SPOTLIGHT ON YOUTH 2 : 2013

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1 2 : 2013 SPOTLIGHT ON YOUTH» ISSF World Cup ACApulCo» ISSF TrophIeS» IWA news» InTervIeW JeSSICA rossi» SpoTlIghT on youth» CoAChIng» MenTAl CoAChIng» Ipod» World ranking

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3 CONTENTS C O V E R PA G E AMBER HILL Amber Hill is just 15, but she knows what she wants. I am looking forward to a Gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics! She declared while wearing the first ISSF World Cup Gold of her career at the Skeet Women event in Acapulco last March. There, before ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña and his guests of honor, the first World Cup of the season was carried out, now applying the new ISSF rules. Finals now start from zero, include medal matches and finish in duels for a place on the podium. A big move on the road to the next Olympic Games, where young shooters like Hill will be the protagonists of a new era of shooting. R E S U LT S N E W S European Air Gun Championship in Odense 46 ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Acapuclo 49 ISSF ACTIVE 2013 Season has been opened in Acapulco 4 COMPETITION ISSF World Cup in Acapulco 6 SPOTLIGHT Young and Promising 16 I NFORMAT I ON INTERVIEW Olympic Champion, Rossi Style 18 MUSEUM ISSF Trophies displayed in the Museum 22 ISSF World Ranking 118 HISTORY Challenge Trophies of the Former UIT 24 Calendar 122 COACHING Elements of Practical Psychology for Sports 28 Photos Cover and Contents: Marco Dalla Dea Impressum 122 COACHING Overcoming Adversity: learning to win 30 DOPING THE ISSF IPOD The Information Portal on doping 32 NEWS The IWA 2013 & Outdoor Classics 36 Translation German Version 50 French Version 74 Spanish Version 94 ISSF NEWS

4 ACTIVITIES The ISSF 2013 Shooting Season has Officially Begun After a successful Olympic year, a new ISSF World Cup Series has started. And it is not just another season. Indeed, 2013 will be remembered for the introduction of the new ISSF Finals and the new Technical rules which will reshape the look of our competitions, and improve in a positive manner the perception of our sport among global sports audiences. S tarting Finals from zero, an elimination system and the incorporation of duels are elements which have already generated positive feedback from media. Our Communications Office and our TV distribution partners informed us that FOX sports will record highlights of all 10 ISSF World Cup competitions this year in addition to the usual distribution to Eurovision and national TV stations. ISSF NEWS on ipad Continuing on a path started before London 2012, the ISSF is truly committed to enhancing the media coverage of its competitions. Finding new ways to distribute information about our sport and to appeal to new and young spectators is a part of this commitment and ranks among our priorities. This is why the ISSF is currently renewing its official house bulletin, the ISSF NEWS Magazine and launching an ipad edition. In an effort to engage a global audience, the new ISSF ipad News Magazine is available for download at the Apple Store. The new tool will include interactive photo galleries, videos, charts as well as the new Spotlight on Youth article focused on the younger generation, the future of our sport. ISSF World Cup Acapulco The 2013 ISSF World Cup Series started in Acapulco, Mexico, a beautiful city on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, featuring a venue which had already hosted a successful ISSF World Cup in There, our shooters enjoyed great weather conditions and began the new season with the right foot. All participants had the opportunity to attend the beautiful Opening Ceremony and great competitions. This first World Cup of the year also turned into a chance for our sport to acquire international notoriety, as many guests of honor visited the competitions and watched the new Finals which turned out to be very exciting and interesting. We thank our friends at the Mexican Shooting Federation for the hard work they invested in this first World Cup of the 2013 season. Shooting in Rio 2016 Following Acapulco s World Cup, ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber traveled to Rio de Janeiro for the first official ISSF visit to the 2016 Olympic Games facilities. The Rio 2016 Organizing Committee works in close partnership with all international sports federations, and the outcome of this first visit was positive. Among the main topics discussed during this visit in Rio were the test event preparations, transportation to the competition venues, construction of a Finals range and validation of the pictograms for each sport. We were part of a productive visit to the shooting range, and in spite of some challenges to be solved in the next months, we think that the venue will meet the highest Olympic standards. While the range is already existing and operating it has already been used for some international competitions the construction of a new temporary Final Range is under evaluation. The architect responsible for the Guilherme Paraense National Centre for Sports Shooting in Deodoro, Tayomara Gama, also joined the ISSF for the visit and commented: It was very productive. We went to the shooting range and there we heard the international federation s suggestions regarding the best use of space. We ll do as much as we can so that everyone involved feels welcome and comfortable. The ISSF will provide follow-up to the preparations, and will keep its member federations and athletes informed regarding all progress. ISSF World Cup Changwon The Rifle and Pistol World Cup series started in Changwon and the first days of competitions began before this issue of the ISSF NEWS was printed. As usual, our friends from the Korean Shooting Federation and the city of Changwon once again prepared a beautiful World Cup and all participants were lucky enough to experience the great hospitality of the Korean people. The Finals, held for the first time in major Rifle and Pistol competitions, turned out to be very exciting and interesting. A detailed report about this very successful World Cup will follow in the next issue of the ISSF NEWS. We wish all the shooters the best success in the 2013 ISSF Shooting season! Olegario Vázquez Raña President of ISSF Franz Schreiber Secretary General of ISSF 4 ISSF NEWS

5 10.9? If you score electronic, you read digital. We print the ISSF NEWS magazine since 1961, and things changed since then. You were used to score on paper and to turn pages. The sport evolved, our magazine did too. Photos, videos, interactive links and charts are now at your fingertips. You can tap, snatch, slide and scroll through your favourite stories. ISSF ipad Magazine: available on the Apple store, now.

6 2013 ISSF World Cup Shotgun ACAPULCO Here we go! After a great 2012 Olympic year, the new ISSF Shooting season starts off on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, in Acapulco, Mexico. There, the first 2013 ISSF World Cup Stage of the year in Shotgun events was held from the March Over 160 shooters from 27 countries took part in this first 2013 ISSF World Cup Stage. And it s not just another season: 2013 will be remembered as the year of the new ISSF rules. New rules that have changed the shape of our shooting finals to benefit spectators and the media, turning every match into a thrilling show. The New ISSF Rules are the Best Change Ever The President of the ISSF, Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña, host of this first ISSF World Cup Stage of the season, followed all the competitions on site, offering an enthusiastic evaluation of the new ISSF rules, which were presented here in Mexico. I really think that the new ISSF rules are the best change ever made by the ISSF, said the President. Spectators like the new format, and we have clearly seen it here in Acapulco. There is drama. There is suspense. There are emotions. Medal matches are thrilling and engaging, the President of the ISSF said while speaking to international press at the shooting range. The new finals proved to be excellent for the audience. The medal match becomes an engaging story, a real duel for the medals, ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber added, commenting on the outturn of the first World Cup stage of the year. We have been presenting the new finals here in Acapulco, and we have already received an important amount of positive feedback, said the President of the ISSF. These rules will change the look of our sport. It s a challenge for all of us, but I am confident that our efforts will support the improvement of our sport. And the President of the ISSF also had positive words for the Organizers of the match. We are proud to welcome our shooters to beautiful Acapulco. We would like to thank the Organizing Committee of this competition, and the President of the Mexican Shooting Federation, Mr. Jorge Alfonso Peña Soberanis, for their excellent work. How do the new finals work? The new ISSF rules reshaped the shooting finals. So, what s new? The qualification stages did not change for the Trap events. But regarding the Skeet events, the throwing distance is now two meters longer (going from 66m up to 68m). In Double Trap there are now random rather than fixed schemes. The older Skeet and Double Trap records were therefore cancelled, and new World Record in Skeet and Double Trap events were set in Acapulco. The big news is the introduction of semifinals and medal matches. The formula is easy to understand and challenging. In each of the Shotgun events, the best six shooters after the qualifications access the semi-final. There, they compete on a limited number of stations (2, 3 and 4 in Trap and Double Trap; 3, 4, 5 and then back to 4 for Skeet). The top 2 shooters after the semi-final advance to the Gold medal match. The shooters ranked 3rd and 4th advance to the Bronze medal match. In the Gold medal match, the shooter with the highest number of hits wins Gold, the shooter with the lowest number of his wins Silver. In the Bronze medal match, the shooter with the highest number of hits wins Bronze, the shooter with the lowest number of his places 4th. The medal decisions are immediate, clear and at the same time, thrilling. 6 ISSF NEWS

7 WC ACAPULCO All photos: Marco Dalla Dea ISSF NEWS

8 WC ACAPULCO ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña and his guest of honour Mr. Carlos Slim Helù attend the Double Trap Men Finals at the Shooting Range Acapulco during the ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Acapulco, Mexico. ISSF President Olegario Vázquez Raña awards ISSF Medal of Honor to Mr. Miguel Rincon Arredondo. ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña awards ISSF Medal of Honor to the President of the Mexican Shooting Federation Mr. Jorge Peña. The New Finals Spark International Interest The new finals have already attracted international interest. International media referred to the the introduction of the new rules as an epic change in the world of shooting, as the competition is now truly engaging for a wider range of sport fans. The first ISSF World Cup of the year also hosted a special guest of honor, Mr. Carlos Slim Helú, a famous Mexican businessman, investor and philanthropist. Mr. Slim, who just acquired the TV rights to broadcast the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Olympics in Latin American markets outside Brazil through his company América Móvil, was invited to Acapulco by the President of the ISSF, Mr. Vázquez Raña, so that he would attend the new events. Mr. Slim Helú has been following the event, and came to the range to watch the Double Trap match President Vazquez Raña said he told me he likes the new rules very much, and he will probable become more and more envolved with the shooting sport in the months to come, Mr. Vázquez Raña said. Mr. Slim Helú was also awarded the ISSF Medal of Honor from the hands of the President of the ISSF, for his support and in recognition of the passion he has towards to shooting sport. The medal was awarded before ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber, ISSF Vice- President Gary Anderson and the President of the Shooting Confederation of the Americas, Carlos Silva Monterroso, who also stressed the importance of the change in the rules. Medals and Records under the Mexican sun New rules equal new records, and that s why ten new records were set in Acapulco, where the competitions took place under perfect weather conditions. Sunny skies, a subtle wind, and a powerful natural illumination sparked great performances, also considering that we are just at the beginning of the ISSF President Olegario Vázquez Raña awards ISSF Medal of Honor to Mr. Daniel Goñi Diaz. THE Medal Standings RK NOC G S B TOTAL 1 ITA USA GBR RUS DOM UAE 1 1 total WORLD Records WORLD RECORDS JUNIOR ISSF President Olegario Vázquez Raña awards ISSF Medal of Honor to Mr. Miguel Aleman Velasco. season. I was shooting in the snow, until last week. It feels so great to be here! Several US and North European shooters declared, shattering the first targets in Acapulco. The overall competition favored Italy, which placed at the top of the medal standings. The European team obtained two Gold medals at the Trap and Double Trap events, as well as two Silver and three Bronze medals, making a total of seven podium placements. Vincent Hancock s victory at the Skeet Men Gold medal match drove the USA to second place in the standings with 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze. Great Britain ranked in third place thanks to 15-year old Trap Women Gold medal winner Hill, and to her team-mate Gilligan, winner of a Silver at the Skeet Men Final. Event Phase Old / New Name NAT Double Trap Men Qual --- / 136 MOHD Asab IND Double Trap Men Qual --- / 136 PINERO Sergio DOM Double Trap Men Qual --- / 136 RUPERT Ian USA Skeet Men Qual --- / 123 HANCOCK Vincent USA Skeet Men Qual --- / 123 TAZZA Giancarlo ITA Skeet Women Qual --- / 72 GRINNELL Jaiden USA Skeet Women Qual --- / 72 KVARTALOVA Landish RUS Event Phase Old / New Name NAT Double Trap Men Qual --- / 136 RUPERT Ian USA Skeet Men Qual --- / 107 SILVA Victor Manuel VEN Skeet Women Qual --- / 68 HILL Amber GBR 8 ISSF NEWS

9 WC ACAPULCO Trap Women 1st PSHENICHNIKOVA, Liudmila (RUS) An Epic Duel Opened World Cup Acapulco The opening match of the first 2013 ISSF World Cup witnessed an epic duel on the range in Acapulco. Reigning Olympic Champion Jessica Rossi was the star of the game, but during the competition, she faced a motivated Russian shooter, Liudmila Pshenichnikov, who had an outstanding performance. Pshenichnikov made it into the final after scoring 70 targets during the qualifications, in spite of Acapulco s strong wind. Then, she ended the semi-final with 13 hits out of 15 targets, after a close neck and neck with Rossi, advancing to the Gold medal match. There, she faced Rossi, the young and successful Italian shooting star who recently earned an Olympic Gold medal in London. The 19-year old shooter qualified with 71 hits, and then finished the semi-finals with 13 hits. But the Gold medal match witnessed a different story. Pshenichnikov zeroed in, and hitting one target after the other -finished the match with 12 hits, leaving behind a stunned Rossi, who hit 9 clays. Pshenichnikov, 40 years old, had never won an ISSF medal before. The Russian shooter took full advantage of the new Finals rules, which were inaugurated here, climbing the scoreboard during the semi-final and the medal match in spite of her qualifications score. 2nd ROSSI, Jessica (ITA) I am happy that I could make it to the podium, Rossi said. I have been really busy after the Olympics. And I took a long Winter break, starting my preparation just a few weeks ago, the young champion said. The new rules? I am not completely convinced but today I would have probably placed in second with the old rules as well, Rossi acknowledged. Her 20-year old team-mate Silvana Stanco, competing for the first time in a World Cup final phase, joined her on the podium with the Bronze medal. The young Italian shooter beat Germany s Jana Beckmann in the Bronze medal match 13 hits to 10. Two US 3rd STANCO, Silvana (ITA) athletes, Miranda Wilder and Rachael Lynn, placed in fifth and sixth place. They made it into the semi-final with 73 and 69 hits, then scoring 11 and 9 targets, respectively. Awards Trap Women ISSF NEWS

10 WC ACAPULCO Trap MEN 1st GRAZINI, Valerio (ITA) The Unbeatable Italians at the Trap Men Final Italy has a long tradition of Trap shooting. Looking back at the past 100 years, the Italian team stands at the top of all Shotgun rankings. So, what s going to happen, now that the final rules changed? Things are not going to change dramatically, judging from the results in Acapulco. There, two Italian shooters finished on the Trap Men podium, showing once again their skills in this event, no matter what the rules dictate. Indeed, Italy s Valerio Grazini, 20 years old, won the Trap Men Gold medal match smoothly. The 2009 Junior World Champion from Viterbo finished the qualifications with 120 hits out of 125 possible targets, making it to the top 6 and advancing to the semifinal. There, Grazini hit 14 out of 15 random targets, advancing to the Gold medal match, where he had to meet a fierce opponent. The USA s Brian Burrows, 24 years old, qualified with 122 hits, and then concluded the semifinal with a perfect score of 15 hits out of 15 targets. But the medal matches are a separate competition: the scores in the semi-finals are not carried forward: it s a new game, 2nd BURROWS, Brian (USA) with a new lead to build. Grazini stood out there. The Italian shooter remained focused, hitting 14 targets, to Burrows 12, winning his first World Cup medal ever. With 11 hits, the Bronze medal went to another Italian shooter, 2012 Olympic Silver medalist Massimo Fabbrizi, who defeated Australia s twotime Olympic champion Michael Diamond 9 hits to 8 after a long shoot-off in the Bronze medal match. It has been difficult with this heat. We come from a cold Winter, and competing under the Mexican sun turned this match into a very tough competition, Fabbrizi commented about the match. The third Italian team member, Daniele Resca, 26 years 3rd FABBRIZI, Massimo (ITA) old, placed in fifth after hitting 12 out of 15 targets in the Semi-final. The sixth place was claimed by India s Anirudh Singh, who closed the semi-final with 11 hits. Awards Trap Men 10 ISSF NEWS

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12 WC ACAPULCO DOUBLE Trap MEN 1st DI SPIGNO, Daniele (ITA) 2nd PINERO, Sergio (DOM) 3rd RUPERT, Ian (USA) Awards Double Trap Men The New Rules Favor Italy s Di Spigno The new ISSF Rules definitely favored Italy s Daniele Di Spigno, 36 years old, the winner of the Double Trap Men event in Acapulco. The Italian shooter met and defeated Sergio Pinero of the Dominican Republic 27 to 26 hits in the Gold medal match, the new competition phase recently introduced by the ISSF (Acapulco s is the first ISSF competition to adopt them). Pinero qualified with the highest score, setting a new world record: 136 hits out of 150 targets, as the old Double Trap records became null after the rules changes. Di Spigno followed him close behind, with 135 hits. But with the new rules, in force since the 1st of January, the qualification scores are not carried into the final phases. So the semi-final turns into whole new match, and athletes need to build their lead starting from zero. Di Spigno and Pinero shot neck and neck throughout the semi-final, finishing tied in the lead with 25 hits each, and outdoing India s Asab Mohd in a shoot-off to enter the Gold medal match. Then, the two stars dueled right to the last double, where four-time World Champion Di Spigno managed to prevail, beating 38-year old Pinero 27 to 26 hits. The Italian champion a 13-time World Cup medalist had experienced the rule changes after the 2004 Olympics, when the timer was introduced. Apparently, the new rules with no timer in the final - turned the tables in his favor again. It s great to return to an ISSF podium! It has been difficult, but I made it! Di Spigno declared right after the match. He won his last ISSF World Cup Stage in Di Spigno s victory also helped Italy to reach the top of the medal standing of the first ISSF World Cup Stage of the year. The Bronze medal in Double Trap went to the youngest finalist, the USA s 19-year old Ian Rupert, who defeated India s 25-year old Asab Mohd 25 to 24 hits in this match for a medal. Rupert qualified with a new World Record of 136 hits, tied to Pinero, and then finished the Semi-Final in fourth place with 24 hits out of 30 targets. It has been a nice match! This is my first time on an ISSF podium, and it feels simply great! exclaimed the young medalist. Puerto Rico s José Torres Laboy placed fifth, closing the semi-final with 22 hits, while Italy s Antonino Barilla placed sixth with 20 hits. 12 ISSF NEWS

13 WC ACAPULCO 15-year old Hill Watches her Olympic Dream as it Approaches SKEET WOMEN 1st HILL, Amber (GBR) 2nd BACOSI, Diana (ITA) 3rd CAINERO, Chiara (ITA) Awards Skeet Women As a new Olympic cycle begins, it s the right time for young shooters to appear. There won t be Olympic Quotas in play during 2013, and that s why most of the international teams will use this season to give the youngest team members an opportunity to compete in international matches. That s exactly what happened in Acapulco, where Great Britain presented Amber Hill, 15-years old only. And the young girl did not miss the chance, winning the match with extreme self-confidence. Hill ended the qualification by scoring the new Junior World Record, 68 hits (also in Skeet, the previous records became null after the changes in rules). Then, she advanced to the semi-finals, where she faced world-class shooters such as the 2008 Olympic Champion Chiara Cainero of Italy. With the new ISSF rules, in place since January 2013, the qualification score is not carried forward into the final phases. Therefore, the six semi-finalists started the match from zero. Hill focused and turned the round in her favor, placing at the top of the rankings with 15 hits among 16 targets. Making it to the Gold medal match, the young shooter faced Italy s 29-year old World Cup multi-medalist Diana Bacosi. Staying focused on each target, once again, Hill shot a great round, and ended the final by surpassing her Italian opponent 15 to 11 hits, thus obtaining the Gold. Hill has a great story. It all started with a rugby match. When I was 10, I did not want to spend my Sundays watching my brother s rugby matches. So I ended up at the shooting range with my grandfather. He introduced me to the sport, she said. I picked up Olympic skeet only one year ago. And it s great, even if it has been difficult to cope with school, trainings and all the other obligations. And Hills story hast just begun, as she sets high-profile goals for the future: Why am I doing all this? The big dream is an Olympic Gold medal in Rio! A dream which perhaps has become closer after the victory in Acapulco. Italy s 2008 Olympic Champion Chiara Cainero earned the Bronze medal, surpassing Korea s Kim Minji in the Bronze medal match 12 to 9 hits. And this translated into a great starting point of the 2013 season for Italy s new Skeet coach, 2004 Olympic Champion Andrea Benelli, who showed his skills by placing two athletes on the podium at his first international appointment. The USA s Jaiden Grinnell and Russia s Landish Kvartalova placed in fifth and sixth place, after closing the semi-final with 12 and 10 hits, respectively. They both had scored 72 out of 75 targets in the qualifications, setting a new World Record (after the latest rules changes, all the Skeet records were cancelled, and today s was the first competition of the season where records were recorded).

14 WC ACAPULCO SKEET Men 1st HANCOCK, Vincent (USA) Hancock: Two-time Olympic Champion and Counting Two-time Olympic Champion Vincent Hancock did not miss the chance to climb the podium at the first ISSF Shotgun World Cup of the season, where he also set extreme goals for his future: Rio 2016 is around the corner, and what about 2020? I will only be 31 then! The American shooter won Acapulco s Skeet Men medal match with apparent ease, defeating Great Britain s Michael Gilligan 15 to 13 hits in the medal match. The American shooter started climbing his way up to the Gold since the qualification rounds. He finished the qualifying rounds scoring 123 hits, setting the new World Record in the Skeet Men event, since the old records were cancelled after the 2013 rules changes. Then, moving on towards the semi-finals, Hancock cleared the round with a perfect score of 16 hits out 16 targets, shattering every single clay with his usual quick and sharp style. The Gold medal match started off with a bit of thrill, as Hancock missed his first target. But then, Vincent focused again, shooting decisively up until the last double on station four. This performance was impossible to match for Gilligan, 24 years old, whose best placement before this match had been a 106th place at the 2011 ISSF World Cup in Maribor. However, he proudly placed second, earning the first ISSF World Cup medal of his career, with 13 hits in the Gold medal match, 2nd GILLIGAN, Michael (GBR) 15 hits in the semi-final, and 119 hits in the qualifications. Hancock declared: It feels great. I have been working a lot to set up my shooting academy lately, and I didn t have much time to train before this match. So I am extremely happy with the outcome. The American champion speaks now with great determination. In 2009, after his first Olympic Gold won in Beijing 2008, he had struggled to find motivation. Today, it s a different story. My aims are clear. After the 2008 Games I was about to quit shooting. The motivation to continue was missing. But now, after winning during London Games, I defined my goal clearly: Rio 2016 is in my sights. Then, when asked about long-terms plans, the 24- year old did not hesitate: Well, I think 2020 is not too far, is it? I will only be 31 then. Acapulco s Bronze medal went to the United Arab Emirates Said Bin Futtais. The 39-year old shooter defeated the USA s 20-3rd BIN FUTTAIS, Saif (UAE) year old Jon McGrath 15 to 14 hits in the Bronze medal match, earning his first ISSF medal ever. Italy s Luigi Lodde, 32 years old, and Giancarlo Tazza, 24 years old, placed in fifth and sixth place, closing the semi-final with 14 and 12 hits, respectively. Earlier that morning, Tazza had set the new World Record of 123 hits, tying Hancock at the top of the qualification rankings. Marco Dalla Dea Awards Skeet Men 14 ISSF NEWS

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16 SPOTLIGHT ON YOUTH Spotlight on Youth Young and Promising, on Their Way to Rio 16 ISSF NEWS

17 SPOTLIGHT ON YOUTH Photos: Marco Dalla Dea The ISSF World Cup Shotgun held in Acapulco (MEX) last March, shed the spotlight on three young shooters who stepped up to the podium in spite of facing some older and more experienced athletes. T he first one joining the Young and successful club was Italy s Silvana Stanco (20 years old), who earned the Trap Women Bronze medal at her first participation in an ISSF World Cup. Then it was the USA s Ian Rupert (19 years old) time to shine, who was the youngest finalist in the Double Trap Men event, but nevertheless, won the Bronze medal. Last but not least was Amber Hill (she s just 15!), who came from her small town in England to win the Skeet Gold medal in Acapulco and dreams of repeating her success at Rio Let s find out more about the three of them! Silvana Stanco (ITA), 20 years old, won the Trap Women Bronze medal, surprising everybody at the first World Cup of the year. You never forget your first time! That is probably how this Acapulco World Cup will be remembered by Silvana Stanco: it was her first time taking part in this kind of competition, quickly resulting in her first medal. Silvana didn t miss the chance to write her name in the history of shooting sport, precisely at a very special moment for the sport, since, in fact, it was also the very first time in the history of the ISSF for a semi-final and medal matches to be held in a Shotgun event. The Italian athlete prevailed in the Bronze medal match, defeating Germany s Jana Beckmann 13 hits to 10. I didn t really expect to win this medal she said I was not completely new to a World Cup, as I had participated with a MQS in the past. But I was never part of the competition, so I didn t expect to win on my first try! Stanco s background could have taken her on different routes. The young shooter has two passports: she lives in Switzerland, but her father is Italian. She s studying foreign languages, and she s really busy learning Portuguese, Spanish and French, alternating them with her own inherited language (Italian), German (that s what they speak where she lives now), and English. The sport is not a job at the moment she said I m a student now. This has been a great experience. I am happy I reached the podium, but I still don t know if I ll take part in any other World Cup this year. It s up to my coach, Albano Pera. After Jessica Rossi, the Italian Team once again graces the world of sport shooting with another enfant prodige, exactly during the competition with new rules, heading the Road to Rio for the shooting sport. Ian Rupert (USA), 19 years old, was up for the Bronze Medal at the Double Trap Men in spite of being the youngest man in the final phases of the match. It feels great, I m really excited. Those were Rupert s first words after winning the medal match, where he surpassed India s Asab Mohd with a score of 25 to 24 hits. Why did he choose Double Trap? It s a real quick and easy discipline he said I like shooting lots of targets, so that this event is what suits me best. Rupert is just 19 and he doesn t want to think too far into the future: As it is right now, I m looking towards our spring selection in May, but not any further. One competition at a time! He doesn t know where his career is going to take him, but shooting is in his blood, as he said. This passion comes from my family. I learned how to shoot in my backyard, and shooting is now my job. I am looking forward to the future, I want to go far with this. We don t know what will happen in his future. But what we know is that another young athlete has successfully entered the world of sport shooting on the path leading to the next Olympics. That s Ian Rupert, taking the American Dream to the shooting range. Seems easy, doesn t it? Amber Hill (GBR), 15 years old, became the young star of the Skeet Women event. Her story began 5 years ago in Binfield (Berkshire, England), when she was just 10. It was a Sunday and she could choose between watching her brother s rugby game and going to the shooting range with her grandfather. Not a hard choice for her: she picked up a shotgun and commenced her path. Amber began to win many British shooting competitions since she took up shooting and throughout Then, in 2012, watching the London Games she fell in love with Olympic Skeet. That s exactly what I wanted! said Amber and that s exactly what she started practicing straightaway, with a definite goal: Rio One year later, Amber had to face her most important test to date: the ISSF World Cup in Acapulco. When it comes to winning a challenge, being young is an asset. Amber may be young, but she does not lack self-confidence. Was she was nervous during the Gold medal match? Not really she said I felt quite calm. I just tried to do my best and that s it. And her best allowed her to earn nothing less than the Gold Medal. The last question makes her smile the most: And what s your big aim? She knows it well. She s already been working towards it for a while. She s going to work 3 more years to reach it: The Olympics. I m aiming for Rio 2016, so, hopefully... Her sentence doesn t end in a full stop. Exactly as her journey: Amber Hill is on her way straight to Rio By then, she will not even be 20 years old. Will she make it? Hopefully... Alessandro Ceschi ISSF NEWS

18 INTERVIEW OLYMPIC CHAMPION, ROSSI STYLE She picked up her first shotgun when she was only 12-years old. Her mother drove her to the range every day in order to follow that passion that would take her eight years later to the highest podium of the world. We are referring to Jessica Rossi, the Italian child prodigy, the girl who started competing in ISSF World Cups six years ago, only to end up with an Olympic Gold medal around her neck in London. Photos: Photo: Marco Wolfgang Dalla Schreiber Dea / XXXXXXXXX 18 ISSF NEWS

19 INTERVIEW Jessica Rossi (ITA) Photo: Resto del Carlino I ndeed, Jessica won the Trap Women final at the last Olympics, defeating her opponents and setting a new Final World and Olympic record of 99 hits out of 100 targets. That day most probably changed her life, and opened new doors to her. Jessica finished under the spotlights in Italy, and just a few weeks ago she was invited to be a guest star at the Festival di San Remo, Italy s biggest music festival, as well as one of Europe s most-followed TV shows. Over 16 million people watched her walk down the golden stairway of the Ariston theatre dressed like a princess. A new experience for Italy s youngest Olympic Gold medallist, who was accustomed to training at a small range in her backyard. It s a real golden moment for Jessica, as she told us herself. We met her in Ponso, a small village in the outskirts of Padova, northern Italy. Not even 2500 people live there, but that s the perfect nest for the young Olympic Champion, who found a range that looks just like the London Olympic Range the A.S.D. Tiro a Volo Giorgio Rosatti club and a new house to share with her love. Let s start from the end: what happened during the day you won your Olympic Gold Medal? It became increasingly better and better throughout the day. I slept well the night before, so I woke up in the morning in the best mood, with my alarm ringing. As my day began, everything was just fine, and then it got better and better. Seeing that my event was sold out made me feel re ally great. It was not common. Then I started shooting and noticed that I was doing well and I developed a great feeling of self-confidence. In that moment I realized that it was going to be a good day, it was going to be THE day. When you finally won the Gold, the Olympic Gold, you took it so easy. How did you manage to remain so cool? I won before the end of the round. I realized that. I was happy, of course. I just turned back and quickly exchanged glances with Albano (Pera, National Olympic Trap Team Coach) because there were still 4 clays left and the World Record was real close. So I tried to control myself: I could not let the moment go to waste just because I was overcome with excitement. The Olympic record is yours: 99 hits out of 100 clays. What about the one you missed? As I missed it, I smiled to myself. At first all the people were disappointed, but then there was a standing ovation: one of the greatest feelings during the Games. I see it this way: by missing that target, people realized that I was human too. Plus, 99 out of 100 was a totally new score for me: I had never done that before, not even during my training sessions! What about your parents? They stayed in Italy, and they organized a party at our place. I did not know that. They started celebrating since the morning. I mean: they were really celebrating before I even started shooting. Over 100 people came there to party, just because I was competing in the Games. It was great: the whole village was supporting me, even though I did not personally know most of the people. Duty first, and fun later: how did you celebrate your Olympic Gold Medal? We went to a party at Casa Italia (the Italian Olympic house), and celebrated till 2:30 am. That was great, but you can t even imagine what a struggle it was to wake up and attend all the media events the day after. Regarding the Gold medal: before the Olympic Games, did ever think you could make it? Sure. That s what I ve been working for. I wouldn t have been happy with any other medal. That medal had been my goal since I was a child. I was hoping for it even more this year, since it was the only medal I was missing. And now you got it. What plans do you have next? Now, with the new rules, we will have to start all over again from the beginning. That is definitely a good motivation to keep on going, even if I m just a bit disappointed that Final World Records won t be recorded anymore... at least for 2013, they said. You shared the Italian Olympic Committee s 150,000 Euro cash prize with your teammates. That s great! How did this happen? Yes, as a shooting team we made a deal before the Games. Whoever wins a medal, will share 50% of his cash prize with all the other athletes. We were eight people in the team. This year it was me and Massimo (Fabbrizi) who had to distribute the money: it s a nice agreement, which began years ago, so we wanted continue the tradition. We are a team, we act as a team. Let s talk about the Olympic title: is it easier to obtain it or to keep it? Wow... that s a good question! To obtain it was easy, because I was really well trained. Now let s see what keeping it is like. What advantage did you have over the others that helped you win the competition? Lots of training. The way I trained allowed me to arrive in London in a very calm state of mind. Some say I m a phenomenon. That s not true: a phenomenon would win without training. Is there a phenomenon like that today? Probably, Michael Diamond of Australia. So you won as a result of your hard work. How many hours a day did you train? During the season, from March through October, I would train 8-10 hours a day, all week long. Approaching the Olympics, it changed: it became more about me; sometimes I would shoot only in the morning or in the afternoon. Mental training is really the key. Shooting is a really concentration based sport, especially at the Olympics. How did you face this problem? I worked with a mental coach, Roberto Re. ISSF NEWS

20 INTERVIEW The Olympics present many more dangers than the other competitions: the attendance, first of all. I didn t want to be prepared exclusively on a technical level and fail on the mental aspect. We ve participated in some very specific training sessions in order to stimulate some parts of the brain which are linked to preoccupation, insecurity and frustration. In order to prepare for London, you also moved to Poso, a little village in the middle of the country... Why did you do that? I couldn t really think of getting ready for the Olympics living an hour s drive away from the shooting range, so I had to move. Here I find myself comfortable and my parents house is just a little more than an hour s drive away from here. I see it this way: by missing that target, people realized that I was human too. Plus, 99 out of 100 was a totally new score for me. Why did you choose to train at the A.S.D. Tiro a Volo Giorgio Rosatti club? The shooting range here looks like the London s one. They have the same background. And also the same throwing machines. Plus, other athletes would often come here for some training sessions. We re-created the Olympic environment! The Gold Medal magic continues: you ve been a guest star at the Festival di San Remo, the most followed TV show in Italy. Did you feel more like an athlete, a woman or a celebrity? I d say more like a woman: the elegant dress, the flower bracelet and all the surroundings contributed to highlight my feminine side above all. Also, it sort of a redemption for our sport. It was a great feeling, I was happy to be a part of that. At the time, you didn t have to shoot, was it equally as hard to prepare for it? Fortunately I received the invitation in early January: it took me 3 weeks just to select the right dress! Getting ready for the live show was crazy, we were in a big hurry and the steep stairs were a bit of a problem for me. While you were on the stage, the TV ratings set a record of 16 million viewers for the show. Did you become a star? Because of my success in the London Games, I ve been travelling all over the country since August, but the sport season is now about to start and I just want to focus on it, giving as little time as possible to everything else. I won t be at celebrity events all year long. How did you prepare for the upcoming season? In November and December, I took some time off and then surrendered to the athletic training. Currently, it s a peculiar phase: we re reviewing the new rules and that s why we are behind schedule. The training day lasts 4-5 hours, even if it s not always on a daily basis. What do you expect in 2013? It will be a transition year, as for my own plans, we re already behind. I ll definitely take part in the first two World Cup Stages in Acapulco and Al Ain. Acapulco will be a good training: the weather will be warm and convenient, then we ll start to get acquainted with the new rules. In 2013 we ll set the goals for In the next months you re going to fly to Mexico and UAE, but it has already been a while since you started traveling for your sport. Do you enjoy it? We travel a lot but we actually just see the hotel and the shooting range. There s no time to get distracted, those are moments in which you only have the competition on your mind. Is there any rivalry between you and your travel companions, or rather, your colleagues? Not really. Many shooters are friends of mine, too. My only opponent is the clay, no one else. I just think of my game, and at the end of it we ll see who did the best: that s also what happened in London. There s no rivalry at all. There s also more than a regular professional relationship with one your colleagues. On the shooting range you found love. We re referring to Mauro De Filippis, ranked in first place at the Trap Men Event during the 2010 ISSF World Cup held in Lonato. Can you tell us the story about how you met? I first met him in 2008 at an Italian national meeting held in February. I had actually not even noticed him! Then, we were both called to participate in the ISSF World Cup in Kerrville, Texas, and that s where it all began. During the competition we would just stay together without really thinking of it, but the other athletes would tease us all the time. So they truly found out before the two of us did! Do you and Mauro live together now? We do, we just bought a brand new house here in Ponso. It s brand new and... empty! We will have to fill it! This place makes us feel comfortable, and we don t have to drive to get to work anymore. We re like two hearts and a shooting range! Let s take a step back to your past: how did you start shooting? When I was 8 I would always walk with my dad down to the shooting range, and that s when I started to like it. I actually began shooting prematurely: I was just 12, and the shooting age is 14! Did your mother like this hobby? She did. She got a gun license just to allow me to shoot, and every day she would drive me to the shooting range in the morning, and back home in the evening: she d drive 2 hours a day just for me. It was pretty demanding for her, she really helped me a lot. What about your schoolmates? They didn t really care about that. Two of them also started shooting with me. On the other hand, my teachers were kind of annoyed by my sport activities: they didn t like it and they didn t accept that I was often absent from school because of the competitions. And what if you were not a shooter? That s a good one. I don t know, that s a question which I sometimes ask myself at times. What was your childhood dream? Here it is! I still joke with my friends about it: I would just go to school and tell my friends I would have loved so much to get into a State competition and win the Olympics, and that s exactly how what happened. You made your dream come true pretty quickly. Do you need another one? Not really, I like this one. I want to continue shooting and getting better and better! Alessandro Ceschi, Marco Dalla Dea ProfilE Year of Birth: 1992 Place of Birth: Cento, ITA Start of Competing: 2005 Practicing shooting since: 2001 Handedness: right Master Eye: right Other Sport Activities: Tennis Languages: Italian 2012 Best Achievements Rk Cs, City Event Record 1 OG LONDON TR75 WR, OR, WRJ, FWR, FOR 2 WCF MARIBOR TR st places Cs, City, YEAR Event Record WCH MARIBOR 2009 TR75 WCH NICOSIA 2007 TR75J WCF AL AIN 2011 TR75 WC BEIJING 2011 TR75 WC SUHL 2008 TR75 EWRJ ECH OSIJEK 2009 TR75 Photo: Marco Dalla Dea 20 ISSF NEWS

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22 HISTORY The UIT/ISSF s challenge trophies in the German Shooting Museum ISSF TROPHIES DISPLAYED AT THE GERMAN SHOOTING MUSEUM IN COBURG D uring the last weekend of February 2013, ISSF Secretary General Mr. Franz Schreiber officially handed over eleven restored UIT/ISSF challenge trophies on a permanent loan basis to the German Shooting Museum in Callenberg Castle (Schloss Callenberg Coburg). Along with Mr. Gary Anderson, ISSF Vice President, Heinz-Helmut Fischer, Vice President of the German Shooting Federation and Prince Andreas of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha, landlord of Callenberg Castle, Mr. Schreiber inaugurated the new exhibition area which also accommodates a collection of ten original Olympic torches of Summer Olympic Games. A sample of the centenary history of the International Shooting Sport Federation can be found right at the center of the new section of the German Rifle Museum in Coburg. There, on February 22, a new section of the Callenberg Castle s permanent exhibition was inaugurated. Sternstunden der Schießsportgeschichte (Great Moments in the History of Shooting Sport) is the name of the new hall, where the Challenge Trophies that were awarded at the World Shooting Championships for team competitions will be displayed. All of them are fine pieces of art, which literally have travelled around the world for decades, before being collected again by the ISSF. After two years of preparations, the Gary Anderson (ISSF Vice-President), Franz Schreiber (ISSF Secretary General), Walther Tröger (IOC Honorary Member) and Jörg Brokamp (Secretary General of the German Shooting Sport Federation) in the red salon of Callenberg Castle before the opening. Photos: Harald Strier, DSZ 22 ISSF NEWS

23 HISTORY SCHLOSS CALLEMBERG MUSEUM, Coburg (from left to right) Dieter Anschütz, Gerd Kümmet, first Air Rifle World Champion in 1966 in Wiesbaden, Germany, ISSF Vice-President Gary Anderson with Kümmet s air rifle, IOC Honorary Member Walther Tröger, Prince Andreas of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha, protector of the German Shooting Sport Federation and landlord of Callenberg Castle and ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber. ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber explains the reasons for handing over the old UIT/ISSF challenge trophies as permanent loan to the German Shooting Museum. trophies and their magic stories of sports and friendship dating back to the beginning of the 1900 s are now made available to the German Shooting Museum on permanent loan basis. The German Shooting Museum also displays many other interesting items related to international shooting. Olympic torches, complete outfits of the hostesses of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, as well as emblems and a collection of ISSF official awards and documents, are all part of the exhibition. ISSF Secretary General, Franz Schreiber, participated in the opening of the new room, accompanied by Prince Andreas of Saxe- Coburg, Princess Kelly and of the Hereditary Prince Hubertus, as well as of the DSB Vice- President Fischer. Mr. Schreiber said: These trophies are very important to our Federation. They embody the 100 year old tradition of our sport s global, unifying nature. We gradually collected these fine pieces of art with the aim to present them to the public. And we found great partners in the German Shooting Federation, and in the German Shooting Museum, which holds an excellent reputation and enjoys a great popularity. We visited the museum for the first time back in 2005, along with the ISSF Vice President Gary Anderson. From that time on, we returned many times. I myself, along with the DSB Secretary General, Mr. Jörg Brokamp, and the Museum Director Stefan Grus met in March 2010, agreeing to display the Challenge Trophies here. We, the ISSF, and especially our President, Mr. Olegario Vázquez Raña are very happy that our Challenge Trophies have found home here, after a 100-year trip around the word. Callenberg Castle is a beautiful place for these traditional trophies, Mr. Schreiber added. Sport is about people. Sport is about special men and special women. Sport is about timeless passion. Trophies are like snapshots of these special moments. They have the ability to capture a little bit of that joy, of those efforts, of the endless trainings, of the suffering and of the success they have been in touch with. We hope that they will inspire the people visiting this beautiful museum, Mr. Schreiber concluded. Marco Dalla Dea For more information, please log on: informationen.html ashx There is a touch of the centenary history of the International Shooting Sport Federation, at the centre of the new section of the German Rifle Museum in Coburg: Sternstunden der Schießsportgeschichte (Great Moments in the History of Shooting Sport). The room Sternstunden der Schießsportgeschichte hosts indeed the eleven Challenge Cups that were awarded at the World Shooting Championships for the team competitions during the past century. Those are fine pieces of art, dating back to the beginning of the 900, which were collected back by the ISSF in the last years. After a two-year restoration process, the trophies were given in permanent loan to the museum, thanks to the collaboration between the ISSF, the German Shooting Federation, and the museum. Ten Olympic torches, emblems and uniforms of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, as well as a collection of ISSF official awards and documents, are also part of the exposition. The new room was inaugurated by the ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber on February the 22, 2013, at the presence of the landlord of the Castle, Price Andreas of Saxe-Coburg, of Princess Kelly and of the Hereditary Price Hubertus, as well as of the DSB Vice-President Heinz-Helmut Fischer. contact AND Opening hours Deutsches Schützenmuseum Schloss Callenberg Coburg / Germany Phone: museum@dsb.de Website: Opening hours: Summer Season (1 April 31 October): Tuesday Sunday a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Winter Season (1 November 31 March): Tuesday Sunday 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. ISSF NEWS