Bruce Piatt of Montvale, N.J., won NRA's 2006 National Action Pistol Shooting Championship. |
Bruce Piatt, a police officer from Montvale, N.J., has won NRA's 2006 National Action Pistol Shooting Championship, conducted May 24 to 27 at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club's Chapman Range in Columbia, Mo.
Piatt, who described himself as "tired of playing second fiddle," took the lead away from nine-time (including the past seven consecutive years) champ Doug Koenig in the last of four matches that make up the tournament aggregate, winning the match with a perfect 480-point score and 40 tie-breaking hits called Xs. His four-match tournament aggregate score was 1920-177X, with Koenig finishing second at 1920-174X. This year, as in every year since 1990, winning the 1920-point aggregate of four matches required a perfect score.
Women's competition saw Vera Koo return to the limelight. The intrepid Californian posted an 1897-143X aggregate that overcame nine challengers and won her a seventh (sixth consecutive) championship. In addition, Koo's score notched the Senior Championship in the first year in which she qualified for the category.
Junior honors for 2006 went to a young man who, despite his tender age, is a veteran Bianchi Cup shooter. Jordan Dick of Hutchinson, Kansas, put up an 1880-point aggregate with 147Xs, to best his closest challenger by eight points. Dick also returned to competition in the Bianchi International Speed Event, winning the Junior Championship in that prestigious contest.
In other categories, former Bianchi Cup champion Rob Leatham of Mesa, Ariz. won his third consecutive Metallic Sight championships. In addition, Leatham, whose 1902-145X Metallic Sight win earned him a spot in the Speed Event, placed second at speed-shooting, behind Doug Koenig's win.
Billie Hughes, a retired law-enforcement officer from McComb, Miss., took Senior Speed Event honors and former Army athlete of the Year Julie Goloski, now a civilian living in Smyrna, Ga, won laurels in the Woman's division.
The NRA's Bianchi Cup Action Pistol Tournament, now in its 28th year, represents one of the most exciting tests of skill with a handgun. Action pistol differs from conventional bullseye shooting in a number of ways, several of which make the match appealing to spectators. Firing is done with both hands, within short time limits, and competitors must start with the gun holstered instead of in hand. In the course of the matches, participants fire at turning, cardboard silhouette targets; moving targets; and steel plates that must be knocked down to count as a hit.
Scorebox
2006 NRA Bianchi Cup May 24-27, 2005
Winner – 2006 National Action Pistol Championship
Bruce Piatt 1920-177X
Montvale, N.J.
Second
Doug Koenig 1920-174X
Alburtis, Pa.
Third
Jens Bork 1920-163X
Germany
NRA Metallic sight Championship
Winner
Rob Leatham 1902-145X
Mesa, Ariz.
Second
Robert Vadasz 1900-138X
Riverview, Fla.
Third
Phil Strader 1888-128X
Lorton, Va.
Special Aggregates
Open and Metallic Sight Aggregate Winner
Bruce Piatt 3803-313X
Montvale, N.J.
Open Modified Winner
(To Be Determined)
Category Winners
High-scoring Semi-Auto Pistol Shooter
Bruce Piatt 1920-174X
Montvale, N.J.
High-scoring Revolver Shooter
Tom Whitehead 1910-150X
Australia
High-scoring Woman
Vera Koo 1897-143X
Atherton, Calif.
High-scoring Junior
Jordan Dick 1880-147X
Hutchinson, Kan.
High-scoring Senior
Vera Koo 1897-143X
Atherton, Calif.
High-scoring Lawman
Bruce Piatt 1920-174X
Montvale, N.J.
High-scoring Newcomer
James Broom 1894-127X
Tulsa, Okla.
High-scoring International Shooter
Jens Bork 1920-163X
Germany
High-scoring Service Shooter
Jon Smith 1828-122X
Whispering Pines, N.C.
High Scoring Production
Mark Owensby 1847-115X
Pocahontas, Ill.
Class Winners
High-scoring High Master-class Shooter
Bruce Piatt 1920-177X
Montvale, N.J.
High-scoring Master-class Shooter
Tom Whitehead 1910-150X
Australia
High-scoring Expert-class Shooter
Robert Vadasz 1900-138X
Riverview, Fla.
High-scoring Sharpshooter-class Shooter
Jon Smith 1828-122X
Whispering Pines, N.C.
High-scoring Marksman-class Shooter
John Koppi 1751-90X
Corcoran, Minn.
High-scoring Unclassified Shooter
James Broom 1894-127X
Tulsa, Okla.
Match Winners
Match I – The Practical Event
Bruce Piatt 480-45X
Montvale, N.J.
Match II – The Barricade Event
Benjamin Hoffman 480-48X
Hamilton, Ohio
Match III – The Moving Target Event
Bruce Piatt 480-40X
Montvale, N.J.
Match IV – The Falling Plate Event
Tony Holmes 480-48X
Lafayette, Ind. plus 65 Tie-breaking hits
Team Champions
Open
US Shooting Academy – Gold
Doug Koenig 1920-174X
Michael Voigt 1916-166X
Tony Holmes 1910-157X
5746-497X
International
BDMP Open – Germany
Jens Bork 1920-163X
Wolfgang Nothnagel 1907-148X
Herriebert Bettermann 1893-140X
5720-451X
Industry
U.S. Shooting Academy
Doug Koenig 1920-174X
Michael Voigt 1916-166X
Tony Holmes 1910-157X
5746-497X
Civilian
SSAA Australian Pistol Team
Craig Ginger 1897-160X
Alan Harriman 1889-146X
Tom Whitehead 1910-150X
5696-456X
Special Events
The Bianch International Speed Event
Winner
Doug Koenig Alburtis, Pa.
Second
Rob Leatham Mesa, Ariz.
Third
Michael Voigt Chino, Calif.
Woman Winner
Julie Goloski Smyrna, Ga.
Senior Winner
Billie Hughes McComb, Miss.
Junior Winner
Jordan Dick
Hutchinson, Kan.