Toowoomba Pistol Club hosts Regional Championships at Helidon

More than 60 competitors were greeted with near perfect weather for the 2017 ISSF Toowoomba Open and South West Regional Championships held recently at the Club’s Helidon range.

ISSF pistol competitions involve traditional Olympic and International disciplines including 10 metre air pistol, centrefire, 25 metre pistol, standard match and 50 metre pistol.

The variety of matches within ISSF, and individual gradings based on past performance, means there are opportunities for everyone to compete with others at their level. Men, women and juniors are all well represented.

The Club was pleased to have the Honourable Mr Ian Rickuss, Member for Lockyer, on hand to congratulate the winners and hand out medals for the match placegetters as well as regional champions and aggregate winners.

A recent grant from the Department of Sport and Recreation to help build up the club’s participation in the air pistol discipline proved a success with 11 club members competing in this event and four first placings achieved across men’s, women’s and junior men’s events.

ISSF pistol shooting is a sport that favours those with good concentration, a steady hand and the ability to maintain focus over events that can last up to several hours. But it is also a very inclusive sport, with opportunities for those who may not excel at fast moving sports and competitions regularly conducted for IPC (Paralympic) competitors. Many club members take up the sport in retirement while others find it’s a great sport for when running around a field is no longer appealing. Strict safety protocols and procedures ensures a safe and relaxed activity for everyone involved.

With most competitors travelling to attend fro

m around Queensland, New South Wales and even South Australia, the event provides a valuable boost to the local economy with accommodation and retailers in Helidon and Toowoomba benefiting.

The success of the event relies heavily on the volunteer time of club members who organise matches, ensure they are conducted safely and in compliance with the rules, provide food and hospitality and put in many hours getting the range facilities up to scratch before the event.

Pictured: Toowoomba Pistol Club Member Ele with the Honourable Member for Lockyer Ian Rickuss. Ele found time amongst ensuring 70 plus competitors and volunteers were well fed all weekend to win the Women’s Air Pistol D Grade Event with a score that means she now moves up to C Grade for future competitions.