Two Local Men Head To Gun Competition | Events

The top shooters in the dynamic “run-and-gun” sport of practical shooting will converge on Las Vegas to compete in the 2011 STI USPSA National Handgun Championships, including two men from the Central Coast.

Among the more than 650 shooters from across America, and around the world, competing for the coveted title of National Champion will be local top guns Alvin Ilarina of Soquel and Thomas Chan of Watsonville.­

In all, 45 states and six foreign nations will be represented at the competition which is organized by the U.S. Practical Shooting Association, the 20,000 strong member organiza­tion that is the national governing body for the sport of practical shooting.

The 2011 STI USPSA National Handgun Championships take place September 16-24 at the Desert Sportsman’s Rifle & Pistol Club in Las Vegas, NV.

During competition shooters will face 20 stages – or courses of fire – that are designed to test the competitors’ speed and accuracy using multiple targets, including moving targets that swing, bob and appear briefly before quickly disappearing.

Competitors will put more than 250,000 rounds of ammunition downrange during the event.

The STI USPSA National Handgun Championships consist of two major events. The first is­ the Open, Limited-10 and Revolver division competition September 17-20, followed by the Limited and Production division contest September 22-24.

Divisions are based on the different types of firearm used in each. The Production Division features commonly available stock or “duty guns” with only limited changes permitted to the firearm, while the Open division utilizes fully customized pistols featuring recoil reducing compensators and optical sighting systems.

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