Hector Medina Reports From the 2018 World Field Target Championship – 1
The 2018 World Field Target Championship is taking place from August 25 – 25 in Poland. The venue is a disused quarry in Niegowonice called “Kanion”.
This is a major center for FT and HFT shooting in Poland. The first big shooting event was held in 2011. Since then, Kanion has become the location for more than 30 competitions, including 18 times at national level with participants from all over Poland and other countries.
Around 310 competitors are expected to take part in the 2018 World Field Target Championship. There will be three courses, Black, Blue and White. There’s more details at the WFTC’18 website.
Well-known US Field Target shooter – and member of the Team USA – Hector Medina is competing at the 2018 World Field Target Championship. He’s also reporting for HAM so that we can all have an understanding for what it’s like to attend. In addition Hector is recovering from jet lag and will be shooting in the competition. Thank you Hector!!!
So, here’s Hector’s story, in his own words and photographs….
I started from Washington IAD with my traditional departure dinner, flew SAS into Copenhagen and then into Krakow.
Rented a car, after waiting for 1/2 hour for them to open the office! and drove to Zawierce, where the Venue hotel (Villa Verde) is located, range itself is located 10 miles away. Here’s a photo of the hotel.
Along the route I found some traffic jams due to roadwork and toll booths, so life in Poland is not that different from life in the USA!
Because of TSA regulations, I had to find a new way of packing, using a hard sided case for the gun itself while all other things could be simply protected inside the drop-bottom duffel bag.
It is a compact system still, but I will find an even better way soon that still complies with TSA regulations.
I was already at the Hotel when the rest of Team USA started to trickle in, I had the pleasure to welcome part of the Springer USA Team.
And they do not pack as compactly as I, LOL!
The organizers have implemented a small but effective Sight-In range at the Villa Verde Hotel as well as a compact Practice Course. This is a huge improvement over past WFTCs.
And this is the practice course at the hotel…
The atmosphere here is much closer to what happened in Lithuania than in Lisbon. MUCH BETTER!
Still, the size of the 2018 World Field Target Championship has grown to the point where it is impossible for PCPs and Springers to shoot together. This means we’re separated into Morning and Evening relays.
Today is registration. Tomorrow official sight-in, equipment checking, and practice starts…
