the next one. To see the full set of results and information about the match, visit the competition web site at www.stieuroopen.de. You may want to add it to your “matches to do” list for 2007!
 

STI Euro Team members at the 2006 Euro Open. From left: Gregory Midgley and Fabrizio Pesce, Irene Canetta, and Raif K. Jensen.