Archerfish.org

Sonja PFEILSCHIFTER won the 10m Air Rifle Women final match. She had set the current Final World Record here in Milan one year ago. Following her on the podium, the home athlete Petra ZUBLASING secured Silver.

World’s number one Air Rifle shooter, China’s ZHU Qinan, won the 10m Air Rifle Men final round by climbing from the sixth place. Following him, Artur AIVAZIAN of Ukraine and Beijing’s Olympic Bronze medallist HAKKINEN placed in second and third place, respectively.

Beijing’s Silver medallist ZHU Qinan won today’s 10m Air Rifle Men competition, the first final match of the ISSF World Cup in Rifle and Pistol event in Milan.

The 24-year old Chinese shooter defended his leadership in the World Ranking by shooting the highest final round of 103.1 points, for a total of 699.1 points, winning his second world cup’s Gold medal in this season following the gold he pocketed in Changwon, Korea. Zhu climbed the podium of all this year’s four ISSF World Cup stages, winning two Gold medals (Milan and Changwon), one Silver (Beijing) and a Bronze medal (Munich).

Silver went to Ukraine’s Artur AIVAZIAN, 36, who climbed up the scoreboard from the fifth place he had on the start list finishing in second place with 698.8 (596+102.8) points, missing the Gold medal only by three tenths of a point.

AIVAZIAN preceded on the podium the Olympic Bronze medallist Henri HAKKINEN of Finland, who placed in third by shooting an excellent final round of 102.6 points. The Finnish athlete qualified with 595 points, and he squeezed into the medal match by winning a five-way shoot-off with 53.1 points. In spite of his 15-year long international experience, the 28-year old Hakkinen had never won an ISSF World Cup’s medal before.

The rifle revelation of this season, the 21-year old Norwegian shooter Ole Magnus BAKKEN played a disappointing final round. After qualifying in first place with 596 points, Bakken shot final of 98.6 points landing in seventh place.

The European Champion, Italy’s Niccolò CAMPRIANI who was followed here in Milan by a number of spectators,  placed in fifth with 696.9 (596+100.9) points. He followed the 29-year old expert rifle shooter Mario KNOEGLER of Austria, fourth today with 697.5 (596+101.5) points.

Following the World Cup stage in all events of Munich, the ISSF World Cup Series moves to Milan, Italy, for a Rifle and Pistol world cup stage. More then 500 shooter gathered in Milan from 57 countries to take part in the competition.

500 shooters in Milan
The ISSF World Cup Series moved from Munich to Milan, Italy, where the fifth leg of this year’s Series is hosted at the Tiro a Segno Nazionale shooting club, from the 21st through the 29th of May.

About 500 shooters coming from 57 countries met here to compete in Rifle and Pistol Olympic events, at the traditional spring appointment with the shooting sport in Milan, where eighteen different ISSF World Cup stages have been held in the last 20 years.

“Shooting Sport means friendship,” the Minister of Sport said
The Minister of Sport of Lombardy Piergianni PROSPERINI welcomed the shooters and the delegations at the Tiro a Segno Nazional shooting club, whishing them to reach the best results in this world cup stage.

“Shooting sports means friendship!” Minister Prosperini said at the opening ceremony “It’s great to see athletes form 55 countries here in Milan, gathering together in this shooting venue to share a sport competition. Some of their countries may be in contrast each other, but they come here to compete in friendship. Welcome to Milan ”

The Vice-President of the UITS (The Italian Rifle and Pistol Shooting Sport Federation) Tito SUSS officially opened the ISSF World Cup Stage in Milan “Welcome to Italy! We are proud to host the 18th edition of the ISSF World Cup in Rifle and Pistol events in Milan.” Mr. Suss said while speaking at the opening ceremony.

“This world cup stage is one of the first steps on the path leading to the 2012 Olympic Games.” Mr. Suss continued “Thanks to all of the participants who gathered here to compete, and thanks to the International Shooting Sport Federation to grant us the privilege of organizing such a prime sport event.”

The first medals to be assigned May 23
The first medals of this ISSF World Cup Stage will be assigned May 23, when the 10m Air Rifle Men and Women competition will be conducted at 4.30 PM and 5.30 PM Milan Time (GMT/UTC+2).

The medal standings and the records of the 2009 ISSF World Cup in all Olympic shooting events in Munich, GER, which was closed today.