Shooting Competition
Prince George Selected to Host 2026 IPSC Handgun Nationals
Rod and Gun Club prepares for Canada’s top handgun event after successful provincial championships.
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, British Columbia, is preparing to step onto the national stage in 2026 as host of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Canadian Handgun Nationals. Following a successful run of the IPSC BC Handgun Provincial Championships over the recent Labour Day weekend, the Prince George Rod and Gun Club confirmed that it will welcome between 350 and 450 of the nations best handgun competitors from July 27 to August 1 next year. The announcement builds on momentum from the provincial event, which attracted 133 shooters and showcased both the clubs facilities and its ability to run high-caliber matches. The upcoming nationals will represent the largest handgun shooting event in Canada, featuring competitors who have already proven themselves at provincial and regional contests. Some participants will be among those qualified to compete in the IPSC World Shoot, scheduled for later in September 2025 in South Africa. Handgun competitions under IPSC rules emphasize speed and accuracy. Matches involve engaging both moving and stationary targets, with shooters typically required to fire two shots at each paper target and one at each steel target. Scoring combines accuracy with the time it takes to complete each course, meaning the fastest accurate shooter claims the highest marks. Each round generally requires up to 32 shots, and national placement is determined by cumulative scoring across all stages. Andrew Tomlinson, president of the Prince George Rod and Gun Club, has been active in the sport since 2008. He explained the appeal of dynamic shooting compared to traditional target practice. You go to the range and shoot a target straight ahead of you, one of those typical bullseyes, and you realize its pretty boring after a while, so running around with a gun looked like a lot more fun, he said. His own competitive record is notable: Tomlinson claimed victory in the classic division at the recent provincial event and also won the BC points match title. Earlier this year, he placed fourth at nationals. The provincial competition also highlighted rising stars. Timothy Lam, a 20-year-old competitor from the Lower Mainland, dominated the open division in Prince George after previously winning the national championship in July in Taber, Alberta. Tomlinson credited Lams background in video games that simulate shooting scenarios as part of his development into a top-tier competitor. These are the guys running around ridiculously fast, with the fastest guns in the hardest division. He won the provincials, won the nationals and BC won the national team title as well. Its a different version of that kind of gamer mentality, Tomlinson noted. Open division shooters employ specialized handguns equipped with red-dot optics and compensators that reduce recoil by venting gases upward. These enhancements allow faster reacquisition of targets and higher rates of fire under control. This makes the open division both the most demanding and the most technologically advanced segment of IPSC handgun shooting. The Prince George facility, located on Blackwater Road, has steadily expanded in recent years. Upgrades to its action bays, including the addition of two new bays for the provincial event, helped secure the citys selection as the 2026 host. The club has leased the Crown land site since 2006 and invested significantly in building its reputation as a competitive shooting venue. Looking ahead to nationals, the club is planning a weeklong schedule that will include two days of competition for range officials, followed by four days for registered shooters. A final day is reserved as a contingency for weather delays or for a speed-shoot side event. Organizers expect the nationals to draw families and visitors, filling hotels, restaurants, and campgrounds throughout the region. Tomlinson has already requested support from the city council and is seeking sponsors and hosting grants to ensure the events success. The economic impact of such an event is expected to be substantial. This years nationals in Taber, Alberta, brought in 416 participants and generated an estimated $2 million in local economic activity. A similar figure is anticipated for Prince George, reinforcing the potential for shooting sports to contribute to local economies while showcasing Canadian competitive talent.