Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus at the end of 2019, more than 2,475,000 people have contracted the Covid-19 disease, resulting in over 166,100 deaths according to the World Health Organization. As the coronavirus continues to spread, public gatherings have been banned in many places around the U.S. which has affected many competitive shooting events.
Shooting Sports USA has compiled an ongoing list of major competitive shooting events that have been postponed or canceled due to the outbreak. Be sure to subscribe to the free weekly Insider newsletter for the latest match information and news. (Last updated April 22.)
Cancellations announced in April
April 22 - CMP announces the cancellation of summer rifle and pistol championships at Camp Perry.
April 20 - The ATA provided an update, including the status of the 2020 Grand American. See an excerpt from the announcement below.
"We have asked IDNR to inform us no later than June 15 if we will be able to start working on site on July 20 and be allowed to host the Grand on the scheduled dates. An announcement to the membership will follow shortly after."
April 6 - USA Shooting provided an update on the National and Junior Olympic Championships originally scheduled to take place in June. Below is an excerpt.
"[The] Shotgun Skeet National Championships, scheduled for June 4-10, 2020 in Colorado Springs, CO; Shotgun Skeet and Trap Junior Olympic National Championships scheduled for June 11-20, 2020 in Colorado Springs, CO; and Rifle Pistol National Championships scheduled for June 19-26, 2020 at Ft. Benning, GA, are all postponed to a later date TBD. With this information, we will now begin the process of rescheduling the above mentioned events, potentially in the Fall of 2020."
April 1 - CMP announces cancellation of all activities until May 4. Below is an excerpt from the announcement.
"The Civilian Marksmanship Program has announced the cancellation of ALL activities at its Alabama and Ohio armories, offices, stores, worksites, marksmanship centers and the alladega Marksmanship Park until Monday, May 4, 2020, due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic.
These cancellations reflect protocol set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state governors."
Cancellations announced in March
March 30 - NRA released the below statement regarding the suspension of all sanctioned matches until the end of April.
"Due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the NRA is unfortunately suspending all sanctioned matches through April 30, 2020. Any requests for sanctioning of new matches beyond April 30 are also suspended until further notice. As a result of this suspension, the NRA will no longer accept match fees or scores. The NRA will continue to monitor the situation and make additional statements as the Covid-19 pandemic unfolds. Please contact the NRA Competitive Shooting Division at [email protected], follow the NRA Competitive Shooting Facebook page or monitor the Competitive Shooting Division website at competitions.nra.org."
Event officials announce that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been rescheduled for one year later with the 2020 Games opening ceremony now slated for Jul. 23, 2021. Below is an excerpt from the official statement.
"These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organization of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The new dates, exactly one year after those originally planned for 2020 (Olympic Games: 24 July to 9 August 2020 and Paralympic Games: 25 August to 6 September 2020), also have the added benefit that any disruption that the postponement will cause to the international sports calendar can be kept to a minimum, in the interests of the athletes and the IFs. Additionally, they will provide sufficient time to finish the qualification process. The same heat mitigation measures as planned for 2020 will be implemented."
March 24 - The IOC and Tokyo Organizing Committee announced the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games to 2021.
International Olympic Committee and Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee Joint Statement
"President Bach and Prime Minister Abe expressed their shared concern about the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, and what it is doing to people’s lives and the significant impact it is having on global athletes’ preparations for the Games.
In a very friendly and constructive meeting, the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against Covid-19.
The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the Covid-19 pandemic is "accelerating." There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour.
In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.
The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020."
USA Shooting released a statement on the decision to postpone the 2020 Games.
March 23 - Metal Madness founder Ed White cancels all matches at Grand Rivers Shooting Range in Kentucky and issued this statement.
"Grand Rivers Shooting Range will be closed until further notice. I am sorry but we have been ordered to by the Governor of Kentucky."
March 21 - The Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) issued a statement regarding the closing of its headquarters until next month.
"To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has issued an immediate executive "Stay-At-Home" order for the entire state of Illinois starting Saturday evening, March 21st, at 5pm. Currently, the date this order is expected to end on April 7. This means all non-essential businesses must stop operating in office.
The ATA office will be closed during this time. Many of our employees will be working from home. Email will be the best way to contact us. Please visit the Contact page on the ATA site to view contact information. We will do our best to get back to you as soon as we can.
We will still be updating our website and social media. Please make sure to check our website for a list of shoots that have been cancelled due to health concerns, which will be updated daily."
March 20 - The CMP issued this statement regarding Covid-19:
"Many are facing difficult times in regard to the recent coronavirus outbreak and the CMP community is among them. We are grappling with the status of many of our current and upcoming programs, and unfortunately several events will be canceled or altered as a result.
The CDC has proclaimed that all events with attendance of 50 or more should be canceled immediately. The CMP has complied with this directive and we are notifying customers and participants accordingly.
The CMP is shutting down all of its facilities and activities for the next two weeks, beginning Monday, March 23, with plans to return Monday, April 6. During that time, the CMP will monitor conditions and will report changes to that plan as required.
We encourage all CMP match sponsors to cancel their matches until some degree of normalcy returns. It is in the best interest of the CMP community to take positive precautions rather than deal with potentially damaging consequences otherwise.
The CMP thanks you for your understanding during these trying conditions. We look forward to greater times ahead and getting back to the business of firearms safety and marksmanship."
March 18 - The NRA announced the cancellation of the 2020 Junior Air Gun Championship scheduled for May 1 and issued the below statement.
"Due to the current state of affairs surrounding Covid-19, the National Rifle Association has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 NRA Junior Air Gun Championship in Bloomington, IL. The decision was made with to ensure the safety of our student-athletes and coaches, and to maintain a fair and equitable competition for all those that participating.
The NRA shares the disappointment of the competitive shooting community and wishes everyone good health in the coming weeks and months."
The Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, issued this statement about training facility closures.
"Beginning Wednesday March 18, all training venues (pool, velodrome, gymnasiums, strength and conditioning) will be closed. This closure will remain in effect for 30 days per the Governor’s orders. This is a fluid situation that the State will continue to monitor and the duration could be extended."
March 17 - USPSA emailed the following statement to membership:
"USPSA recognizes the fluidity of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on hosting events in a public space. Many USPSA members and affiliates have reached out to USPSA with a variety of questions related to upcoming matches at all levels. In response to concerns raised by a number of our members, as well as consultation with multiple experts on the situation, out of abundance of caution USPSA has decided to reschedule some of the 2020 National Championship matches.
The upcoming USPSA Multi-Gun National Championship hosted by Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, FL, has been rescheduled for June 13-14, 2020, with staff competing on June 11-12, 2020.
The upcoming USPSA PCC National Championship hosted by Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, FL, has been rescheduled for June 20-21, 2020, with staff competing on June 18-19, 2020.
The upcoming USPSA Single Stack National Championship hosted at the Talladega Marksmanship Park, in Talladega, AL, has been rescheduled for September 3-5, 2020, with staff competing on September 2, 2020.
The upcoming USPSA Revolver and Limited 10 National Championship hosted at the Talladega Marksmanship Park, in Talladega, AL, has been rescheduled for September 6, 2020.
The upcoming Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championship hosted at the Talladega Marksmanship Park, in Talladega, AL, has been and rescheduled for September 24-27, 2020, with staff competing on September 23, 2020.
We have been advised that behavioral risk mitigation strategies are the best option for slowing the spread of this disease, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have published recommendations and guidelines for mass gatherings which can be found here.
99.92 percent of all USPSA and Steel Challenge matches are operated by affiliated clubs, including non-profit and for-profit businesses, and individuals. USPSA and Steel Challenge affiliates, members, and match directors are encouraged to use the information available from CDC, the federal government, state governments, and local governments, coupled with their own risk tolerance levels and good judgement to guide them in what is best for matches at all levels. USPSA realizes that some matches will decide to cancel, while others may not. Here are some helpful hints from the CDC for hand hygiene and social distancing. If your plans do not coincide with rescheduled match dates, please be considerate and understanding as match directors make adjustments to the details surrounding their events and event policies."
March 16 - Rick Weber announced the NMLRA Creedmoor 150 has been cancelled. Events at the NMLRA center in Friendship, IN, are likely to be canceled or postponed through the month of April.
USA Shooting said it is in the process of rescheduling the second portion of the Smallbore Olympic Trials, possibly for May. Location is TBD. In addition, USA Shooting will be operating with skeleton crew until April 3.
CMP announced additional cancellations for maintenance classes in Anniston, AL, and rifle matches at Camp Perry. The CMP Camp Perry store grand opening has been postponed indefinitely. Outdoor activities remain open at the Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama.
The Amateur Trapshooting Association released a PDF with a list of cancellations across the country for the remainder of March and April. See the list below.
SIG Sauer cancels the 2020 SIG Relentless Warrior Championship, issuing this statement.
"At SIG Sauer, and the SIG Sauer Academy, safety is our top priority. Due to the continued progression of Covid-19, and consistent with the cancellation of other collegiate sports events, we have cancelled the 2020 SIG Relentless Warrior Championship on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at the SIG Sauer Academy. The SIG Relentless Warrior Championship will resume in 2021."
March 15 - CMP cancelled multiple Games events including the CMP Western Games Aggregate Rifle Match at Ben Avery for March 18, as well as closing both of the Marksmanship Centers located at Camp Perry, OH, and Anniston, AL. The group also canceled all monthly air gun matches, Eastern Games and High Power Rifle matches.
March 13 - USA Shooting announced the second part of the Smallbore Olympic Trials scheduled to begin March 29 at Ft. Benning, GA, have been canceled per the base's Commanding General.
The National Rifle Association announced the cancellation of the 2020 Intercollegiate Championships and issued the following statement.
"Due to the current state of affairs, the National Rifle Association has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 NRA Intercollegiate Pistol Championships and the 2020 NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championships. The decision was made with two key points at the helm—to ensure the safety of our student-athletes and coaches, and to maintain a fair and equitable competition for all those that qualified.
The NRA shares the disappointment of the collegiate community and wishes everyone good health in the coming weeks and months. Planning is underway for the 2021 Collegiate Championships. Please check the Collegiate Department website for more information: competitions.nra.org/competitions/nra-national-matches/collegiate-championships."
March 12 - The Rifle-Pistol National Junior Olympic Championships originally scheduled to begin April 6 have been postponed by USA Shooting.
NRA canceled the 2020 Annual Meetings and Exhibits scheduled for April in Nashville, TN.
NCAA canceled the 2020 Rifle Championships, with this statement.
"With the announcement today that the NCAA has cancelled all remaining winter and spring championships based on the COVID-19 public health threat, the NCAA Rifle Championships that were scheduled for this weekend inside Memorial Coliseum have been canceled."
CMP states the National JROTC Championship and CMP 3-P Regional Air Gun Championship will continue as a postal matches with finals.
March 11 - NCAA announced limited attendance to 2020 Rifle Championships, releasing this statement.
"For rifle championships at Memorial Coliseum on Friday and Saturday, each member of participating team travel parties will be allowed up to six guests on the pass list. Those who already purchased tickets but are not on a pass list will not be able to enter the venue. Tickets for the NCAA Rifle Championship purchased directly through the UK Ticket Office or Ticketmaster will automatically be refunded in the form of the original payment. Refunds will be issued to the original purchaser of record. For questions, please contact the UK Ticket Office at (800) 928-2287 (option 4)."
March 9 - NRA cancels travel for the 2020 Collegiate Championships and changes the match format to a postal.
USA Shooting releases a memorandum and position statement on Covid-19 and the World Cup in New Delhi, India.
Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation does not currently plan to cancel any events. The group issued the below statement via email on March 17.
"As concerns of the COVID-19 virus evolves, our commitment to our members includes keeping communication clear, transparent, and current. The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is actively monitoring recommendations at the national level and keeping regular communications with our coordinators and coaches at the state level. At this point in time, we do not anticipate canceling any regional or national matches in the SCTP and SASP programs.
In order to further accommodate our members in areas where conducting practices are currently difficult due to state mandates regarding COVID-19, we will be waiving the rule in each program that states team members must attend a minimum of six team practice sessions to be eligible to shoot in State, Regional, or National Championship events representing that team.
Please refer to your program state advisor for information regarding events held in your local state to be held in the immediate future as we adjust to these uncertain times. As a reminder, our shooting sports are inherently low risk for transmission. Our matches and shoots are always held at outdoor ranges and athlete participation in limited numbers per squad for sake of match flow also lends to avoiding congregation of large amounts of individuals. We recommend referring to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention regarding COVID-19.
As a youth shooting sports organization, the SSSF and its SASP and SCTP programs continually put safety at the forefront of participation and continue to do so in light of current events."
Did we miss one? Please email us at [email protected].
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