Reservists gain valuable experience at
shooting competition
By 2lt Juan Gonzalez
With 53 teams from 17 countries, which included novice and experienced competitors, three females and five blended international teams, the annual shooting event was again an important component of the CIOR Military Competition. This year’s event was held at the Adazi shooting range, located in the middle of a Latvian forest, a short distance from Riga, and fitted with the latest in electronic-scoring systems.
The teams have to perform with a SIG P210 pistol and a G3 rifle in both categories – precision and rapid fire.
“It has been a real challenge to organise this event implicates the use of 70 people that need to be perfectly trained so that the competitors can compete in a good atmosphere” said 1Lt Zigurds Labalaiks, chairman of the organizing committee. “Our MOD understood the singularity of this competition and gave us all the help we needed.”
The UK is represented with by seven teams and a total of 24 athletes, which includes two female teams, one of them an international team with a French lieutenant. The delegation is usually a “breath of fresh air” as most of the teams are young reserve cadets or officers taking university training courses.
“The experience they gain counts enormously when they apply for elite unit,” said Major Kevin Munson, head of the UK delegation.” It also provides a big advantage, after completion of their degree, if they wish to apply for a reserve commission or join the regular forces through Sandhurst Academy.”
The annual competition will be held in Istanbul in 2008 and the planning process has already started. Col Turesin of Turkey is conducting an organisational study for next year’s event.