25 September 2025
Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - South Africa is hosting the International Practical Pistol Shooting Association (IPSC) World Shoot Handgun Championship.
Some 76 countries are represented with 1 766 competitors and 127 match officials who were welcomed at the official opening event on Sunday September 21. Various current and former World Champions are in action until September 27.
Among the competitors is Nicolaus Loupellis who is the only local flavour in the team and the only representative from North West on the team. The Loupellis family are from Klerksdorp. Nikolaos went to KHS and his father, John, is the match director of World Shoot XX.
Loupellis’ inclusion in the team underscores his skill and dedication to practical shooting sports. The NW Shooting Association has fostered talent contributing to South Africa’s reputation in practical shooting. His selection highlights the association’s role in nurturing competitive shooters.
The World Shoot is a pinnacle event in the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) calendar, attracting top shooters globally.
Competing in the Classic Division, Loupellis will join fellow South African shooters like Capt Albert Wessels from SAPS in showcasing their prowess on the international stage.
Wessels, a veteran of the sport, has represented South Africa at four IPSC World Shoot Championships, two World Police and Fire Games, and multiple international competitions. He is also the current SAPS and Inter Forces National Men’s Champion.
Over his career, he has collected an impressive array of titles, including more than 25 South African Championship wins and three African Championship titles. He also holds national records, cementing his status as one of the country’s most accomplished shooters. Wessels will be accompanied by three members participating as individuals, Col Hennie Odendaal, Lt Col Rags Ragunanan and W/O Charles Van Wyk, who himself is also a Protea Sport Shooter.
Notably, Wessels serves as pistol coach for the Special Task Force SWAT team, which competes annually at the UAE SWAT Games in Dubai.
South Africa’s contribution to the championship goes beyond competitors. Several SAPS members have been selected from a pool of international applicants to officiate as range officers and statistics officers during this prestigious event. Due to the high level of competition, only the very best sport officials and range officers are selected to officiate at the championship.
The IPSC World Shoot Championship promises to showcase not only international shooting excellence but also South Africa’s growing footprint in the sport.
South Africans are not only represented in the Protea Team but also abroad.
Klerksdorp Record was told by proud KIerksdorp grandparents, Corrie and Jeanette de Jager, of them cheering on their grandchild, Aldine who is the team manager of New Zealand. She immigrated to NZ in 2020 where she joined her parents.
While managing her team, she has worked in a few visits with “ouma and oupa’’, some ‘braaivleis’ and enough ‘biltong’ and ‘droëwors’ to last her another five years. “The competition is tough and well organised. Everyone is enjoying South Africa and find the people very friendly. They are just shocked about the littering and that no one seems to follow any traffic rules,’’ she said.
Local photographer Mejandra Fourie is totally immersed in capturing the event on her camera and with her team mate, Maryke Swanepoel, they are having the time of their lives despite the long hours of shooting (with cameras) and after hours editing.
“The opportunity to meet new people from different countries, cultures and languages make it all worth it. The last time this Olympics of shooting was held was four years ago in Thailand. Every single person I met and photographed was a privilege to get to know,’’ she said.
