Recent Victory Marks Koenigs Fourth Major Title of 2013 Season.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(Ammoland.com)- Smith & Wesson Corp. announced today that professional team member and multi-discipline Champion Doug Koenig recently returned from Philipsburg, Germany, where he was awarded his 5th European Bianchi Cup Title.
Finishing the match with a perfect score of 1920-182x, Koenig has now won the international title in five consecutive tries, marking his fourth major title of this years competition season.
Beginning in May 2013, Koenig recorded his first major title of the season by winning an unprecedented 15th NRA Bianchi Cup National Championship. After sealing the victory with an all-time match record with his Smith & Wesson Performance Center 1911DK pistol, Koenig along with his Smith & Wesson teammates, Jerry Miculek and Michael Plaxco, headed to Austin, Texas, where they captured the Industry Open Title at the Sportsmans Team Challenge. Doug then set his sights on the Masters Shooting Championship. A perennial favorite to once again take the esteemed title, Koenig did not disappoint and finished the match in style by winning his 15th consecutive title, earning him an honored place in Masters history as the most decorated shooter with 20 championship victories. With three titles in hand, Koenig then traveled to Europe in hopes of claiming his fourth major victory of the year at the European Bianchi Cup.
Facing a similar course setup that he encountered at the NRA Bianchi Cup, where competitors square off in four stages of fire Practical, Barricade, Falling Plate and Moving Target Koenig remained focused and once again the Smith & Wesson 1911DK helped secure a perfect score. As the match concluded, Koenig had secured his fourth major title of the season in only four months time.
August has been especially kind to me, remarked Koenig, after returning home from his travels abroad. To be able to claim a 5th European Bianchi Cup title on the heels of my 20th Master Shooting Championship is an extremely humbling experience that I wont soon forget. Every shooter spends countless hours preparing themselves both physically and mentally before the start on the new season, but until you fire that first shot it is impossible to know how the outcome will turn out. Thanks to the support of my family and sponsors, Ive been able to accomplish several goals Ive had set for this season and while Im very proud of these accomplishments, there are still a few more boxes yet to be checked off.
Smith & Wesson is extremely fortunate to have some of the top competitors in the history of professional shooting currently competing under its companys banner, said Mario Pasantes, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Smith & Wesson. During his time with Team Smith & Wesson, Dougs passion and remarkable skill set have made him a valuable team leader as well as a great ambassador for our company and the shooting sports. Anyone who has watched Doug perform quickly understands what a unique talent he truly possesses and that regardless the competition, he always seems to be just one shot away of making history.
Designed in collaboration with the champion shooter, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center 1911DK aided Koenig is securing three major tittles in 2013 along with numerous others throughout his career. Built to his personal specifications, the 1911DK delivers superior accuracy and performance through a variety of specialized features. The five-inch SW1911 pistol chambered in .38 Super features Doug Koenigs Speed Hammer, flat competition speed trigger with over travel stop, oversized magazine well and an external extractor for reliable operation. For more details on this high performance pistol, please visit the Smith & Wesson website at www.smith-wesson.com.