Super Finals Breaks the Silence of Competition at 2014 Camp Perry Open

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer/Editor

CAMP PERRY, OH – For those who have never witnessed a Super Final, it can mostly be summed up in one word: FUN. But on top of that, it can also be described as chaotic, loud, surprising and, for the competitors, challenging. 

The Super Finals is arguably the most unique finals system in the world of competitive shooting. There – instead of the quiet intensity usually seen during shooting finals – spectators bang on metal chairs, music blasts from the loud speakers and crowd members pace the line blowing noisemakers and playfully hoot and holler as they do their best to distract the competitors attempting to concentrate on their shots.

The Super Finals at the Camp Perry Open are unlike any other finals in the world. Here, spectators are encouraged to be as loud as possible while music is played over the range speakers, just to add a little more pressure and a little more fun to the competition.

“The Super Finals is what makes the Camp Perry Open different than all of the other competitions. It’s partly why the event has become so popular over the years,” said Brad Donoho, CMP program coordinator.

Donoho served as emcee of the event, commentating through the mic as fellow CMP coordinator Katie Harrington, a.k.a. “DJ K,” spun the beats from her computer to the speakers throughout the range during the Super Final.

DJ K (CMP’s Katie Harrington) served as disc jockey during the Super Finals.

As if the sounds weren’t distracting enough for competitors, some crowd members added visual diversions too. Bright green-colored hair, dinosaur and mallard duck hats and horse heads – yes, horse heads – stuck out of the stands, as surrounding spectators gave a few odd stares, as well as some smiles. One pistol finals competitor even wore a Viking helmet – complete with horns and braided hair.

A dinosaur and a green-haired man showed up to watch the finals.

On the firing line, the top shooters from the pistol and rifle competitions attempted to drown out the sea of noise in the background. Although trying to keep a straight face in the heat of competition, some shooters couldn’t help but look back and crack a grin at the pandemonium behind them.

One side of the range contained the Top 18 men and Top 18 women air rifle shooters, while the other held the Top 18 overall air pistol competitors. All competitors then fired a 10 shot final. After 10 shots were fired, the Top 8 men and Top 8 women competed on the rifle side, while the Top 10 overall competed on the pistol side.  

Even a Viking made his way through the frozen tundra of Ohio to compete in the Camp Perry Open. The mythical pink and white unicorn also made a cameo on the firing line.

From there, shooters fired six, 3 shot series. Shooters were eliminated after each series, based on their scores. Once the competitors were whittled down to the Top 4 of each discipline, the shooters moved to single-shot eliminations.

The nail-biting air rifle final eventually came down to three: Sarah Osborn, 14, of Hampton, VA, Jonathan Hall, 25, of Columbus, GA, and MacKenzie Martin, 16, of Fairhaven, MA.

With a pull of the trigger, the next shot was fired.

Martin: 10.8. Hall: 10.8. Osborn: 10.3.

Osborn took a seat as two shooters remained. The room grew quiet as the competitors loaded their last pellets. A group of taunting juniors stood behind the shooters and spiritedly yelled as loudly as they could to throw off the competitors. But, with the final shot, the taunting hushed, and the spectators lifted their heads to check the scores on the screens above them.

Martin: 10.5. Hall: 10.4. 

A lot of horsing around went on in the crowd during the Super Finals at the Camp Perry Open, held January 17-19 at the CMP North Competition Center.

The crowd cheered for Martin who, along with the glory of being named Super Final Air Rifle Champion, also received a gold Camp Perry Open medal and $200. Hall received the silver medal and $150 for his second place finish. Instead of keeping his prize check, Hall generously donated the money to CMP for future use in its programs. Osborne, earning the bronze, received a $100 check for her third place finish. A check for $100 was also given to fourth place finisher Erin Lorenzen, 25, of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU).

The Super Finals is an event that many shooters have never seen before and aren’t soon to forget.

“It’s so hard to concentrate out there!” said Martin. “I just waited for the music to start before I shot, that way I couldn’t really hear anything else. This is always fun though.”

As fans howled on the air rifle side of the range, Greg Markowski, 40, of the USAMU, Elena Williamson, 18, of Campbellville, ON, and Patrick Franks, 35, also of the USAMU, battled for the top seat in the air pistol competition.

A few clever juniors took metal folded chairs and began to pound them on the concrete floor of the range, creating the sound of a steel army stomping their feet behind the shooters. Ignoring the noise at their backs, the competitors fired

Some crowd members playfully taunted the shooters, yelling their names and attempting to make them laugh – they were very successful in doing so.

.Markowski: 10.1. Franks: 10.1. Williamson: 8.1.

Williamson reluctantly inserted her clear barrel indicator into her pistol and sat down. The two USAMU shooters stood, waiting for the command to fire their final shots. The shooters lifted their rifles, carefully aimed and fired.

Markowski: 8.7. Franks: 10.5.

The men shook hands with smiles on their faces as Franks was announced as the victor. Franks, like Martin, received the gold medal and a check for $200. Markowski was given $150 and a silver medal, followed by Williamson who took home the bronze and a check for $100. Richard Gray, 41, of Fredericksburg, VA, also received $100 for his fourth place finish.

Some juniors decided to make a ruckus by taking metal folding chairs and blasting them against the concrete floor of the range, just behind the firing line where the shooters stood.

Overall, the long weekend of events tested the abilities of all who competed. Though shooters can often get carried away in fiery competition and intense finals, the good-humored Super Finals at the Camp Perry Open is a reminder of the main thing to remember about competitive shooting – it’s all in good fun.

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