2010 International Sniper Competition
October 19, 2010
Fort Benning, GA
By: Sal Palma
Now in its 10th iteration, the International
Sniper Competition, held at Fort Benning,
Georgia, continues to draw the best sniper
teams from around the world. This year was no
different, with 32 teams participating; including
teams from Canada, Germany, Ireland, Spain
and Taiwan. The law enforcement community
and the Department of Homeland Security also
fielded sniper teams.
What is unquestionably the toughest sniper
competition, in the world, evolves year over
year. The event, sponsored by the Army Sniper
School, at Fort Benning, is always relevant to
real-world conditions; this year is no different,
but with a twist. What used to be a five-day
competition that allowed participating sniper
team 8 hours of sleep, was compressed into 3
days with less than four hours of rest over that
window.
Speaking with Master Sgt. Snyder, NCOIC,
Sniper School staff and instructors begin
planning the event in the first quarter of the
new year. According to Master Sgt. Snyder, the
focus is not simply testing marksmanship but
creating situations that test every aspect of the
sniper; under physical and psychological
conditions they are likely to encounter in the
field. All of the participants leave Fort Benning
with much more than just a ranking, they leave
with a broader perspective of where their skill
sets are, and what skills they should develop.
For this year’s competition, I was fortunate
enough to receive permission to participate in
the events with the teams. When they walked, I
walked, and when they ran, I ran. I had the
opportunity to see and feel their excitement,
their frustrations and their determination.
Day one, October 11, the only day in the
competition that I can describe as leisurely was
zero confirm day. During zero confirm, the
sniper teams have an opportunity to re-check
their weapon’s zero from two firing positions.
The furthest point is the 500-yard line.
Teams were required to use their own weapons
and ammunition so snipers fired Lapua, Ruag,
Federal and M118LR. The Taiwanese team, for
example, fired M24 and M4 clones. The German
team encountered problems getting their own
weapon systems into the country and shot the
match with borrowed weapons provided by the
Sniper School.
I could not readily take inventory of all the
sniper platforms used, but I did see a large
number of M24s, M110 SASS, Accuracy
International, M16s and M4s. I saw one G36,
used by Spain’s team.
Although I described this event as leisurely,
earlier, do not interpret that to mean a day at
the range with the boys. These shooters have
20 rounds to confirm zero, and make any
necessary adjustments.
The weather was beautiful when I arrived at
Maertens Range, just prior to 13:00; this gave
me the opportunity to check on environmental
conditions.
For zero confirm, we had a temperature of
86⁰F, winds shifting from 10 o’clock to 12
o’clock and gusting to about 10.6 miles per
hour, for an average wind of approximately 3.2
miles per hour.
Spanish team prepares for zero confirm.
Oct 12, 00:01- kicked off the competition with a
night cold bore.
A precision rifle, like the ones issued to snipers,
exhibit a different point of impact when shot
with a cold barrel than when shot through a hot
barrel. Therefore, the sniper must know where
the cold bore point of impact is so he can
correct for it, not an easy task when you take
wind and other environmental conditions into
consideration. However, when you throw in the
darkness of night you now have a much more
difficult scenario.
Spotter receives instructions.
Concurrent with the Night Cold Bore event was
the Night Range Estimation, held at the
Galloway Range.
For this event, the teams are required to use
their night optics to determine the range to
predetermined targets. Range estimation is not
a precise science and teams need to decide
whether vertical or horizontal dimension will
provide the best range estimate. All of which is
influenced by the relative position of the target
to the sniper; doing it in the dark with night
vision optics makes things considerably more
difficult.
At 02:45, we are the move again; this time the
event is the Night Pistol Shoot at the Krilling
Range.
Upon my arrival, I asked the Instructor in
Charge (I2C) to let me walk the course. When
the firing line was clear, I was allowed to move
down range.
In this event, the Sniper School simulated an
assault on a structure. As the shooter
approaches the structure, he encounters 4
targets, two to the left of the entrance and two
to the right. The sniper engages the four targets
with two rounds each. He then enters the
structure and engages a fifth target. After
engaging the 5th target, he reloads his pistol,
while moving through a narrow corridor, and
engages the last targets at the rear of the
structure. The sniper is timed and must hit each
target with two rounds.
 Sniper engages targets with his M9. Teams begin to assemble.

It is now 0700 and we are off to the Maertens
Range for the Day Moving Targets. In this event,
the sniper teams were required to engage
moving targets from several firing positions.
Teams had to hustle to get from one position to
the next.
The Stress Shoot had a number of components,
worth discussing. To begin, both members of
the sniper team had to wear a 17-pound plate
carrier.

Sniper team moves to the final firing position.

We wrapped up 12 October with a Day

Unknown Distance event, a Loop Hole Shoot
and Night Moving Targets.

We are now into 13 Oct with no relief in sight as

the teams start a 5-mile foot movement ending
with a Night Target Detection at Selby Mount. Spanish team puts on body armor.

It is 0700, 13 Oct, and we are back at Maertens Once suited up and with weapons in hand (that
Range for the Stress Shoot. is an additional 16 to 18 pounds) the team
moves to the starting line.
Spain’s Sniper Gomez (La Herramienta) points to the first firing
position at the 800-yard line.
From here, they run a distance of approximately
200 yards, go prone and engage their target; in
less than 60 seconds. As testimony of how good
these teams are, most of the participants were
in position and squeezed off the first shot in 50
to 54 seconds. However, it does not here.
Next, the teams run to the second firing
position.
The second firing position offers additional
challenges. Here the team will be required to
fire from a kneeling position with the weapons
supported by a tripod and sand sock. They will
also rescue wounded soldiers and subsequently
pull them to safety. This phase too is timed.
The sled used to simulate a wounded soldier is 175 pounds.
With wounded personnel in tow, the sniper teams move
through two additional firing positions. The last position
requires the sniper to engage the target from an
unsupported firing position.
The sniper and his spotter fire from the last position.
The last phase of the Stress Shoot is the KIM’s
test. KIM stands for Keep IT in Mind. Simply
stated, scattered along the path traveled by the
sniper team as they moved from firing position
to firing position, there are several items of
different shapes, sizes and color. Once the team
completes the shooting phases of the Stress
Shoot, they wrap up the event with a written
test. The test requires the sniper team to
identify the items along the path and their
color.
 With the Stress Shoot behinds us, we rounded
out the day with Know Your Limits and the .50
Caliber UKD.

Fifty-caliber tactical rifles are demonized in the

United States, and a number of states have
attempted to ban its use for sporting purposes.
In spite of those attempts, it enjoys a large
following among long-range shooters; it is also,
the preferred anti-materiel weapon of the U.S.
Army and other branches of the U.S. Armed
Forces and law enforcement.

The .50 Caliber’s prowess was again

demonstrated at the Coolidge Range, where
sniper teams engaged M103 artillery pieces and
tanks, at ranges of 1200 meters and beyond.

Sniper team takes KIM's Test.

Of all the events, the Stress Shoot, .50 Caliber

Unknown Distance and Loop Hole were the
most heavily attended. Barret M107 .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle.

After the .50 Caliber Shoot, the competition

wrapped up with the Night Unknown Distance,
Stalk, and One Shot events.

Chilling after the stalk.

Making a long story short, the last 72 hours have been an absolute slam for me!

Thirty-two teams of the best snipers in the world have slugged their way through 14 events in a 72-hour
period with less than four hours of sleep, but only one took home the honor of being the best sniper
team in the world.
This year, the winning team comes from USASOC. Sgt. 1st Class Hoymeyer and Sgt. 1st Class Giannelli
took the top spot scoring 1,258 points out of a possible 1,507. Both Sgt. 1st Class Hoymeyer and Giannelli
are with the Special Forces Sniper School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. We extend our congratulations
to you as well as all of the teams that participated in this competition.

-SP

Photo Gallery

Larry Chao and Liz from Horus chat with the USMC Snipers get One Shot in the final event.

Snipers assemble for the One Shoot event. Taiwan's Team

 San Diego PD SWAT shoot Blaser and JP AR

USMC at work.

Spanish Team takes their shot. On the move.

Canadian Team at work.

Competing with borrowed weapons German snipers take one

shot.