USA Shooting Cancels Rifle/Pistol Nationals at Ft. Benning Georgia

[USA Shooting]

USA Shooting Cancels Rifle/Pistol Nationals at Ft. Benning Georgia
Due to recent changes in the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA Shooting announces the cancellation of USAS Rifle/Pistol Nationals originally scheduled for October 10-18, 2021 at the Tommy Pool International Shooting Complex.

“The continued disruption in our sport is beyond discouraging and underscores the need to create alternative sites for our major matches,” commented Matt Suggs, CEO USA Shooting.

In 2020, all National Championships and Junior Olympic Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Not only does this impact our athletes and other participants in our National Championships, but it has a large economic impact on the Columbus, Georgia community, and we’re disappointed in that,” added Suggs.

Shotgun National Championships are scheduled for September 9-16, 2021 at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

USA Shooting is working diligently to find a new venue and competition dates, and for those who have already registered for the event, you will receive a full refund to the same payment method. For questions, please contact competitions@usashooting.org.

[Xman]

USA Shooting Cancels Rifle/Pistol Nationals at Ft. Benning Georgia
Due to recent changes in the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA Shooting announces the cancellation of USAS Rifle/Pistol Nationals originally scheduled for October 10-18, 2021 at the Tommy Pool International Shooting Complex.

Shite! Here we go AGAIN!

[jhmartin]

I think that this is a Ft Benning issue, not necessarily a USAS issue

During Part 2 of the trials athletes, coaches and staff were required to bus into Ft Benning from a hotel. Even those Army athletes that lived on post had to drive out to the hotel and enter via the bus.
I don't think it would have been practical to use this method with the numbers that would show up to Nationals.

We cannot use the OTC range ... too small and the COVID restrictions have basically closed this range to all but the residents (I think they can train there .... but I may be wrong)

All this does is bring to the forefront how important it is that USA SHOOTING LEAVE COLORADO AND GO TO A LOCATION THAT CAN SUPPORT THE EVENTS REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL COMPETITION. They are not just sitting on this .... I've heard that there is work being done to achieve this .... it will boil down to how much this will cost and if it is possible to raise the required funds.

[Xman]

I thought I saw a blurb somewhere that Hillsdale College might be in the mix for the OTC. I may be totally wrong, but I am a dancing fool. "Zappa and The Mothers of Invention"

[Marc Orvin]

Hillsdale worked out great for jr Olympic rifle because it was while the students were on summer break.

[jhmartin]

Hillsdale worked out great for jr Olympic rifle because it was while the students were on summer break.

Marc - I heard that the kids thought it was great - However in smallbore rifle:
1) Shooting was at 50 feet
2) 3x20

We need international course of fire - an outdoor 50m range to run full 3x40 contests.

[dschaller]

While 3 x 40 and 50 meters outdoors should be a requirement for any international team selections, most juniors (certainly the J2 and J3s) are not ready to go to the Olympics, and their closer goal is making a college team. I don't know of a single college that shoots on a 50M outdoor range or shoots a 3 x 40 collegiate match - I think they all are 3X20 matches shot on 50 foot indoor ranges. I did like the JO Air Pistol championships where they all shot 3 matches totaled together to determine who made finals and winners, and think more shots helps determine who is consistently good. Hopefully next year the Air Rifle and 3P won't be combined and crammed into one week for all the kids, and they could consider 3X for the rifle events as well.

[jhmartin]

National JO SBR Rifle events have ALWAYS been the Olympic event, One of the challenges/draws to the National JOs.

It has only been since the shooters have been locked out of the OTC in Colorado - "excuse" COVID - that the NGB had to scramble last year to find a venue which is only 50 ft.
This has usually been a selection event to a junior event in Suhl which is a full Olympic event. We need to have events such as the National JOs to prepare all our juniors for international events. (Sorry, 3x20 is a bit different than 3x40)

Yes, yes, not all will go, but that is no reason to try and shortchange the juniors.

I'm not putting down USAS. I know they are actively looking at moving the hell out of CO and finding/building another Olympic/World Cup style venue to get back to where we were three years ago. (all it takes is $$$)
While I do like Ft Benning, there were just too many compromises that have to be done to hold an event there now. COVID ain't going away and thus I don't see it getting any easier to get in there in the future (until everyone quits panicking). What we had to do to complete our 2nd part of the Trials is just not manageable now for a National level event.

[dschaller]

At least the rifle smallbore qualifiers got a Championship, and hopefully a site can be found for the future for better matches. Of course, Pistol got shortchanged again with the Sport Pistol qualifiers not even given a chance to compete, despite SASS holding a National Sport Pistol Championship that USA Shooting could have partnered with. And of course USA Shooting did absolutely nothing with PPP this year. It's no wonder Pistol didn't do as well as other disciplines at the Olympics when pistol doesn't get any support.

[jhmartin]

At least the rifle smallbore qualifiers got a Championship, and hopefully a site can be found for the future for better matches. Of course, Pistol got shortchanged again with the Sport Pistol qualifiers not even given a chance to compete, .....

Why do you make this statement? For Women's 25m Pistol:
Selection Part 1 was held on Sept 30-Oct 4, 2019 (Fall Selection)
Selection Part 2 was held Feb 24-Mar1, 2020 (Spring Selection)

Or maybe I'm mis-understanding ... Women's sport had a full selection process before COVID

Smallbore Rifle has their Selection 2 delayed over a year due to COVID - USAS has to work hard to get it in before Tokyo.

[dschaller]

I was referring to the Junior Olympics. Many juniors paid to shoot a state qualifier and got nothing for it but a pin. (Not unlike last year for all Juniors, rifle and pistol). However, this year, only the Sport Pistol shooters got shortchanged.

[jhmartin]

Ahh .... I see. Yup.
All the more reason for USAS to get out of Colorado & take the gear that can handle that event to a more permanent range.
I don't have my hosts list from last year handy. How many states actually offer the Sport Pistol?

I know we (NM) made our own controller to control lights. We also only had one county 4-H program participating and when USAS went to 6 shooters required per event (instead of the 6 shooters for the JOs) we lost the youth and even more important volunteers willing to spend the time. It's not a 4-H event and the SASP action pistol has a much better draw.

It may even be that way for SBR rifle here if they go back to the 6 shooter minimums per event (M & W)