XVII Games of the Small States of Europe kick-off in San Marino

ISSF Vice President Lisin represents shooting sport at the opening ceremony

Shooting sport is among the 13 disciplines contested at the 17-th Games of the Small States of Europe that were officially inaugurated on May 29 in San Marino (SMR). A total of 143 competitions will be held there, from May 29 to June 3.

Athletes from Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and the host-country San-Marino will compete for the medals in 10m Air Pistol and 10m Air Rifle (Men and Women) as well as in Trap, Skeet and Double Trap.

The ceremonies started with the audience by the Captain Regents of San Marino in the “Palazzo Publico” and then continued with the Opening Ceremony of the Games attended by an impressive number of the sports leaders from many countries and federations.

ISSF Vice-President and President of the European Shooting Confederation Mr. Vladimir Lisin attended the ceremony in behalf of the International Shooting Sport Federation.

Shooting sport competitions started yesterday (May 30) and will continue until June 3.

Find the complete schedule and the results of the event here: https://www.sanmarino2017.sm/en/results/
***

(Photo, left to right: Giuseppe Mario Muscioni President Federazione Sammarinese Tiro a Segno; Gian Nicola Berti President Federzione Sammarines Tiro a Volo; Vladimir Lisin ISSF Vice-President and ESC President ; Ernfried Obrist President Unione Italiana Tiro a Segno)

ISSF

ISSF calls Extraordinary General Assembly to discuss innovative Olympic Programme proposal

The EGA will take place on 25 June 2017 at the Hilton Park Hotel in Munich, Germany, starting from 13.00.

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) has called an Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) on 25 June 2017 to further explain and discuss the ISSF’s proposed, innovative amendments to its Olympic Programme that will greatly enhance the future of the sport. The EGA will take place at the Hilton Park Hotel in Munich, Germany, starting from 13.00.

As part of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC called on all International Federations to evaluate their Olympic Programmes with a particular focus on gender equality and mixed-gender events. The ISSF has proposed replacing three male-only events (50m Rifle Prone, 50m Pistol and Double Trap) with three mixed-gender team events (10m Air Rifle, 10m Air Pistol and Trap) to achieve gender equality and improve relevance to modern audiences. The IOC’s Rio 2016 report had shown that 50m Rifle Prone, 50m Pistol and Double Trap Men were among the least popular Shooting Sport events at the Games for viewers. The IOC retains ultimate control over the sports program for the Olympic Games and will decide whether to implement the proposed changes; however, the ISSF strongly believes that these changes will provide new excitement and represent what is best for the long-term future of the sport.

The proposed changes were the outcome of an extensive and collaborative two-year study carried out by a specially commissioned Ad Hoc Committee. The Committee received input from all ISSF Sections Committees and studied data from Rio 2016. The Committee published their initial findings on the ISSF website in November 2016 for further input from all stakeholders before presenting its final, consolidated recommendations which were unanimously approved by the ISSF Executive Committee and Administrative Council in February 2017.

The ISSF has since received more than 25 confirmed requests from its Member Federations to host an EGA and in full compliance with the ISSF Constitution and the universal principles of good governance, the ISSF consequently called an EGA. The ISSF is fully prepared to further discuss the merits of its suggested changes to the Olympic Programme for the Shooting Sport in an open and transparent forum. It was requested by the Member Federations that the EGA take place before 8 July and so, based on the ISSF Constitution rules that an EGA must be called with at least two months’ notice and in order to secure a venue big enough and provide all the logistical services related to hosting the meeting, 25 June was agreed upon.

ISSF President Olegario Vázquez Raña said:

“At the ISSF we are 100% committed to operating under the principles of good governance and transparency and so were very willing to call an Extraordinary General Assembly once we had received a sufficient number of requests. It is very important that every Member Federation has a voice in our future and we are always ready to listen.

“We strongly believe that our proposal to the IOC represents what is best for our global sport. Even as one of the most historic Olympic sports, we have to constantly look to improve. We engaged in an extensive two-year study, during which all ISSF stakeholders had the opportunity to contribute, and concluded that replacing three male-only events with three mixed-gender team events would make our sport more appealing to a wider audience. We have already received a great deal of support from our athletes and coaches for the proposed changes. Change is never easy, but as we communicate the benefits more widely at the EGA, and increase awareness and understanding, we are confident that this support will grow even further.” 

ISSF Press Office

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source - ISSF Website

Two-time Rio 2016 medalist Anna Korakaki claims her first ISSF World Cup Gold medal

Final 10m Air Pistol Women

ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol · Munich, GER

The Greek 21-year-old finally climbed atop the ISSF World Cup podium, after having collected Gold medals at the Olympic Games and in many other ISSF competitions. Ukraine’s Olena Kostevych finished in 2nd position, while China’s Lin Yuemei claimed the Bronze.

It took probably more than anyone would expect, but in the end Greece’s Anna Korakaki won her first career World Cup Gold in Munich (GER).

The 21-year-old born in Drama, who closed an outstanding 2016 with two Olympic medals around her neck, as well as an ISSF World Cup Final title and two Junior World Cup medals, had not climbed to the highest step of the ISSF World Cup podium until today.

At the Olympia Schießanlage in Munich, however, Korakaki finally broke the spell, battling with Lin Yuemei of the People’s Republic of China all along the first half of the match, eventually sailing away for good with a consistent performance in the second part of the final.

“It’s been an amazing competition for me here in Munich,” said Korakaki, who already won Bronze in the 25m Pistol Women three days ago. “It is the only World Cup stage I will compete in this season and I’m very happy with my results!”

“I only had Silvers and Bronzes so far, so this is my first Gold in a World Cup… I definitely hope it won’t be the last!” concluded Korakaki, who claimed the Gold with the final score of 241.2 points.

After falling behind her Greek rival, Lin also slipped down to 3rd position, as she missed the 10th ring with all her last six shots and allowed Ukraine’s Olena Kostevych (32) to claim the Silver medal with 238.3 points. The Chinese 23-year-old scored 217.5 points and secured her second consecutive medal after winning Gold at the first World Cup stage of the season in New Delhi (IND).

Spain’s 38-year-old Sonia Franquet finished just outside of the medal positions with 198.5 points, as she lost a tie-breaking shoot-off against Kostevych by hitting a very disappointing 7.3 that gave her the 4th place.

Franquet was followed by Russian Federation’s Vitalina Batsarashkina (20), who concluded in 5th place with 177.8, and by the second Chinese participant, 38-year-old Hu Jun. Hu finished 6th with 157.0 points and qualified for the final phase of the women’s 10m Air Pistol event eight years after her last one.

France’s Celine Goberville (30) and Switzerland’s Heidi Diethelm Gerber (48) both struggled to find the right focus in the final, and concluded the match in the bottom two positions: Goberville placed 7th with 135.4 points, while Diethelm Gerber finished in 8th place with 114.4.

The 2017 ISSF World Cup Series will continue in Gabala (AZE), where the fifth and final stage of the season is scheduled to take place from the 6th to the 14th of June.

News and updates about the competition will be available on issf-sports.org and on the many social media platforms of the Federation: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.

1

2

3

RESULTS - 10m Air Pistol Women

1. KORAKAKI Anna

2. KOSTEVYCH Olena

3. LIN Yuemei

23.05.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source - ISSF Website

France’s Raynaud rules the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions final, pockets his first career Gold

Final 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men

ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol · Munich, GER

The Rio 2016 Bronze medalist prevailed over Russian Federation’s Sergey Kamenskiy, winning the first World Cup medal of his career in the tenth and conclusive event of the ISSF World Cup Stage 4 in Munich (GER).

The tenth and last match of the ISSF World Cup Stage 4 in Munich (GER) saw France’s Alexis Raynaud claim the first international Gold medal of his young career in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event, which he ruled from the very beginning.

At the end of both the kneeling and prone positions, in fact, Raynaud was ahead of all the other finalists, while in the third and conclusive section he successfully defended his lead from the comeback of Russian Federation’s Sergey Kamenskiy, securing the first international Gold medal of his career with the final score of 463.5 points.

“Today it’s been amazing for me. I had a really good final, with good feelings, and I closed with the highest score of my career,” said Raynaud at the end of the award ceremony.

“I don’t feel it like a revenge on Sergey,” added the French 22-year-old, who placed 3rd behind Kamenskiy at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. “He shot better than me there, while today I just did what I can do.”

“Actually, my life changed only for a couple of months after winning the Olympic medal,” concluded Raynaud. “After that, I just switched back to my regular life.”

Despite hitting a poor 8.8 with his last shot, Kamenskiy walked away from the firing line with a great smile on his face, congratulating Raynaud and pocketing his second World Cup medal in Munich after the Gold won four days ago in the 10m Air Rifle Men event.

Previously today, the Russian 29-year-old equalled the Qualification World Record with 1186 points. It’s Kamenskiy second record in Munich after the one he set in the 10m Air Rifle Men final on Friday.

Alongside the French and the Russian shooter, People’s Republic of China’s Liu Yukun (20) completed the podium in 3rd place, securing the Bronze with 446.9 points. It’s Liu’s third international medal out of three total participations, as he previously won a Gold in the men’s 10m Air Rifle at last year’s Asian Championship in Tehran (IRI) and a Silver in the men’s 50m Rifle Prone at this year’s World Cup stage in New Delhi (IND).

Liu was followed by Serbia’s 44-year-old Stevan Pletikosic and by Ukraine’s 24-year-old Serhiy Kulish, who respectively finished 4th with 435.8 points and 5th with 425.1.

Despite struggling in the kneeling phase, 17-year-old Filip Nepejchal of the Czech Republic climbed up a couple of positions midway through the final, concluding in 6th place with 415.0 points after losing a shoot-off against Kulish.

Germany’s Maximilian Dallinger and Poland’s Tomasz Bartnik left the match together after the 40th shot. Dallinger (20), competing in his first World Cup, finished in 7th place with 403.3 points, while Bartnik, who entered the top-8 of a World Cup event for the first time in his career, concluded 8th with 401.8.

The 2017 ISSF World Cup Series will continue in Gabala (AZE), where the fifth and final stage of the season is scheduled to take place from the 6th to the 14th of June.

News and updates about the competition will be available on issf-sports.org and on the many social media platforms of the Federation: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Youku.

1

2

3

RESULTS - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men

1. RAYNAUD Alexis

2. KAMENSKIY Sergey

3. LIU Yukun

23.05.2017

Marco Vettoretti

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source - ISSF Website

YOG champion Korostylov wins Air Pistol final in Munich

Final 10m Air Pistol Men

ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol · Munich, GER

The 19-year-old Ukrainian shooter beat 2010 World Champion Tomoyuki Matsuda of Japan and 4-time Olympic Champion Jin Jongoh of the Republic of Korea to win his first ISSF World Cup Gold.

It was the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and Junior World Champion Pavlo Korostylov of Ukraine, 19, who triumphed at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, as he won today’s 10m Air Pistol Men final. 

The young shooter set a new junior world record of 240.9 points (juniors can indeed establish junior world record also while competing in senior events), beating champions such as Japan’s Matsuda Tomoyuki and Republic of Korea’s Jin Jogoh. 

Korostylov moved into the lead after the first twelve shots, to finish atop of the scoreboard with 2.2 points of advantage on his followers and his first world cup gold around the neck. 

Japan’s 41-year old Matsuda Tomoyuki, a 2010 ISSF World Champion, finished in second claiming silver with 238.7 points. 

Four-time Olympic champion Jin Jongoh of the Republic of Korea, 37, secured bronze with 218.4 points, climbing up the scoreboard throughout the final after a rough start into the match. 

“The qualification has been tough; I was a bit nervous…” said Korostylov, “but during the final match I calmed down. I did not feel stressed by shooting next to champions like Jin and Matsuda. For me we are all athletes, and first of all we are all competing against ourselves.” 

“I did not think about the record, I just shoot my competition, you have no time to think. And at the end it came.”

“Next step is the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, in June,” concluded the Ukrainian athlete.

Medal standings after 8 out of 10 events

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	KOR	2		1	3
2	CHN	1	1		2
2	RUS	1	1		2
4	CRO	1			1
4	FRA	1			1
4	ROU	1			1
4	UKR	1			1
8	GER		1	2	3
9	BUL		1		1
9	CZE		1		1
9	JPN		1		1
9	NOR		1		1
9	POR		1		1
14	AUT			1	1
14	BLR			1	1
14	GRE			1	1
14	IRI			1	1
14	SRB			1	1
		8	8	8	24

The ISSF World Cup Stage 4 will conclude tomorrow with the last two final matches: the 10m Air Pistol Men, scheduled at 12:30 pm (UTC+2:00), and the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men, scheduled at 1:15 pm.

1

2

3

RESULTS - 10m Air Pistol Men

1. KOROSTYLOV Pavlo

2. MATSUDA Tomoyuki

3. JIN Jongoh

22.05.2017

VIDEO - Final 10m Air Pistol Men

Interview with Pavlo KOROSTYLOV (UKR)

22.05.2017

PHOTOS - Finals 10m Air Pistol Men

MUNICH - MAY 22: (L-R) Silver medalist Tomoyuki MATSUDA of Japan, Gold medalist Pavlo KOROSTYLOV of Ukraine and Bronze medalist Jongoh JIN of the Republic of Korea pose with their medals after the 10m Air Pistol Men Final at the Olympic Shooting Range Munich/Hochbrueck during Day 4 of the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol on May 22, 2017 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Nicolo Zangirolami)

22.05.2017

Marco Dalla Dea

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source ISSF Website

Pejcic wins women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions final by 6.8 points

Final 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women

ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol · Munich, GER

The Croatian shooter left no chances to her opponents, collecting a safe lead through the three positions, to win her 5th world cup gold in career. Host country Germany celebrated two medals thanks to Gschwandtner and Beer.

6.8 points was the final gap separating Croatia’s Snjezana Pejcic, the winner of today’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women event, from silver medalist Selina Gschwandtner of Germany, at the ISSF World Cup in Munich.

The 34-year old Croatian shooter built that huge advantage over the three positions, moving in the lead since the beginning of the final, the kneeling, and then increasing her lead over the prone and the standing positions, to win gold with 462.2 points.

Gschwandtner, 23, pocketed the silver with 455.5 points, and was joined on the podium by her teammate Jolyn Beer, 22, who claimed bronze with 444.6 points, leaving first-time finalist Rikke Maeng Ibsen of Denmark, 26, in 4th place with 432.9 points.

“Today’s competition has been interesting, considering the fact that I shot an 8 at my last shot in the qualifications. I thought: that’s it, no way to get into the final. But luckily I made it,” said Pejcic after the final match

“The final itself has been amazing. Everything came into place. At a certain point of the match, I was leading by more than 7 points. I thought: is everybody else shooting bad, or am I really shooting that good?”

The 2014 ISS World Cup champion could have reached and beaten the current world record of 464.7 points, set by Italy’s Petra Zublasing in 2015. But by closing the match with three nines (9.6, 9.7, 9.2) she finished 2.5 points away from it.  

“At a certain point I figured out that I was somewhere close to the world record,” Pejcic commented. “I started thinking about it, I had the feeling it was already done, but then I nailed a couple of nines. It’s something you are not supposed to think about when you’re shooting a final, and I am a bit sad that indeed I didn’t make it.”

“After this competition I am taking some time off. I am not competing in the next world cup stage. My next aim is the European Championship, in July.”

Russian Federation’s Yulia Karimova, 23, took the 5th place with 422.5 points, followed by Italy’s Sabrina Sena, 32, 6th with 409.3 p.ts, and by Poland’s Agnieszka Nagay, 36, 7th with 399.5 p.ts, while the second Russian finalist - 25-year old Polina Khorosheva - finished in 8th with 394.7 points. 

1

2

3

RESULTS - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women

1. PEJCIC Snjezana

2. GSCHWANDTNER Selina

3. BEER Jolyn

22.05.2017

VIDEO - Final 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women

Interview with Snjezana PEJCIC (CRO)

22.05.2017

PHOTOS - Finals 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women

MUNICH - MAY 22: (L-R) Silver medalist Selina GSCHWANDTNER of Germany, Gold medalist Snjezana PEJCIC of Croatia and Bronze medalist Jolyn BEER of Germany pose with their medals after the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women Final at the Olympic Shooting Range Munich/Hochbrueck during Day 4 of the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol on May 22, 2017 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Nicolo Zangirolami)

22.05.2017

Marco Dalla Dea

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source ISSF Website

Quiquampoix leads Rapid Fire Pistol final in Munich

Final 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men

ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol · Munich, GER

In the final, he met and beat the two athletes who shared the Rio 2016 Olympic podium with him.

All three Rio 2016 medalists competed in today’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men final, at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany.

With 33 hits, and two hits of advantage on his followers, it was Olympic silver medalist Jean Quiquampoix, 21, from France, who won the match, leaving Zhang Jian of the People’s Republic of China, 31, in second place with 31 hits.

The reigning Olympic Champion Christian Reitz, shooting on his home turf here in Germany, placed in third with 25 hits. Today, the 30-year old shooter collected his 21st ISSF World Cup medal, his 7th here in Munich.

“I’m very happy, because today I managed to rebound after a difficult first world cup stage,” said Quiquampoix after the final. At the last ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in New Delhi he had placed in 14th.

“I like the Munich’s shooting range,” he continued. Here he won the 2015 ISSF World Cup Final, as well as a world cup silver in 2016. “It’s maybe a coincidence but, every time I come here it ends up with a medal, so I’m always motivated to compete in Munich, it’s always pleasure.”

Quiquampoix finished in the spotlights during the Rio Games, as he won Silver at his first participation, at 20 years of age. But that didn’t change his life or his workflow, he said. “After Rio, not a lot have changed,” he commented. “The media exposure during and after the Olympics has been huge, but ephemeral. It only lasted a month or so, and now life goes on.”

Indeed, Quiquampoix is back to work: “next step will be the ISSF World Cup in Gabala, (next June, ed.), and then the main focus of the season is on the European Championship in Baku (next July, ed.)”

His teammate Clement Bessaguet, 25, took today’s 4th place with 21 hits, ahead of Rio 2016 Bronze medalist Li Yuehong of the People’s Republic of China, 27, who closed the match in 5th with 17 hits. Song Jong Ho of the Republic of Korea, 27, was the first to be eliminated, with a score of 10 hits worth the 6th place.

Tomorrow, May 22, the world cup stage will continue with two medal events: the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions final is scheduled at 11.30 (GMT+2), while the men’s 10m Air Pistol final will be held at 13.15. All finals will be broadcasted live on www.issf-sports.org  

1

2

3

RESULTS - 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men

1. QUIQUAMPOIX Jean

2. ZHANG Jian

3. REITZ Christian

21.05.2017

Marco Dalla Dea

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source ISSF Website