Team Smith & Wesson Crowns Three National Champions at IDPA Nationals
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 10, 2013) --- Smith & Wesson Corp. announced today that Team Smith & Wesson members accounted for three national championships at the recent 2013 International Defensive Pistol (IDPA) Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Teammates Jerry Miculek, Josh Lentz and Randi Rogers each dominated their respective divisions, outpacing the nearest competitors by a combined 197 seconds. Claiming titles in the Enhanced Service Revolver (ESR), Stock Service Revolver (SSR) and High Lady divisions, Team Smith & Wesson members look to continue the momentum at the upcoming BUG Nationals taking place at the Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center this November.
Competing in the ESR Division, it has become a common sight to see Champion Jerry Miculek outpacing competitors with his trusted Smith & Wesson Model 625 revolver. This year, Miculek once again turned in another stellar performance by winning 12 of the 17 stages of fire. With a final time of 294.66 seconds, Miculek added another IDPA Championship to his lengthy list of accolades. After the match concluded, Miculek went on to compete in the FNH USA 3-Gun Championship, where he exchanged his revolver for an M&P pistol and an M&P rifle to compete in the Open Division. Once again, Miculek ran away with the match, winning by more than 10-percentage points en route to the division title.
A last minute entry into this year’s IDPA Nationals, fellow team member Josh Lentz helped Smith & Wesson deliver a one-two punch in the revolver divisions by winning the SSR National Championship. Lentz, who is ranked as a Distinguished Master in the SSR Division, used a Smith & Wesson Model 686 to win 5 of the 17 stages of fire. A multiple SSR Division champion, Lentz will no doubt be a favorite in the upcoming BUG Nationals hosted by Smith & Wesson.
The third national champion title was awarded to the newest member of Team Smith & Wesson, Randi Rogers. Rogers, who finished fourth in the Stock Service Pistol (SSP) Division and 11th overall, secured the High Lady title with a final time of 262.59 seconds. With her first National Championship secured under the Team Smith & Wesson banner, it will likely only be a matter of months before she helps elevate the team standing with another championship performance.
In other division wins, Brandon Wright took home the Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP) title using an M&P Pro pistol. While not a member of Team Smith & Wesson, Brandon’s win accounted for three division championship titles using Smith & Wesson firearms.
“On behalf of Smith & Wesson, I would like to congratulate each of our sponsored shooters on another terrific match,” said Paul Pluff, Director of Marketing Communications for Smith & Wesson. “Winning three national championships in such a prestigious event is a tremendous accomplishment. The performances by Jerry, Josh and Randi are a direct result of their constant pursuit of perfection. We are extremely proud of their accomplishments as well as that of Brandon Wright who used a Smith & Wesson M&P pistol to earn his national championship. We remain dedicated to supplying all of our team members as well as other competitors with the high quality, competition-ready firearms that help create champions.”
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based leader in firearm manufacturing and design, delivering a broad portfolio of quality firearms, related products and training to the consumer, law enforcement, and military markets. The company's brands include Smith & Wesson®, M&P® and Thompson/Center Arms™. Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts and Maine. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com.
