Hi All,

I have just returned to Holland after 2 and a half weeks in my home land of Israel. Of course, traveling there is always special to me, as that is where my friends and family are. As always it was a wonderful time.

But the trip was not just a visit home. I was there to defend my title as the Israeli Open champion, and to secure me seat on the Israeli Open team for the upcoming European championship. Not something I was too worried about, but still. As we all know well - in this sport - Shit does happen....

I have won the Israeli Open title for the 5 years, and I wanted to make it 6. I didn't take my current 9x19 Open guns with me, as they do not allow reloaded ammo to be used by Israeli shooters in the match. (foreigners are free to use whatever they bring with them). So I chose to use one of my older 9x23 BUL Racegun that I have stored in Israel - the same guns I shot in the 1998 Europeans... That old....
I was able to get some factory 9x23 Winchester ammo for the match, and was all prepared to shoot with this - when I was told that the Israeli IPSC committee decided not to allow 9x23 to be recognized as Major...  A local regulation decided on due to shortage of supply in this caliber. Oh well, more of a challenge for me!

The match was excellent, and particularly well built. All the barricades and props were new for this match, lovingly built by Effi First - and tested and run-in by the local shooting club. Israel still uses solid barricades, not transparent as we now have in most European matches. We had forward falling popper on all stages (no more "I hit it but it didn't fall" problems), poppers picking up targets, or turning targets, plates lifting targets and so on. One of the stages had the shooter stand on a spring supported platform - the best of its kind I have seen. As soon as you moved, and tried to settle to shoot the 6 mini poppers which were visible on both sides of a barricade - you could really see the motion of the springs transmitted through your feet to the sights... Some shooters hated that stage. Great stage construction though.

4 big 30+ assault stages, with bobbers and poppers, close to mid range targets offered a real challenge to shooters at all levels. You could shoot them as fast or as slow as you chose, some really running the course aggressively. Some even surviving it.... My decision to try and shoot all A's (being scored minor) slowed me done a little I guess. But, was good practice.

 In the end, I was able to win the match again, for the 6th year running. Sure shooting, with few mistakes kept me ahead of the competition. The open results were:

1 1393.0076  100.00       Kirsch, Saul ISR
2 1294.6699   92.94        Elkobi, Eli ISR
3 1236.5417   88.77        Menahem, Afik ISR REF
4 1205.4838   86.54         First, Efi ISR REF
5 1147.1249   82.35        Shteiner, Eldar ISR
6 1125.3660   80.79        Menahem, Hemi ISR REF
7 1115.1150   80.05        Dahan, Shalom ISR REF
8 1111.1389   79.77        Gal, Cfir ISR
9 1060.7500   76.15        Shteiner, Yoram ISR
10 1049.2033 75.32         Toibis, Dotan ISR
11 981.2432   70.44        Eren, Koby ISR
12 960.9682   68.99        Gal, Haim ISR S
13 944.5948   67.81         Pollack, Ishai ISR REF
14 898.6365   64.51        Dagan, Yael ISR L
15 896.8847   64.38        Halperin, Shalom ISR S
16 883.8493   63.45        Scheiger, Ullrich GER

Yael Dagan won the Open Ladies title, Eitan Elharar the Modified, Eliran Malki the Standard and Hayim Gal the Senior title. I am proud to say that all these champions, with the exception of Malki are students of mine, past and present. Well done all of you!

The Double-Alpha Israeli Tour group
As I am sure some of you are aware - Double Alpha Academy organized a full week program for shooters who wished to come and attend the Israeli Open. 19 persons in total signed up for the group - from 8 countries. The group consisted of shooters, as well as partners and non-shooters. They enjoyed a lovely hotel on the beach front in Tel-Aviv, 3 days of guided tours in Israel, full transport and match needs, a fun day of shooting in a Kibutz and more (you can read about this program at http://www.doublealpha.biz/israeliopen/)

Of course for me , this was a full time job, but I must say one I enjoyed very much. It was extremely gratifying to hear how satisfied all who attended were. I will be writing a separate report about all this - and making a CDrom available with pictures and movies later this year. Next year, we will do it again.. Put it in your calendar! :) Here are a few pictures though, just to wet your appetites...

As always, I have my sponsors to thank for their support:
Drummen Custom Guns
Berry's Fmg
Competitive Edge Dynamics (CED)
Mpro-7
Arredondo accessories
Rescomp Handgun Technologies
Nobel Sport
Aimpoint
BUL Transmark

That's it for now. I wish you all safe and enjoyable shooting.

Saul Kirsch

The Double-Alpha group at a view point overlooking Jerusalem.

The group posing by the "wailing wall" in the old city of Jerusalem. Our Excellent guide Ronen kneeling in the center.

The shooters preparing for the match at the dead-sea. They say one dip in that sea will make you 20 years younger. That may explain some of the immature shooting we saw later on...LOL

The saltiest sea in the world, at the lowest point on earth. A very unique experience.

Another special place - the fortress mountain of Messada.