Champion marksman to join Bali shoot

Champion marksman to join Bali shoot

Musthofid, Jakarta

Twice world champion Eric Grauffel of France will be competing
in the AustralAsia Championship -- an intercontinental practical
shooting event -- to be held in November in Bali, the organizing
committee said.

Rated Level 4, the Bali marksmanship meet is a level below the
world championship, but match director Djoko S. Soeroso ensured a
world-class competition with Grauffel's confirmed participation.

"He will use the event as a warm-up to the 2005 world
championship," Djoko, deputy director of the Indonesian Practical
Shooting Association and match director of the Bali meet, said on
the sidelines of a media briefing on Wednesday.

Grauffel won the 1999 and 2002 world championships, as well as
1998 and 2001 European championships.

The AustralAsia Championship will run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1
after a level-3 National Shotgun Championship on Nov. 28.

Grauffel is expected to lead a 300-strong list of marksmen
from around 30 countries.

"Some 20 countries have notified us of their intended
participation in the championships," Djoko said, adding that the
United States, the Netherlands, Denmark and Argentina would be
represented.

The championship will cover five classes: production,
modified, standard, revolver and open.

Djoko said Indonesia would field 60 marksmen including Roy
Haryanto, who finished in the top ten in the open class in the
2002 Petersburg championship in South Africa -- Indonesia's best
hope.

"We have prepared ourselves, including an overseas outing to
the Philippines and two domestic trials," Djoko said.

The championship will coincide with the one-day General
Assembly of the International Practical Shooting Confederation,
in which representatives of 50 countries are expected to take
part.

IPSC was officially founded at the International Pistol
Conference held in Columbia, Missouri, in May 1976, while the
practical shooting had its origins in California in the early
'50s.

The sport quickly spread over the next few years to other
continents including Europe, Australia, Central and South
America, and Africa.