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Italy finished on top. “A great competition” the ISSF President, Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña said at the closing ceremony, awarding the Chairman of the Organizing Committee.

Today’s Trap Men Final won by Australia’s two-time Olympic Champion Michael Diamond closed this year’s ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final in Al Ain (UAE).

The competitions, which was hosted at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, in the United Arab Emirates, kicked-off on the last September the 30^th.

Only the top shotgun shooters of the world were eligible to participate in the event: the reigning world champions, the 2010 ISSF World Cup Final title defenders, and the top-8 World Cup competitors selected throughout this year’s four ISSF world cup stages in Sydney (AUS), Conception (CHI), Beijing (CHN) and Maribor (SLO).

“This had been a great competition, also thanks to our hosts, who organized an excellent event.” The ISSF President, Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña said at the closing ceremony, awarding H.E. Mohammed Rashid Al Nasseri, President of the Organizing Committee an ISSF Silver medal.

“This is a beautiful shooting range, one of the best of the world, and I am sure we will be coming back here in Al Ain.” The President added.

Italy atop of the medal standings

It was Italy who finished atop of the medal standings, with an overall of three medals, all won in Trap event. The 19-year old Trap phenomenon Jessica Rossi won the Trap Women event yesterday, while Rodolfo Vigano and Massimo Fabbrizi finished on today’s Trap Men podium in second and third place, behind the two-time Olympic Champ Michael Diamond.

Australia, India and the USA finished atop of the overall medal standings of this event, with one Gold medal each, as well as the hosting country, the United Arab Emirates, who celebrated the victory of H.H. Sheik Saeed Al Maktoum at the Skeet Men event.

The medal standings:

The medallists of the 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final in Al Ain

The best shotgun shooters of the world met in Al Ain for the last match of the year: who will rise up the five ISSF Cups?

The 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final officially kicked-off in Al Ain (UAE), today.

The ISSF President, Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña, welcomed the top class shotgun shooters of the world, who will compete at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club from the 30th of September through the 7th of October.

Only the bests are eligible to participate in this match: the reigning World Champions, the 2010 title defenders and the top-8 2011 World Cup performers, selected throughout this year’s four ISSF World Cup Stages in Conception (CHI), Sydney (AUS), Beijing (CHN) and Maribor (SLO).

Five ISSF Cups, are to be assigned in the five Olympic events of Skeet, Trap  (Men and Women) and Double Trap Men. Fifty-nine competitors, coming from twenty-four countries, will try to secure them, on the layouts Al Ain’s shooting ground.

The Patron of the event, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club, officially declared open the competition, exchanging then a present in sign of mutual recognition with the ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña.

The competitors were also saluted by the UAE’s Ruler’s representative for the Eastern Region, H.H. Sheik Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, who participated in the opening ceremony and also joined the dancers during the traditional UAE folklore show.

H.E. Mohammed Rashid Al Nasseri, the President of the Organizing Committee, also welcomed the shooters, thanking the ISSF and local authorities that joined the opening ceremony.

“We thank you all for hosting us here, in this beautiful country. It’s with great pleasure that we open this ISSF World Cup Final held here in Al Ain.” The ISSF President, Mr. Olegario Vazuquez Raña said at the opening ceremony, also saluting the four ISSF Vice-Presidents present at the ceremony, Mr. Medhat Wadhan (Technical Delegate for this competition), H.H. Sheik Salman Al Sabah (President of the Asian Shooting Sport Confederation), Mr. Luciano Rossi and Mr. Gary Anderson.

“The best shooters of the world are competing here in Al Ain. I wish you all good luck, and a successful competition!” The ISSF President said.

630 shooters coming from all around the world will compete to secure an Olympic Quota Place. Separate Junior events and team events will also be staged during the 10-day competition in Kovilovo.

The 2011 ISSF Shotgun World Championship kicked off in Belgrade, today.

More then 600 shooters coming from 76 countries will participate in the most important shotgun competition of the year, held at the Kovilovo Shooting range – in the outskirts of the Serbian capital – from the 3^rd through the 14^th of September.

Five Olympic Quotas are to be assigned in the five Olympic events of Trap, Double Trap and Skeet shooting, during this World Championship, which also includes separate events for Junior athletes.

“This is the first time in the history that the ISSF Shotgun World Championship is taking place in Serbia – the President of the Organizing Committee, Mr. Milan Sotra, said during today’s Opening Ceremony.

“We owe our gratitude to the International Shooting Sport Federation for entrusting us with the organization of this premium event. The best shooters from all around of the world are competing in Belgrade, with the unique possibility to secure a quota place for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.” Mr Sotra added.

The ISSF Vice-President, Sheik Salman Al Sabah (photo), saluted the athletes and took the chance to address a speech to the organizers. “In behalf of the ISSF President, Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña, I would like to express our great appreciation to the people and the government of Serbia for hosting this prestigious International Shooting event” Sheik Al Sabah said, declaring then the competition officially opened. The ISSF Vice Presidents Luciano Rossi and Medhat Wahdan joined him on the ceremony’s podium to follow the firework show presented by the Organizers.

The competitions start tomorrow morning, with the first medal match (Trap Men Final) scheduled to take place on Tuesday the 6^th at 16.15 (GMT+1).

Check who was awarded an Olympic Quota at the 2011 African Championship in Shotgun events held in Rabat

Five Olympic Quota Places, the qualification passes to enter the next 2012 Olympic Games in London, were awarded during the 10th African Championship in Shotgun events, which was held in Rabat, Morocco, from the 25 of May through the 3 of June.

Egypt secured three Olympic Quotas, in the Trap and Skeet Men events and at the Skeet Women final. At the same time, the Double Trap Quota went to the Republic of South Africa, while the Trap Women Quota Spot was awarded to Namibia.

The next Olympic Quotas for the 2012 Games will be distributed at the ISSF Rifle & Pistol World Cup in Munich, kicking-off on the 16th of June.