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The Chinese champion sis getting used to compete in extreme weather conditions. She had won last year’s ISSF World Cup Final in Beijing shooting under the snow, she finished first in spite of the wind in Izmir this year.

Liu Yingzi of China defended the title she had won at the 2009 World Cup Final in Beijing, last year. The Chinese shooter won indeed today’s Trap Women match at this year’s ISSF World Cup Final in Izmir, outdoing Italy’s Jessica Rossi in a shoot-off for Gold.

Shooting in the wind, the Chinese athlete entered into the final match with one of the lowest qualification scores, 67 targets, but then turned out to be the most consistent shooter during the medal match. Hitting 24 out of 25 final targets, the experiences athlete climbed up the scoreboard, eventually tying Italy’s Rossi in the lead.

Liu won then the shoot-off for Gold with 4 hits to Rossi’s 3, ending up on the highest step of the ISSF World Cup Final for the second, consecutive time with a total score of 91+4 hits.

Rossi, the 2009 World Champion of Maribor, ended up in second place with a total of 91+3 hits, while the Bronze went to Russia’s Maria Volkova who closed the round in third with a total of 89+1 after outdoing Slovakia’s Stefecekova in a shoot-off for the podium.

“It’s the end of the season, and we are all quite tired.” Stefecekova said right after the final. The young Slovakian shooter won the ISSF World Championship held in Munich just a few weeks ago “It’s not a matter of motivation, but I am coming from a long season. I grabbed the world title and secured an Olympic Quota place, and after that the stress faded out…”

“It was extremely windy, and dusty, today.” continued the Slovakian Champion, who had to fight against the wind throughout the whole qualification round “I don’t really like this range, also because of its background. But that’s the same for everybody, at the end, and I am quite happy with my scores”

The Indian ace shooter claimed the title in Izmir and looks now forward to his next aim: the Commonwealth Games taking place in India in October.

The Indian ace shooter Ronjan Sodhi won the Cup in the Double Trap event at the 2010 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final in Izmir, Turkey, today.

The 30-year old shooter from Punjab climbed up the scoreboard since the first pair. Qualified with a score of 143 hits out of 150 targets, Ronjan took advantage of his opponents’ numerous mistakes, nailing the Gold medal with a final tally of 49 hits, and a total score of 192 targets.

“I feel simply great!” exclaimed Sodhi, jumping on the highest step of the podium.

“This has been a long and intense season. I took part in five different international competition, and the balance of the year is definitively positive.” He added, thinking about the 2010 ISSF World Cup season.

“I won the World Cup stage in Lonato, and the World Cup Final here in Izmir. And at the beginning of the year, in Acapulco, I also scored a world record… unluckily I was shooting as MQS, so that was not registered.” Continued the shooter, who is currently ranked ninth in the world.

Sodhi won’t have much time to rest, after this victory,  in spite of being at the end of such a stressful seasons. “No holidays – he said – I will give my best for the Commonwealth Games, now. I am getting ready, and I feel extremely motivated. Australian and English shooters will be the toughest opponents to beat, there.“

Following him in second and third place, two Chinese teammates, Mo Jiunie and Pan Qiang secured the Silver and the Bronze medal, respectively.

Mo, 22-year old, from Shanghai, had finished in the spotlight at the World Cup stage of Beijing and Lonato, this year, winning the home-game and placing fourth in Italy. He started today’s final with a qualification score of 141 hits, and climbed up in second place by hitting 47 clays in the final, for a total score of 188 hits.

His teammate Pan Qiang, 25, from Beijing, who had qualified for this match by winning the World Cup Stage held in Dorset last spring, finished in third place grabbing the Bronze with a total of 187 (144+43) hits.

The 2010 World Championship Silver medallist Vasily Mosin from the Russian Federation was left in fourth place. Qualified with a score of 143 hits, the Russian sharpshooter missed his first pair of targets, lading out of the podium a total score of 186 (143+43) hits.

The Swedish champion Hakan Dahlby (who had won the World Cup Final two years ago) and the 1996 Olympic Champion and two time World Champion Russell Mark of Australia followed in fifth and sixth place with 184 and 183 targets, respectively.

The 2009 World Cup Final title defender, China’s Hu Binyuan, and the recently-awarded 2010 World Champion, USA’s Joshua Richmond, did not make it to the final, and closed their match in 9th and 10th place, respectively.

Italy’s Ennio Falco did it again. The 42-year old Italian shooter won his fifth World Cup Final title, lifting Italy atop of the medal standing of this World Cup Final in Izmir.

The 1996 Olympic Champion Ennio Falco played the protagonist’s role, at the ISSF World Cup Final in Izmir (TUR). The Italian ace shooter started the qualifications with a perfect 25-hit round, continuing then with four excellent series of 23, 24 and 25 hits, making it into the final round with the highest qualification score of 122 hits with one target of advantage on his followers.

Then, the Italian shooter took it easy “I was not nervous. I peaked for the World Championship at the beginning of August, and I secured an Olympic Quota Place there. So I was shooting without pressure, here at the World Cup Final…” The Italian shooter said immediately after the award ceremony.

Shooting with ease, Falco shattered 25 targets throughout the final match, landing on the highest step of the podium with a total score of 147 hits out of 150 targets, and securing his fifth World Cup Final title. He had won his first Final thirteen years ago, in Lima, in 1997. “It has been a few years ago… Winning the fifth World Cup Title makes me feel great. I never gave up this year, and I gave my best for this 2010 shooting season;” Falco said. “The focus is set on the next Games, now.” The Italian shooter concluded.

The Italian team celebrated his second title won here in Izmir, as the Skeet Women Gold medal went to Falco’s teammate Katiuscia Spada, yesterday. “This is a great result for our shooters and our federation. The hard work we have been doing is paying-off!” commented Mr. Luciano Rossi, ISSF Vice-President and President of the Italian Shotgun Shooting Federation.

The Silver medal went to the Danish shooter Andres Golding, who climbed upon the second step of the podium with a total score of 145+2 targets, after outdoing Russia’s Valery Shomin and Greece Nikolas Mavrommatis in a shoot-off.

It was a great satisfaction for the Danish shooter. Golding, a carpenter living in Oslo, had indeed never secured a World Cup medal, before. The 26-year old shooter, coached by the former World Champion Piero Genga, shot with determination hitting 121 targets in the qualifications and 24 targets in the final.

Winning the shoot-off for the Silver medal, he redeemed himself. He had indeed lost a determinant shoot-off and missed an Olympic Quota Place just a few weeks ago, during the final round of the last ISSF World Championship.

The winner of that final, the 2010 World Champion Valery Shomin of Russia secured today’s Bronze medal with 145+1+4 targets, outdoing the Greek shooter Nikolas Mavrommatis 4 to 3 hits. The 39-year old shooter form Moskov, competing with the colures of the CSKA club, had won a World Cup Final in 2006, and two Bronzes in 2000 and 2007.

Norway’s Tore Brovold ended up the match in fifth place with 144 hits (121+23), followed by Italy’s Luigi Lodde who closed the round in sixth with 142 hits (121+21).

Italy’s Spada won the Skeet Women title, stealing the show to the American World Champion Rhode, who was left in second in spite of equalling the world record.

Katiuscia Spada of Italy won the ISSF World Cup Final in Izmir, Turkey, securing the title in the Skeet Women event with a total score of 96 targets.

The Italian shooter finally finished secured a title she had been chasing since her first participation in the Finals, in 2003. Winning the Bronze in 2008 in Minsk, and the Silver last year in Beijing, Spada has literary climbed up to the lead throughout the last three seasons. “I have been thinking about this title for a while. For three years. And it finally came! It feels great to be the champion!” the 28-year old Police office from Fabbro, Italy, said right after the award ceremony.

“Finally, I could find my rhythm. I was as calm as never before throughout the first three series.” Spada said while commenting on her final match. The Italian shooter walked into the final match with a qualification score of 73 hits, after scoring 24, 24 and 25 targets throughout the three qualification series “I managed the pressure, and that was my weak point.”

The Italian shooter stole the show of the World Champion, USA’s Kimberly Rhode, 31, who ended up in second place in spite of equalling the current World record of 74 hits out of 75 targets during the qualifications.

By missing four clays throughout the 25-target final, Rhode slid down in the placement. She finished in second behind Spada with a total score of 95 hits, missing a “golden poker” (Rhode had indeed already won three gold medals – two world cup stages and a world championship title – this year).

“This has been a good season for me. I am only sorry for the World Championship, as I did not grab my chance there.” Commented Spada, who closed the last World Championship in eighteenth place. “I wanna take it easy, now. Some holidays, and then I will think of the next aims!”

The Bronze medal went to the Slovakian shooter Danka Bartekova, who finished on the podium with a total score of 94+5 hits, after shooting-off Russia’s Svetlana Demina (4th with 94+4 targets) and China’s Wei Ning (5th with 94+1 targets)

“Four finals and three podiums is my best result. I would say this has been one of my best seasons.” Commented Bartekova, who won the European Championship in Kazan and a World Championship Bronze medal, this year.

“I walked into the match quite tired. I have been competing everywhere, this year, and I was also involved in the Youth Olympic Games as Youth Ambassador of my country. I am glad the year is over, hopefully I will rest a bit, now.” Continued Bartekova “I have an Olympic Quota Place, so I am more relaxed about next year. I might not travel to all the world cup stages.”

The Olympic Champion, the Italian finalist Chiara Cainero, closed the match in sixth with 91 hits. Qualified with 67 targets after a shoot-off, three points behind the closest opponent, she ended up in last place in spite of hitting 24 targets during the final match.

The next final, the Skeet Men event, will take place tomorrow afternoon, at 1.30 PM (GMT+3). After the third qualification series, the Italian shooter Luigi Lodde leads the match with an intermediate score of 74 hits. Russia’s Valery Shomin and Denmark’s Andres Golding follow him with 73 hits. Follow the match on www.issf-sports.org!

The 2010 ISSF World Cup Final kicks-off today in Izmir, in Turkey, where 59 shooters coming for 23 countries will compete in the five Olympic events of Shotgun Shooting from the 17th through the 23rd of September.

The best shooters of the World meet in Turkey to decide who will rise up the 2010 ISSF World Cup. The recently-awarded World Champions of Munich, the title defenders, and the best performers qualified through this years World Cup Series will fight on the ranges of the Yakakoy Shooting Club of Bornova, in the outskirts of Izmir, the third biggest city of Turkey.

The 2010 ISSF World Cup Series started in Acapulco, Mexico, at the beginning of March, proceeding then to Beijing (CHN), Dorcherster (GBR) and Lonato (ITA).

634 different shooters coming form 85 countries participated in this year’s Series, and a total of 60 medals were distributed to 49 shooters of 20 countries during the four Stages.

Only the bests arrived here in Izmir, welcomed at the opening ceremony by the Sport President of the municipality, Mr. Sabri Sadiklar, and by Bornova’s Lord Mayor, Prof. Dr. Kamil Oleyoy Sindir, who saluted the participating athletes  “We are very pleased to welcome you in our city. Sport means peace, and it is great to host here in Bornova so many sportsmen coming from all around the world, competing in fairplay!”

The ISSF Technical Delegate for this match, Mr. Demetris F. Lordos, speaking in behalf of the ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña, welcomed the athletes to the 2010 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final.

Together with the Vice President of the Turkish Shooting Federation Mr. Ismail Sinan Orhon, Mr. Lordos officially declared the competition open. “We thank our Turkish hosts for their great efforts in organizing this competition, and we wish the best to our athletes!” Said Mr. Lordos, speaking from the opening’s stage.

The first final round, the Skeet Women Final, will take place tomorrow, Saturday the 18^th, at 3 PM (GMT+3).

Do not miss the match! Follow the finals live on www.issf-sports.org