Toti shottists take aim at World Shoot
Alan and Phillip were selected after being ranked at all three recent SA champs shoots.
Two Toti Sport Shooting Club members are winging their way to America to represent South Africa at the 17th International Practical Shooting Federation World Shoot in Frostproof, Florida.
Alan Betts (46) and Phillip Scheepers (52) were selected after being ranked at all three recent SA champs shoots – at Alberton in July 2013, Stilfontein in October 2013 and Cullinan in March.
This is Alan’s second Protea cap and he represented his country at the World Shoot in Greece 2011 where he was ranked 196th out of 409.
“We do this as a hobby or a sport and we are up against shootists who do this as a day job and they are sponsored guns and ammunition,” he said. “It is very difficult for us to compete against that.”
World champs are held every three years, however the sport is not Olympic-accredited.
On Sunday, 12 October the pair will take part in the opening ceremony, before taking to the range from Monday to Saturday, with one day of rest. They will compete against 1,348 shootists from 81 different countries.
Competitors replicate live situations by moving through a range and firing at a combination of static or moving targets. “The course of fire we will compete on was publicised last week for us to prepare, which gives us the range layout and our start positions,” said Alan.
Shootists compete in either a short (nine shots), medium (18 shots) or long (32 shots) course. Targets have three scoring points.
“It’s a mixture of balancing, time and accuracy,” said Alan, who started shooting in 1994 after buying a pistol and joining a club in Standerton. So proficient was he, he made the Eastern Transvaal team in his first year.
He uses a 9mm gun and competes in the production category.
“You are on a timer, but the time is your own,” said Phillip. “Your scores are calculated against your time. Basically the best score with the quickest time is the winner.
Phillip started shooting with his father-in-law, himself a shottist, after he moved to Toti from Newcastle in 1990.
He has selected for the KZN team every year since 1991, but this is his first time in the SA team. “I’ve had bad luck every time when it came to Protea selection, but this time everything worked out.” He competes in the open class with a modified STI 38 Super.
Both have been awarded their KZN honours for being selected for seven successive years.
“I know the champs will be difficult, but we want to bring back medals. If I can bring back one medal it will be an achievement, as this competition is amateurs versus professionals,” said Phillip.
“If I can increase my ranking I will see that as an achievement,” said Alan. “Realistically in the top 150, but my aspiration is to be in the top 100.”
