Last month I visited Korth Group to do some ELEY batch testing at their test range! The experience is pretty cool! I was given a tour of their facility and ranges and then they got everything ready to test. We went through 15 different ELEY lots and a couple competitor ammo which I brought in that I had been using in training and competition.
ELEY tenex for shooting 10x's!
We went through several rounds of testing over several hours until we found the one that was the most consistent with my Pardini SP RF barrel. Ultimately I ended up with some ELEY Tenex (not pistol version) that worked best. The non-pistol Tenex has a higher velocity and grouped better.
ELEY testing at 25m distance
So fun! :)
Awesome!
Next up for me is the 2019 Pan Am Games team selection match this weekend in Cookstown, Ontario. I will also be visiting Target Sports Canada range to meet up and shoot! Come by May 20th @ 2pm!
The first match went well but I know I could have done better. There were some easy points I lost which I shouldn't have let go. It doesn't take much of a break in focus though when you're dealing with millimeters at a distance of 10m. After the first match I ended up not feeling well due to something I ate and stayed in bed a couple days only getting up to go compete and make the best of the situation.
Also got a chance to meet up with Ramon from Olympic Pistol which was pretty cool! Thank you for the t-shirt and Belgium chocolates!
At the Championship of the Americas in Guadalajara, Mexico I won the first shooting quota spot for Canada to attend the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru this July!
What a busy summer it was between work and shooting. I was in Changwon, South Korea for the 52nd ISSF World Championships and just finished getting caught up on work related projects.
Shooting at the World Championships. Jongoh Jin far left would go on to make an epic comeback and defend his World Champion title
The World Championships went well but unfortunately I had ran into some mechanical issues with my Steyr. There was an inconsistency with one of the cylinders and it wasn't shooting as accurate as it should have been. It's not something I had ever looked at or thought could be an issue. Steyr was on-site at the World Championships and they found the problem and made the adjustment and repairs.
I found some time to help out a couple Avengers in Changwon!
My attempt to make a Canadian maple leaf on my toast... looks more like a Batman logo?? What do you think? Leave a reply in the comments below.
Just me enjoying a moment at Gwangalli Beach in Busan.
Just getting caught up after a whirlwind of events, work, and trips... well sort of caught up. ;)
A couple weeks ago I became the 2018 Canadian National Pistol Champion, defending my title and setting a new Canadian Nationals 10m Men's Final record! I also teamed up with 2016 Olympian Lynda Kiejko in the new 10m mixed team event and together we won the National title in the mixed team 10m event!
Kiejko and Harding our National Champions in 10m mixed team event
Photo credit: Kim Britton
Today I took home the gold in the men's 10m pistol event and defended my title to become the 2018 Canadian National Pistol Champion! Also took the 2018 10m mixed team National Champion title with Lynda Kiejko @Cdnshootingstar#targetsports#issf ...dedicated to my grandma ❤️ pic.twitter.com/L3d8p90wmt
I am currently at Fort Benning, Georgia for the USA stage of the 2018 ISSF World Cup Series. Finished up today's men's 10m pistol event with a 562 and 17x's. This is my second highest World Cup score and I believe the most x's I've ever shot.
The competition is going well. Picked up on a couple things I need to work on after having a similar mid-match performance in Guadalajara, Mexico a couple months ago in March. The 3rd and 4th series in the match giving me a bit of trouble then I finish strong. I'll get the middle of the match as consistent as the start and end and it will give my scores a boost.
Mexico went well in March. I shot at that range in 2014 at the Championship of the Americas and went back there this year to work on some of the issues I ran into in 2014. So far this ISSF season has been going well.
Me shooting in Guadalajara at the start of the 2018 ISSF World Cup season in March
October has been a great month! I shot in Cookstown, Ontario a couple weekends ago and shot 1 of the 2 qualification scores I needed to make the 2018 Canadian Team. I also set a new Canadian Men's 10m Finals record with a score of 235.2!
New Canadian Men's 10m pistol record of 235.2!
This past weekend in Calgary, Alberta at the 2017 Western Canadian Airgun Championships I shot my 2nd qualification score with a 567/600! It's been a long road this year shifting focus back to 10m from the last 2 years of 50m focus I'd been doing. This past month things really came together to secure my spot on the team. Focus!
I've got a new target sports program for youth starting up in November at the Sunshine Coast Rod & Gun club and will post updates once that program kicks off. I'm looking forward to helping a new generation of Olympic style shooters get started!
The 2017 Canadian Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun Nationals are all finished and it was a great experience for me. I was able to secure the gold and take the national title in the men's 10m pistol event and took bronze in the 50m pistol event.
Canada's Top 3 10m men's finalists: Mark Hynes (silver), Allan Harding (gold), Stan Wills (bronze)
Up next are a couple of competitions in Ontario next month and in Manitoba in October! More details to come! Thanks for all the support and follow my journey on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
2016 Canadian 50m Pistol National Champion
Photo: Jaclynne Mary
This year I'm scaling back on my competition schedule to focus on a few select events. I'm also focusing on both 10m _and_ 50m. I was planning to stay focused on the 50m event but with the possible change in shooting events proposed by the ISSF I'm going to focus on both events.
The ISSF is meeting this week in New Delhi, India to go over the proposed changes to the Olympic program across all shooting disciplines. A petition was started by Bruce Quick to save the 50m event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Sadly, this is the very event I've been working towards.
I also want to give a massive thank you to BC Target Sports for some funding to help with my training and travel this year. I very much appreciate it! Thank you!!
So much has been happening since my last blog post. Don't get me started on the blog posting frequency! ;) I really should be better at it.
Rio... eventful World Cup. My pistol arrived with a beat up gun case, broken locks, and a grip that was all loose and out of alignment. Lots of learning happened from this event.
Munich... I shot a new personal best at an international competition shooting a 540/600 in the 50m pistol event. This felt awesome. After spending so much time training this year and having it feel like I was on a plateau and then hitting my goal score in Munich. Awesome.
I'm now near Toronto at the Pan Am Games shooting center venue to compete at the 2016 Canadian National Pistol Championships. After not spending a lot of time in the 10m event and shooting a 556/600 today I am pretty happy. Some more work needed here to get back to the 560-570 range but this year has all been about the 50m pistol event for me. Tomorrow I compete again in the 10m event. More updates to come!
Ok the title is a bit misleading since I've actually been here a few days now. ;) Just getting caught up on things now that I've gotten settled in to Rio and gotten used to where things are, and how the buses to the range are scheduled and where to buy things, food, sim cards, etc.
Welcome to Rio!
Rio is pretty incredible! The Canadian Team is staying at a hotel on Copacabana Beach in Rio and the views are stunning at sunrise until sunset.
Copacabana Beach!
Today, I shot my pre event training at the shooting venue which will be the shooting venue for the 2016 Olympics being held this August here in Rio. Everything felt awesome, the range is great, lighting is great, and there was very little wind. Optimal conditions!
Yesterday I was the guest commentator for the men's 10m pistol Finals which you can watch here:
