The teams from the Philippines clearly dominated the 2024 IPSC Australasian championship on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali in almost all divisions, both handgun and PCC. Even the otherwise very strong teams from the region such as Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia were left behind, but there were also notable exceptions. Prominent top shooters also travelled from Europe, such as the multiple world champion Eric Grauffel from France. The CZ shooter won – who would have thought it? – the Production Division with a lead of almost 7% over the runner-up. When you think of Bali, you think of holidays, summer, sun, beach and sea. And rightly so, but only to a limited extent, because here shooting could be perfectly combined with a family holiday. The Pecatu Shooting Range is located in the centre of the southern tip of Bali and is part of the Dreamland resort, which says it all. Fantastic beaches, a breathtaking cliff face, paired with Balinese culture and Indonesian hospitality.
IPSC Australasia 2024: a colourful meeting of top international shooters at the Pecatu Shooting Range with 24 shooting lanes
What stood out, and what is very different in Asia than in Europe or America, were the many really colourful and country-specific jerseys that the individual teams and clubs changed almost daily with a new design. Colourful, sometimes funny, but also culturally reflecting where the individual participant was from. Decorated and color-coated guns also caught the eye and even diamond-studded ear muffs were available. Another thing that makes Australasia special. A kind of fashion show and somehow the respective national colours were always to be found somewhere. The twenty-four shooting lanes of the Pecatu Shooting Range were always full from sunrise in the east to the stunning and breathtaking sunset over the sea in the west. A really great backdrop for shooting, just as Bali is known and loved.
A full programme was on the agenda: the pre-matches took place from 20 to 23 August. This was followed by the PCC main competition from 24 to 26 August and an official opening ceremony on 27 August. Finally, the Main Match in the handgun divisions took place from 28 to 31 August, followed by the Shoot-Off of the best shooters and the closing ceremony on 1 September. The Puri Bhagawan provided a spectacular backdrop and traditional Balinese dances, which delighted the international visitors, before the award ceremony continued late into the evening. The three dominant countries in Asia when it comes to sport shooting in general are undoubtedly Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines at the top of the list. The next IPSC Australasia competitions will therefore be held in Thailand again. There will be a smaller, individual shoot-out between teams from Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines in the run-up to the event, with Pattaya again being favoured as the venue. This does not mean that other Asian countries are not invited or excluded, but friendships have developed over the years and the majority of shooters in Asia come from these three countries.
Text: Thomas Pfister, Stefan Perey
The results in all gun divisions and shooting categories as well as more information about the event can be found on the IPSC Austalasia 2024 website.
