By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer/Editor
CAMP PERRY, Ohio – The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) invites bystanders and curious guests to explore the expanding world of air rifle competition, March 28-30, 2019, as hundreds of coaches, competitors and spectators arrive in the Port Clinton area for the 2019 CMP Three-Position Regional Air Rifle Championships, held at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry.
Top scorers of the Regionals event will qualify for the National event, set at Camp Perry in June and July.
The event s designed for school-aged junior athletes from 4-H, Scouts, American Legion, club or JROTC air rifle programs. During the match, athletes use precision air rifles (mirrored from Olympic-style competitions) as well as classically-designed sporter air rifles to fire upon CMP’s electronic targets at three positions: prone, standing and kneeling. Those firing in the Regional Championships are composed of the top scoring teams and individuals who first competed in the CMP Air Rifle Postal Championships in late 2018 and early 2019.
To reward the hard work of dedicated junior athletes and coaches, the CMP administers thousands of dollars in monetary funds towards teams who qualify for the Regional events, with additional funds presented to qualifiers reaching the CMP National Championship. A scholarship check for $1,000 is also available for the Top 3 highest-scoring senior athletes in both the sporter and precision classes at the National competition as a symbol of CMP’s continued support of junior marksmanship for the current generation and into the future.
The air rifle event is free and open to the public for viewing.
Regional events will also be held in Anniston, Ala., and Sandy, Utah, before Nationals are fired back in Ohio in June and July. For more information on the CMP Regionals Competition, visit http://thecmp.org/air/three-position-national-postal-competition/three-position-regional-championships/.
About the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center:
During the event, competitors fire from prone, standing and kneeling positions before participating in a finals match.
The Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center features authentic Olympic and other memorabilia from the career of celebrated American marksman, Gary Anderson. Marksmanship Nights, held year-round at the range for the public, allow visitors of virtually any age and experience levels to try their hands at air rifle or air pistol shooting.
The high-tech Kongsberg Target System (KTS) targets used in CMP’s air gun range at Camp Perry are powered by OpticScore technology, which are scored optically by internal LED lights. Monitors at each firing point instantly display scores, and button functions with an LED lighted screen allow ease of use for individuals of all ages and experience levels. The range was updated to resemble CMP’s reconstructed stationary air gun range in Anniston, Ala., and the Mobile Range, which both include the same target technology.
Large LED screens placed throughout the range space display each competitor’s target, making the match spectator-friendly. CMP staff members are also on hand to answer questions for those wanting to learn more about the safe, fun and growing sport.
For more about the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center, visit http://thecmp.org/air/cmp-competition-centers/.
