Specifically, two four-target arrays ( scoring: best two hits per target) were presented such that they could only be engaged from a single firing position. That is, this stage required a minimum of 16 rounds to be fired from a signle position.
I protested that this was not an IPSC-legal stage, because it required more than 9 shots to be fired from a single position.
This was a 31-round course of fire, but regardless of the number of rounds required the situation was patently unsupportable by one of the following USPSA rules:
1.2.1 General Courses of Fire:
1.2.1.1 “Short Courses” must not require more than 9 rounds to
complete and no more than 2 shooting locations.
1.2.1.2 “Medium Courses” must not require more than 16 rounds to complete and no more than 3 shooting locations. Course design and construction must not require more than 9 scoring hits from any single location or view, nor allow a competitor to eliminate a location or view in the course of fire by shooting all available targets at an earlier location or view.
1.2.1.3 “Long Courses” must not require more than 32 rounds to complete. Course design and construction must not require more than 9 scoring hits from any single location or view, nor allow a competitor to eliminate a location or view in the course of fire by shooting all available targets at an earlier location or view.
The match director determined that, while this ruling was generally applicable, the stage design was permissible because it was a Level 1 match and was not required to comply with all USPSA rules.
I suspect he was mistaken in that the most nearly applicable rule ( 1.1.5.1) states:
... but this is clearly not applicable. Rule 1.1.5 states:
1.1.5.1 Level I and Level II matches are not required to comply strictly with the freestyle requirements or round count limitation
1.1.5 Freestyle – IPSC matches are freestyle. Competitors must be permitted to solve the challenge presented in a freestyle manner, and to shoot targets on an “as and when visible” basis. Courses of fire must not require mandatory reloads nor dictate a shooting position or stance, except as specified below. However, conditions may be created, and barriers or other physical limitations may be constructed, to compel a competitor into shooting positions or stances.During the course of this match, I did video a few competitors as they shot this stage.
The stage design required starting in "Box A", which was downrange and on the left side of the bay. The only targets which were permissible to engage were in the four-target array directly in front of the box "A".
Another array was presented on the right side of the bay, equidistant from the back berm. This array consisted of six steel targets: three Pepper Poppers and three US Poppers. The three targets in the front were forward-falling targets, and the three targets in the rear fell normally to the rear. The targets in the front of the array were aligned with the rear targets, so that they partially or fully obscurred the targets in the rear of the array.
Ten yards Uprange of this array, was "Box B". From this box, the competitor was permitted to engage only the steel-target array.
Box "C" was located 30 yards uprange of "Box B".
Downrange of "Box C", and only one or two yards uprange of "Box B", were two 4-target arrays which could obviously be engaged from "Box C".
The course of fire was established so that the steel-target array downrange of "Box B" could be engaged from either "Box B" at 10 yards, or from "Box C" at 30 yards.
Whatever arrangement the competitor chose to make for the engagement of the steel targets in front of "Box B", eight 2-round targets MUST be engaged from "Box C".
I realize that this description is confusing. I did film two competitors on this stage. One chose to engage the steel targets, as well as the two uprange arrays, from "Box C". The other compettior chose to engage the steel targets from "Box B", and the two uprange arrays from "Box C".
You can view the stage from both approaches at
http://jerrythegeek.arpc-ipsc.org/gallery/7t1/7t16_003
This is a 6mb WMV video, and I apologize for the size of the file download. But it does demonstrate the situation much more clearly than the foregoing description.
-------------------------------
There was another equally controversial stage in this match, which allowed the competitor to engage all targets from a single position. This 18-round course of fire was obviously in violation with the previously cited rule 1.2.1.2:
1.2.1.2 “Medium Courses” must not require more than 16 rounds to complete and no more than 3 shooting locations. Course design and construction must not require more than 9 scoring hits from any single location or view, nor allow a competitor to eliminate a location or view in the course of fire by shooting all available targets at an earlier location or view.
That is, all targets were possible to engage from a single location.
I didn't challenge this stage because the MD, while well-intentioned, was clearly intractible.
You may view a half-dozen ways to engage this stage at:
http://jerrythegeek.arpc-ipsc.org/gallery/7t1/7t15_001
Note that if there were legal fault-lines on this stage which defined the 'back of the box', the question would have been avoided. Lines painted on a gravel surface were obviously not intended to serve this purpose.
If you can provide a different interpretation to this rule, as it applies to these two stages, I hope you will comment for my personal edification.
Incidently, you can see all of the videos we filmed at this match (there are two more) at:
http://jerrythegeek.arpc-ipsc.org/gallery/7t1
Finally, just for fun, here's a YouTube video of the first stage we shot. Unfortunatly, I only have one competitor illustrated.
Me.
No comments:
Post a Comment