Dr. Johan DaSilva wins IPSC Level 1 competition …Brigadier Mark Phillips, MSM, fired off the first shot

Apr 14, 2015 Sports

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Dr. Johan DaSilva shot his way to the top spot ahead of Ryan McKinnon on Sunday last when the Guyana NRA and the Regional Director, International Practical Shooting Confederation, (IPSC) Guyana, Mr.  Harold Hopkinson held the inaugural IPSC Level 1 match at the GDF, Rifle Ranges off the Linden Soesdyke Highway, Timehri.

Following opening remarks by Hopkinson, the charge to the athletes was delivered by Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips, MSM, who is also President of the Guyana NRA.
Phillips then fired off the first shot at 11:15hrs, achieving 98% on his target using the custom built and unfamiliar firearm of the Match Director, Harold Hopkinson.
The first Stage, Cluster Flak, designed by veteran marksman and holder of multiple National Hand Championships, Harold  “Topgun” Hopkinson, Over-50 winner of the 2014 Suriname Practical Shooters Level 3, Open, in the Senior Production division; consisted of 15 IPSC Targets, and 9 no shoot penalty targets and two poppers. All target arrays were configured to IPSC standards.
Dr. Johan Da Silva, emerged winner of this Stage with a blistering time, of 27.39 seconds, achieving a hit factor of 5.6225, and 160 stage points. Second was a leaner Ryan McKinnon, with a time of 27.64 seconds, hit factor 4.9204 shot 87.51%, and 136 points.
This was due to a penalty McKinnon received for hitting a no shoot target which showed that in IPSC, mistakes are very costly. Chief Range Officer for the competition, Mr. Murtland “Gun Slick Smith”, wrested away the third position from Azaad Hassan by less than 5%.
Smith did the course in 29.66 seconds, with a hit factor of 4.579, 128.5656 Stage points, his 80.35 % came from scoring 134 points. Taking fourth was Azaad Hassan; fifth the Match Stats Officer, Ray Beharry, Sixth-Vidushi Persaud, seventh- Vice Captain Gordon Richards.
The Regional Director, in the senior category Harold Hopkinson, even though he shot 143 points with a time of 35.28 seconds, had a miss and that was very costly, secured the 8th position with Rajiv Latchana and John Ferreira 9th and 10th respectively.
Due to unforeseen challenges, the competitors agreed to shoot DO IT, with a slight variation using the strong Hand only. This stage required 8 scoring hits on four (4) IPSC certified targets placed 25 feet from the first box; the second box was 21 feet away from the targets.
A minimum of two shots from either box was needed with the strong hand only. Shooting first, the Regional Director could only muster 10 points after commencing the shoot with both hands and it was only after the third he realized his mistake but it was too late and could only muster 14th place.
Small Bore, Vice-Captain, Gordon Richards, obliterated the field in 14.36 seconds, accumulating 38 points that gave him a hit factor of 2.6462 to win the Stage. Rajiv Latchanna, took 2nd with 85.03 percent in a time of 15.94 seconds with Vidushi Persaud 3rd.
Claiming 4th was Ryan McKinnon, 5th Azaad Hassan, 6th Randy Sarjoo, 7th Murtland Smith, 8th Dr. Johan DaSilva, 9th Surujbali Persaud and in the last point earning position was Stats Officer, Ray Beharry, who shot the competition and still entered the statistics.
New comer, Tracy Vieira, participating in her first shoot, took 12 position ahead of five seasoned shooters, including the RD with 34 points.
Overall Stage winner was Dr. Johan DaSilva (100%) amassing 181.8825 points shooting his trusty CZ-75. Second, using a Glock to earn 93.28% and 169.6595 points was Ryan McKinnon who was followed by Gordon Richards with 86.54% and 157.4017 points. The Regional Director was 9th due to his snafu.
Meanwhile, the Regional Director of IPSC Guyana will be graduating into the Super Seniors in May 2015. Super Seniors consists of persons over the age of 60 years and is appealing to other senior citizens of Guyana to come out, join and give the youngsters a run for the trophies.
Hopkinson, will be leading a team of Guyana NRA members, who will be departing for Aruba, on Wednesday April 29 next to participate in the Caribbean Cup 2015 to be hosted by the Aruba Practical Shooters Club. Over 75 shooters from 12 countries will be participating in this IPSC sanctioned Level 3 match.
Sponsors of the Level 1 competition held last Sunday were General Marine Company Limited, Queensway and Hakeem Mohammed General Store, licensed firearm dealers. Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc. Guyana’s Première Aviation Security Specialists and firearm Dealer and Dr. Karen Persram, Optometrist.
Hopkinson expressed gratitude to all who contributed towards making the IPSC sanctioned competition possible. Next competition is slated for Sunday June, 28.

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