Shooters of the Year 2010

Matsuda (JPN) and Klimova (RUS) elected "Shooters of the Year 2010"

Two pistol shooters won the the votes of the international shooting sport press, this year, securing the "Shooter of the Year" title thanks to their outstanding shooting performances.

Based on their outstanding performances during the 2010 shooting season, the pistol shooters Kira Klimova of Russia and Tomoyuki Matsuda of Japan were elected as “Shooters of the Year 2010” by the International shooting sport journalists.

Matsuda Tomoyuki, 35-year old, form Yokohama (JPN) became the main protagonist of the 2010 Pistol Shooting season, by finishing in the spotlights at the 50th ISSF World Championship in all shooting events held in Munich, last August. There, Matsuda won both the 10m Air Pistol and the 50m Pistol men events, becoming the first Japanese athlete qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The expert sharpshooter, who started competing in the ISSF circuit in 2002, also finished on the podium at the ISSF World Cup Final in Munich and at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, this year, winning three Bronze medals back to back.

“Winning two medals at the World Championship? I was more surprised rather than happy. – The Japanese athlete said - I really wanted to make the final and get the quota place (for the Olympic Game), but I did not expect to finish in first.”

“I am less experienced than others. – Continued Matsuda “I have never won at the Olympic Games. Shooters such as Korea’s Jin and China’s Pang have won ISSF world cup medals several times, and showed their strength at the Olympic. Compared to them, I am still inexperienced shooter. But I am working on it!”

Kira Klimova of Moskov (RUS), 28, also left her sign on the 2010 season, thanks to her outstanding performances on the lines of the ISSF World Cup and World Championship circuits. The Russian athlete, who had never grabbed an international ISSF medal before, finished upon the highest podiums, this year. Boosted by two Silver medals won at the ISSF World Cup Stage in Fort Benning, USA, in May, she walked into the 50th ISSF World Championship highly motivated, eventually winning the world title in the 25m Pistol Women event. The young athlete, one of the first Russians to qualify for the 2012 Games, kept on winning also at the closing match of the year, the ISSF World Cup Final held in Munich last October. There, she ended up in first at the 10m Air Pistol Women event with ease, also winning the votes of the international sport journalists. Read More...

New Rifle Clothing Rule Enforcement

New Rifle Clothing Rule Enforcement for 2011 and 2012

The ISSF Special Commission on Rifle Shooter Clothing met in Munich, Germany on the 8-9 December 2010, where it developed a series of rule interpretations regarding rifle shooter clothing that will be enforced in 2011 and 2012. The Commission, which was established by the ISSF Administrative Council in 2004 to guide the development and interpretation of ISSF rules regarding rifle clothing issues, is a diverse 14-member body that includes athlete, coach and industry representatives as well as members of the ISSF Executive Committee, Administrative Council and Rifle Committee. ISSF Vice President Gary Anderson, who is a former Olympic and World rifle champion, chairs the Commission.

Anderson said, “our meetings in Munich were extraordinarily successful in developing a series of rule interpretations where athletes, coaches and ISSF officials were all in agreement. With these agreements, we now have a plan of action that will allow the ISSF to enforce existing rifle clothing rules more strictly and uniformly without having to press forward with rule changes that mandate increased clothing restrictions.”

The meeting concluded with all members of the Commission agreeing on a list of “Rule Interpretation and Enforcement Measures for 2011/2012.” This list subsequently received full approval from the ISSF Rifle Committee when it met in Munich on 12 December. With the established authority of the Rifle Clothing Commission and Rifle Committee to issue rule interpretations and enforcement procedures for existing rules, the ISSF announces that the following rule interpretations will be enforced in all 2011 competitions that are governed by ISSF Rules, including all 2011 ISSF World Cups and 2011 Continental Championships. During the IWK International Air Weapons Competition in Munich in January, testing will be done according to these standards and athletes whose jackets or trousers will not meet the new requirements will be informed.

1. During Equipment Control jacket and trouser stiffness testing, both before competitions and in post-competition checks, all clothing panels must measure 3.0mm or higher in flexibility within 60 seconds. No measurements below 3.0mm will be accepted.

2. During Equipment Control jacket and trouser thickness testing, both before competitions and in post-competition checks, all clothing panels must measure 2.5mm or less in thickness. No measurements above 2.5mm will be accepted.

3. It is the responsibility of the competitor to use clothing that has sufficient tolerance in its stiffness and thickness measurements so that it will not fail even if it changes slightly during the competition. Shooters who try to use jackets and trousers that measure at or near the maximum stiffness of 3.0mm need to make sure their clothing is somewhat more flexible since no stiffness measurement or tolerance below 3.0mm is acceptable.

4. In Equipment Control stiffness testing, every part (panel) of the jacket or trousers must be capable of being measured with the 60mm measuring cylinder. If a part of the jacket or trousers is too small for normal testing (if there is no flat area 60mm or larger), testing must be done over the seams.

5. The ISSF considers the placement of names, national flags or symbols and sponsor signs on shooting clothing as positive and desirable. However, these markings cannot be used to increase the clothing stiffness or to prevent the measurement of clothing panels. Stiffness and thickness tests will ordinarily not be done over these markings, but if the panel where the letters or markings are located does not provide a flat 60mm or larger area to measure, stiffness testing will be done over the letters or markings.

6. The top of trousers seat pads must be at least 150mm below the top of the trousers waistband. Stiffness may be measured over the seat pad if necessary. This requirement replaces the test that was used in 2010 where the height of the seat pad was measured while shooters were seated with their trousers closed.

7. All rifle shooters must walk normally while wearing their shooting shoes and trousers anywhere on the range. Normal walking means heel down first—then heel up (the heel lift off of the floor must be visible) before lifting the toe. Normal walking also means bending the legs at the knees while walking. ISSF Juries will enforce this test for the flexibility of the shooting shoes and trousers by giving a warning for the first offence, a 2-point penalty for the second offence and disqualification for the third offence on any competition day.

8. Shooting trousers may have a maximum of 7 belt loops, but there must be at least 80mm of space between all belt loops.

9. Kinesio and medical taping are contrary to ISSF rules (Rule 6.4.2.1.1) and are not permitted. Post competition testing will now require selected shooters to undress to confirm that they are not using banned taping.

10. Shooters’ underclothing will also be checked for compliance with the 2.5mm thickness restriction as part of the post-competition testing.

11. Post-competition testing will require escorts to ensure that selected shooters have no opportunity to change or remove clothing. Judges who are women will be available to do the post-competition checks on women athletes for taping and underclothing.

The ISSF urges all National Federations to study these rule interpretations carefully to ensure that their athletes and coaches who will compete in the 2011 World Cups are prepared for them. For rifle shooters whose shooting jackets, trousers and boots were in full compliance with ISSF Rules during 2010 competitions, these rule interpretations should not require them to make any significant changes.

For shooters who try to use jackets and trousers that measure at or near the maximum stiffness of 3.0mm, they will need to make sure their clothing is somewhat more flexible since stiffness measurements below 3.0mm and thickness measurements greater than 2.5mm are not acceptable. The tolerance must now be in the shooters’ clothing, not in the measurements. The small percentage of rifle shooters who have persisted in walking stiff legged and flatfooted must learn to walk normally when they wear their trousers and boots. Competitors with any clothing item that has small panels or large pads that make it impossible to find a 60mm area to measure stiffness must be aware that measurements of those panels will now be made over the pads, seams or letters if necessary. Any athletes who may have tried taping techniques need to know that this is illegal and will be checked.

The Commission is concerned that shooting boot soles and shooting gloves are becoming stiffer and less flexible and that some of these clothing items are not in compliance with ISSF Rules (7.4.6.2 and 7.4.6.3.2) that require them to be “flexible.” The walking test will be enforced in 2011 as one means of ensuring that boot soles are more flexible, but the Commission is also seeking new methods of measuring these items to more accurately check their flexibility.

Several other rule change proposals were discussed during the meeting and the Commission agreed on some rule change proposals that could go into effect starting in 2013. These were forwarded to the ISSF Rifle Committee for their consideration. The Commission emphasized that the major emphasis in 2011 and 2012 must be on stricter enforcement of existing rules. The ISSF will release additional information in a continuing effort to educate all athletes, trainers and judges regarding these stricter rule enforcement measures that will be applied starting with the first World Cups in 2011. Read More...

Air Rifle Match 10 M (ISSF)

10 metre air rifle is an International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) shooting event, shot over a distance of 10 metres (10.9 yd) from a standing position with a 4.5 mm (0.177 in) calibre air rifle with a maximum weight of 5.5 kg (12.1 lbs). The use of specialised clothing is allowed to improve the stability of the shooting position. It is one of the ISSF governed shooting events included in the Olympic games.

The course of fire is 60 shots within 105 minutes for men, and 40 shots within 75 minutes for women. During this phase a maximum of 10 points are awarded for each shot. The top eight shooters follow this with a final 10 shots – each scored to a maximum of 10.9 – with the cumulative score determining the winner. The maximum of 10.9 is derived from an additional set of 10 rings within the center 10 point circle, increasing in 0.1 point value as the rings approach the center.

Shots are fired from the standing position only, as opposed to some other airgun shooting disciplines such as for three positions (popular in the United States) or in disabled sports.

The major competitions are the Olympic Games every four years and the ISSF World Shooting Championships every four years. In addition, the event is included in the ISSF World Cup and in continental championships, as well as in many other international and national competitions. It is an indoor sport, and on the highest level electronic targets are used instead of the traditional paper targets.

Scores in 10 metre air rifle have improved rapidly during the last few decades and today top competitors sometimes achieve maximum results ("full marks") for the initial phase (600 for men and 400 for women). The majority of these full marks were achieved at non directly ISSF supervised international and national-level matches and championships, where official ISSF recognized world records can not be set. This leads to many national records in fact being equal to the world records.

For the 10 metre air rifle and air pistol disciplines match diabolo pellets are used. These pellets have wadcutter heads, meaning the front is (nearly) flat, that leave clean round holes in paper targets for easy scoring. Match pellets are offered in tins and more elaborate packagings that avoid deformation and other damage that could impair their uniformity. Especially air rifle shooters are encouraged to perform shooting group tests with their gun clamped in a machine rest to establish which particular match pellet type performs best for their particular air gun. To facilitate maximum performance out of various air guns the leading match pellet manufacturers produce pellets with graduated "head sizes", which means the pellets are offered with front diameters from 4.48 mm up to 4.51 mm.

The occurrence of full marks scores is mainly due to the continuous development of the employed match air rifles from spring-piston type designs into single-stroke pneumatic and pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) designs. Modern PCP match rifles from the leading manufacturers all feature fast lock times, shoot practically recoilless and vibration free, exhibit minimal movement and balance shifts and can be tailored by an adjustable stock and other user interfaces and various accessories to the individual shooters personal preferences to promote comfortable and accurate shooting from a standing position. Combined with appropriate match pellets these rifles produce a consistent 10 ring performance, so a non maximal result during the initial phase can be attributed to the participant. Read More...

Air Pistol Match 10 M (ISSF)

Introduction

10 metre air pistol is an Olympic shooting event governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). It is similar to 10 metre air rifle in that it is shot with 4.5 mm (or .177) caliber air guns at a distance of 10 metres (11 yards), and the programme consists of 60 shots within 105 minutes for men, and 40 shots within 75 minutes for women. It is also similar to 50 metre pistol despite the shorter distance and the use of air guns, and most top-level male shooters compete in both events.

There are some restrictions on the pistol, and it must be operated by one hand only from a standing, unsupported position. The shooter decides his or her own tempo as long as the maximum time is not exceeded, but in the final round for the top shooters, separate commands are given for each shot so that the audience may follow the progress of the standings.

The major competitions are the Olympic Games every four years and the ISSF World Shooting Championships every four years. In addition, the event is included in the ISSF World Cup and in continental championships, as well as in many other international and national competitions. It is an indoor sport, and on the highest level electronic targets are used instead of the traditional paper targets.

Range and Target

The air pistol range is the same as the air rifle range, giving each shooter a table, a 1 metre wide firing point, and a 10 metre distance between the firing line and the target line. The current rules require ranges to be built indoors, with specified minimum requirements for artificial lighting. Many of the top-level competitions are held at temporary ranges installed in versatile sporting facilities or convention centres.

The target, 17 by 17 cm (6.7 by 6.7 in), is traditionally made of light-coloured cardboard upon which scoring lines, and a black aiming mark consisting of the score zones 7 through 10, are printed. There is also an inner ten ring, but the number of inner tens is only used for tie-breaking. The changing of these traditional targets is handled by each shooter, by means of electronic – or more archaically, manually-operated – carrier devices. In major competitions, only one shot may be fired on each target, a number that can increase to two, five or even ten with lowering level and importance of the competition. Used targets are collected by range officials to be scored in a separate office.

During the last few decades, these paper targets have been gradually replaced by electronic target systems, immediately displaying the results on monitors. When using these systems, actual scoring lines are not printed, but the location of the impact hole (which can be determined acoustically) is automatically converted into corresponding scores by a computer. ISSF rules now require the use of these systems in top-level competitions. They are generally used in other international competitions as well, and in some countries they are even common in national competitions.

Equipment

To promote comfortable and accurate shooting from a standing position match air pistols must have fast lock times, shoot practically recoilless and vibration free and exhibit minimal movement and balance shifts during discharge. The pistol must also be able to be tailored by adjustable user interfaces and various accessories to individual shooters personal preferences. Combined with appropriate match pellets the pistol has to produce a consistent 10 ring performance, so a non maximal result during the initial phase can be attributed to the participant.

The pistols used are gas-driven with a caliber of 4.5 mm (.177 in). The minimum trigger pull weight is 500 gram (17.6 oz), half that of a sport pistol, and the grip restrictions are similar to sport pistols, but the box in which the pistol must fit is much larger: 42 by 20 by 5 cm (17 by 8 by 2 in). This allows for longer sight lines and also gives room for cocking arms, although with a few exceptions (such as the Baikal IZH-46M) modern match air pistols use pre-filled air, or less commonly carbon dioxide, containers. The maximum overall weight is 1.5 kg (3.31 lb). The pistol must be operated by only one hand from a standing position, and may only be loaded with one pellet at a time.

A typical 4.5 mm (.177 in) 10 m air pistol match pelletFor the 10 metre air pistol and air rifle disciplines match diabolo pellets are used. These pellets have wadcutter heads, meaning the front is (nearly) flat, that leave clean round holes in paper targets for easy scoring. Match pellets are offered in tins and more elaborate packagings that avoid deformation and other damage that could impair their uniformity. Air gunners are encouraged to perform shooting group tests with their gun clamped in a machine rest to establish which particular match pellet type performs best for their particular air gun. To facilitate maximum performance out of various air guns the leading match pellet manufacturers produce pellets with graduated "head sizes", which means the pellets are offered with front diameters from 4.48 mm up to 4.51 mm.

As in other ISSF pistol events, special supportive clothing and shoes are not permitted. Optical aids are allowed as long as they are not mounted on the pistol, which may only have open sights. Ear protection is recommended by the ISSF as well as by coaches, who sometimes stress their usefulness in shutting out distracting noise rather than their necessity for safety reasons (paramount in other shooting disciplines).

It is each shooter's responsibility to get the pistol and shoes validated in a specific area, the equipment control, prior to starting the competition. Clothing is only inspected during the actual competition. To discourage shooters from lowering the trigger pull weight after passing the equipment control, random controls are conducted after the match with failure resulting in immediate disqualification.

Match Air Pistols in Production

• Baikal IZH-46M
• Benelli Kite and Benelli Kite Young
• Feinwerkbau P44 and Feinwerkbau P58
• Hämmerli AP60
• Match Guns MG1 and Match Guns MG1E
• Morini CM 162 EI and Morini CM 162 MI
• Pardini K10 and Pardini K10 Junior
• Steyr LP 10, Steyr LP 2 and Steyr LP 50
• Tesro PA 10-2
• Walther LP300XT

Course of Fire

Shooters are generally divided into four classes: men, junior men, women and junior women. The junior classes are included in most championships, with some notable exceptions (such as the Olympic Games and the ISSF World Cup). A shooter remains a junior up to and including the calendar year in which he or she becomes 20 years of age, although a junior may opt to participate in the main class instead.

In both the qualification stage and the final stage, all shooting is supervised by a Chief Range Officer, whose duties include responsibility for the correct behaviour of all personnel, dealing with technical irregularities, and cooperation with the jury.

Qualification

For the qualification stage, the shooters are divided as necessary into relays. Each relay starts with a ten-minute preparation time, followed by the Chief Range Officer's "Start" command, indicating the start of the competition time. Before the competition shots, but within the time limit, the shooter may fire an unlimited number of sighting shots at specially marked targets. Men and junior men shoot 60 shots (within a maximum time of 105 minutes) at all major competitions, while women and junior women shoot 40 shots (within a maximum time of 75 minutes). At minor competitions, there may be other numbers of shots and time limits.

Final

A final is included in most air pistol championships, although not in the World Junior Championships. The top eight shooters advance to the final. In case of a tie for eighth place, shooters with stronger ending were previously preferred, but from 2009 a special shoot-off will be held in these cases. The final consists of ten shots, and the score zones are divided into tenths (by means of a special gauge, in the absence of automatic scoring devices), so that each hit can give up to 10.9 points. After a three-minute preparation time, during which the shooters are introduced to the audience, and a five-minute sighting shot period, separate commands are given for each competition shot, with a time limit of 75 seconds per shot. The final score is added to the qualification score with the aggregate deciding the final ranking. Any post-final ties are broken by a single extra shot.

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World Records 300m Rifle 3 Positions

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International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) is an organization that governs international shooting sports.[citation needed] While far from the only such organization, it is the one that is a member of the International Olympic Committee and so it is in charge of the Olympic shooting events. Not all ISSF shooting events are Olympic, however. The organization, with 154 national member federations, has its headquarters in Munich, Germany.

International shooting competitions had begun already with Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics, and the first World Championships were held in 1897. However, there was no governing body until 1907, when eight national federations founded the union, soon to be called Union International de Tir (UIT) (French for the International Shooting Union and sometimes referred to in English as the ISU). This was the name until the current name was adapted in 1998.

Over the years, the ISSF has distanced itself from connotations of non-sportive uses of guns. This has included changing over from human-shaped targets to circular ones. The only official ISSF target still depicting a live creature is the wild boar image used in 50 metre running target. Following this path, in 2000 the ISSF issued a decree, prohibiting any ISSF members from "cooperating" with the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) and from participating in any practical shooting activities. Regarding, contrary to the IPSC's own view, practical shooting as closer to combat training than actual shooting sports, the ISSF has also discouraged accepting the IPSC into the Olympic movement.

The ISSF recognizes the following competitions as ISSF Championships:

• The Olympic Games every four years (Olympic events only).
• The ISSF World Shooting Championships every four years, plus every other year for shotgun events.
• The ISSF World Cup four times a year plus a final (Olympic events only).
• Regional championships, such as the European Championships or the Pan-American Games, with regularity that is decided on the regional level.

These are the only competitions that have direct supervision from ISSF committees, and the only competitions where world records can be set. This leads to many national records in fact being higher than the world records.

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