The RCMP M-Division reclaimed the coveted Team Trophy from the Alaska State Troopers last weekend during the 50th annual pistol competition held between the two organizations.

Officially titled the International Law Enforcement Firearms Competition, known as

The Shoot, is the longest running competition of its kind in the world, and is alternatively hosted by each organization; last year the event was held in Kenai, Alaska.

The RCMP broke its two-year slump by beating the State Troopers by more than 300 points out of a possible total of 6,000, after putting their shooting skills up against the Troopers in a series of firing events.

The challenges included firing from each side (strong-hand, support-hand), standing, kneeling and some barricade shooting. Distances ranged from two to 50 metres.

Team members also swapped firearms to shoot the opposing teams' target. The State Troopers have changed sidearms five times over the history of the competition, while the RCMP completed a sidarm replacement program in 1996, which saw a change from the .38-caliber revolver to a 9-mm pistol.

Competitors also participated in a timed tactical shoot through a series of stages. Points were tallied based on time and marksmanship.

Alaska State Troopers commissioner Joseph Masters, from their headquarters in Anchorage, defended the Commissioners Cup Trophy by edging out chief superintendent Peter Clark, M-Division's commanding officer.

Beth Ipsen, spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers, said the competition began after the Troopers pursued a suspect across the boarder near Hyder, Alaska. Due to gun laws at the time, Troopers were unable to bring their guns across the boarders, so the Mounties offered their guns.

"It's kind of like a little reunion, because some of these guys have been competing against each other for quite a few years,” Ipsen said.

"It's a competition, it's bragging rights, you talk a lot about it,” she laughed, "but basically it's to establish a relationship between the two agencies.”

Joining the other two trophies was the SO-SO Trophy, which was won by the RCMP team members' significant others, who won the, well, Significant-Others Shoot Off competition, thereby defending their 2009 win.