Extreme Benchrest, Arizona.

We're just back from the Extreme Benchrest event in Phoenix, Arizona. What an amazing set of competitions.

120 airgunners from around the world turned up for ExB, held at the Rio Solada shooting range just to the NE of the city, in the foothills of the Superstition Mountains.

The Omega compressor was there, filling tanks and bottles in temperatures ranging from 35C to 41C.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Giant air conditioning units helped cool down the main tent, as did 2,000 bottles of water, donated by Basha's, a local supermarket chain. Even the condiments at the burger bar had to be in a bucket of ice! The shooting attracted crowds of spectators, particularly the popular 25 yards Speed Silhouette:

This year for the Extreme Benchrest competition itself, there were 2 qualifying rounds at 75 yards, but the final was held over a massive 100 yards, very demanding given swirling winds coming from behind the shooting line and even the odd "dust devil".

Despite this, the competitors all had a GREAT time, gents and ladies, young and not quite so young!