World champ joins Bali shooting event

Musthofid Jakarta

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

Rated a level-4 championship, the Bali marksmanship meet is a level below the world championship, but match director Djoko S. Soeroso ensuring a world-class competitiveness with Grauffel being confirmed to be around.

"He will make the event as a warmup for the 2005 world championship," Djoko, who is the deputy director of the Indonesian Practical Shooting Association, said on the sidelines of a media briefing here on Wednesday.

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

The level-4 AustralAsia Championship will run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 after a level-3 National Shotgun Championship is staged on Nov. 28.

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

"Some 20 countries have notified their planned participation in the championships," Djoko said, adding that United States, Netherlands, Denmark and Argentina would also be among the contenders.

The championship will be contested in five classes: production, modified, standard, revolver and open.

Djoko, who is the match director, said that Indonesia would field 60 marksmen. Roy Haryanto, who finished in a top ten in the open competition in 2002 championship in Petersburg, South Africa, will be local best hope.

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

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