Father and daughters' shared hobby - long-range shooting

Father and daughters' shared hobby - long-range shooting

In 2007, the journey began, which today has the goal of the World Championships in Colorado, USA, in 2024. Father Marcus had then met Edvin (a sniper in the armed forces) who introduced long-range shooting. Shooting had been close to Marcus' heart since his military service when he first encountered the defense's PSG 90. The interest in various forms of shooting training and equipment grew over the years together with the help of mentors who could build up his knowledge of the shooting form and its equipment. Training and competing became rewarding aspects of life. Little did he know then that little 2-year-old Ida, 14 years later, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, would become his gun bearer in the shooting sport.

After a few years of precision shooting, a career change and other changes in life, meant that Marcus was less active in his long-range shooting for a while. At this time, he came across IPSC, which he trained, competed in and educated himself in for a few years. The interest in long-range shooting remained the whole time and resumed seriously after a few more years, when training and competition picked up again.

Over the years, Ida had grown up and invested heavily and successfully in swimming already in her early years. Swimming took her around the world, and it was the competitions (read the competition results) that were the motivating factor. The pandemic put an end to training camps, trips and large competition contexts, which contributed to motivation slowly withering away. Ida finally decided to stop swimming at the beginning of 2021, which after a while made life a little boring.

First time on the range

Once there, Ida was instructed in what to do with the very inappropriate rifle made for Tengvall senior, 191 cm tall. Ida, by this time a 156 cm high school student, took the weapon and without further ado fired a bunch of series in class with the others present to the delight of the group. And here her journey began. "- The environment, the company and the adrenaline after I fired the first shot overwhelmed me and made me just want to keep going - I simply wanted to be in this," says Ida.

Ida immediately wanted to see how a competition worked and came along to Östhammar Long Range to watch. After this, she was determined to compete herself.

In the spring and summer of 2021, Ida trained with her father's weapon while waiting for the first rifle of her own, which she purposefully sold her moped to acquire. After some time, her first long-awaited rifle came into her possession. A rebuilt Tikka T3 in caliber 223R. This facilitated training as the weapon was adapted to Ida.
Then it was time for the first own competition - Västerås Steel Challenge in July 2021. After these scarce 2 months of training, Ida placed 27th out of about 60 competitors. Being able to compete again was significant for Ida, and the desire to get better was awakened. "- Not only is the shooting itself fun, but the cohesion and all the people involved in the sport make it all so much fun! Over time, the feeling that nothing else exists when I shoot has also crept in. It's like me, the aim, the shot and the target. Full focus.”

Time for competition

Then it was time for the first own competition - Västerås Steel Challenge in July 2021. After these scarce 2 months of training, Ida placed 27th out of about 60 competitors. Being able to compete again was significant for Ida, and the desire to get better was awakened. "- Not only is the shooting itself fun, but the cohesion and all the people involved in the sport make it all so much fun! Over time, the feeling that nothing else exists when I shoot has also crept in. It's like me, the aim, the shot and the target. Full focus.”

Ida immediately felt that she was one of the gang and in a short time, she made new friends who along the way have helped, supported, educated and trained her in the sport. The friendship and team spirit that transcends generational boundaries became important. Training and competition intensified, and thanks to friends in the shooting world who thought it was fun and rewarding with a junior, who was also a girl, Ida could before the 2022 season train and compete with her own custom-built special weapon for PRS – built on an Impact Precision in caliber 6 mm Norma BR. "- I am especially grateful that our close friends, who are real top shooters, have supported and helped me so incredibly much both with their presence, all the tips but also everything in the way of equipment. If they hadn't believed in me, I think the journey here would have been much more difficult. I hope more juniors and more girls dare to try the sport, they will not be disappointed!”

The aim for the world championships in Colorado

Today, the aim is for father and daughter to qualify for the World Cup in Colorado, USA, in 2024. Admittedly, Ida already qualified for the World Championships in France in 2022. A competition that she, after careful consideration, chose to forego given the limited experience she had had time to build up.

"-If I am going to compete in such a large context as the world championships, I want to feel well prepared, confident with my equipment and well familiar with the context, which I was not in 2022. Now I hope that the competitions in 2023 will give me more experience and make me into a better shooter so that I qualify and feel like I can be competitive in the World Cup.”