Trekker is very polarizing in its reactions from folks. Most are very excited and enthusiastic about it- which is why we do it. Some, on the other hand, are 180 degrees opposite. Those folks often ask a very interesting question: what are you trying to accomplish? Is this really a shooting contest or is it a foot race? The answer to that is pretty simple: my goal is to expand the format and push the limits of marksmanship athletics. Among other things, Trekker is an attempt to bring the “natural terrain” roots of the sport back to the forefront of our sport. Various logistic and political factors result in the vast majority of our sport taking place in a three sided sandbox. Minnesota is not a vast place like Texas, Arizona, or Montana where MD’s can just prop up a piece of steel on one hill and shoot at it from the other. We have our own special type of terrain, but it requires something different to have a viable “terrain match.” As participants are about to find out, there are plenty of terrain features right under our very noses.
There is no denying that Trekker draws inspiration from biathlon, extreme cross country racing, PRS/Sniper matches, and other extremely physical events. While it is very much a physical stress test, it is still a shooting contest BECAUSE shooting is the only way to score points. At the first Trekker last year, some very physically squared away folks didn’t do so hot…and some less fit folks did pretty well. The difference was who hit targets and who did not.
There is also cry out for more 2-gun opportunities. Shotgun is one of my favorite parts of 3-gun, but for many folks it is not. For other folks, lack of shotgun skills and equipment is what keeps them from coming out on any given Sunday. If 2-gun is going to be a thing, I am looking for something more than just USPSA with rifles. Typically pistol style matches don’t really push the capabilities of rifles and the inverse is generally true of rifle oriented matches. Trekker is an attempt at a new and viable genre of 2-gun competition.
