Rifle and Pistol WC Finals: the ultimate challenge

The three-time Olympic Champion pistol shooter Ralf Schumann wrote the history of Rapid Fire Pistol shooting. Starting from 1989, the German shooter took part in nineteen ISSF World Cup Final editions, finishing eighteen times on the podium, and winning thirteen Gold medals. This year, the 47-year old German champion did not qualified to compete at the Final in Wuxi. Taking his place in the “favourites list”, his young teammate, Christian Reitz, 22-year old, who finished in the spotlights by winning a Gold medal at the last Olympic Games. Reitz is probably the younger and the stronger Rapid Fire shooters on the world scene. He won a Silver medal at last year’s World Cup Final in Bangkok, but this time he is walking in the competition as the number one in the world ranking, and as the World Record Holder. Will Reitz continue the series of victories achieved by Schumann in the past years? The 22-year old Rapid Fire phenomenon will answer in Wuxi, next October, fighting neck and neck against the champions such as the Olympic winner Oleksandr Petriv of Ukraine and the title defender Alexei Klimov of Russia.

1988-2008 Top-3 Multi-medallists by event (Pistol Events)

Rifle Events: Debevec vs. Emmons

The duel between the Slovenian Champion Rajmond Debevec and the American marksmen Matthew Emmons in the 50m Rifle Three Positions event is probably going to keep the spectators breath at this year’s ISSF World Cup Final. The two shooters are ranking almost tied atop the World Cup Final multi-medallist chart, with four Gold medals each. The 28-year old Emmons is the title defender, winner of last year’s World Cup Final in Bangkok, and he walks into this year’s World Cup Final with a Bronze medal won at the World Cup Stage of Munich a few months ago. He will face the 2000 Olympic Champion Rajmond Debevec, 46-year old, who comes from a Bronze medal won at the last Olympic Games, and from a Silver grabbed at this year’s World Cup Stage of Beijing. But they are not going to be alone, in Wuxi. While trying to climb on the lead of the multi-medallist ranking, the duellists will meet the best shooters of this year’s World Cup Series, and the game is announced to be tough.

Shooting in front of his spectators, also the Chinese air-rifle master Zhu Quinan faces a difficult challenge. Zhu will try to secure his third World Cup Final Gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle Men event to move up in the rankings. The Chinese shooter qualified for this year’s World Cup Final by claiming points in all of the 2009 ISSF World Cup Stages, and if he would win the final he will move atop of the multi-medallist chart of the 10m Air Rifle Men Event. Finishing in second at the Olympic Games in Beijing, he said he is suffering the stress of shooting in front of his home spectators “Every time I shoot in the final hall of Beijing, I cannot forget how I lost the Gold at the last Games” he said at the end of this year’s World Cup. Will he face the same feelings while competing on the lines of the Wuxi’s shooting hall?

1988-2008 Top-3 Multi-medallists by event (Rifle Events)