Thoughts about match performance, H&S and Infinity Euro Open
I just participated in two level III IPSC handgun matches in the space of 3 weeks. My performance at the two matches was worlds apart, and this is an attempt to capture some of the things I did differently.
The two matches were the H&S Cup in Güstrow where I placed as #12 with 72%, and the Infinity Euro Open in Philippsburg where I placed as #53 with 62%. Now, you might expect that I’d be most happy with my performance at H&S Cup, given the better placement and percentage, but that isn’t the case. I shot much better at IEO. To exemplify this, the winner of Standard Division at H&S Cup placed as #45 with 65% at the IEO, and had previously surpassed me with 4% at the Schleswig Holstein match. The field of competitors was much, much deeper at IEO (123 competitors vs. 40, with a lot, if not most, of the european top at IEO), and the result at H&S Cup in SD wasn’t very indicative of true performance at large matches.
Among the differences between the two matches was my preparation. In the week before IEO I practiced alone at the range several times, firing more than 500 rounds.
At the IEO, I also attempted to approach the stages with an aggresive mindset, focusing on getting through the stage fast but getting good sight pictures. At H&S I had many shots fired without a good sight picture.
Another difference was my equipment. At the H&S Cup I has several failures-to-extract, in spite of my Aftec extractor, and my team mate Henrik who was using the same ammo had severe extraction problems. We’d loaded our ammo using S&B 9mm cases, and they seem to have been the source of the problems. Using different cases for IEO, neither of us had any malfunctions.
In addition, at H&S I used several suspect magazines for my gun, while I only used magazines I’d tested several times in the previous week at the IEO. Just the peace of mind created by this probably had a effect.
Yet another difference was my choice of footwear. Before IEO I purchased new shoes with a much more aggressive sole (Prophecy II from The North Face). They’re much less comfortable than the New Balance running shoes I wore at H&S, and harder on my ankles, but grip better and probably enable me to move faster through the COF.
At IEO, I attempted to get more sleep but my nutrition was much the same. The IEO was a lot hotter, but I seem to have kept myself hydrated properly. At IEO I was more conscious about relaxing between stages and sitting down.
Infinity Euro Open 2010 Results
Infinity Euro Open 2010 stage results
hs cup 2010
hs cup 2010 stage results
