Road to Larnaca: Athletes to watch at season's 3rd Shotgun World Cup

The season's third shotgun World Cup stage will take place in Larnaca, Cyprus from April 24th through May 4th--the first two editions were in Acapulco, Mexico and Al Ain, UAE. These are the athletes who are mostly expected to win medals at the competition.

Australia's Laetisha Scanlan, a three-time World Cup medallist, will compete in women's Trap. Scanlan, 25, won last year's World Cup in Tucson. Scanlan's teammate Catherine Skinner, a bronze medallist at last year's World Cup Final, will do the same.

Adam Vella, Australia's Olympic Bronze at Athens 2004, will compete in men's Trap. Vella, 43, won two World Cup Finals and three World Cups.

Croatia's hopes will be represented by the Glasnovic brothers, both competing in men's Trap. Josip Glasnovic, 31, won three World Cups and a World Championship. Anton Glasnovic, 34, is a three-time World Championship medallist.

Cyprus' Georgios Achilleos, a six-time World Cup gold medallist, will compete in men's Skeet. Achilleos, 34, won a World Championship in Cyprus in 2007. Andri Eleftheriou, Achilleos' teammate and a three-time World Cup medallist, will compete in women's Skeet. Eleftherious, 30, won a World Cup silver medal in Cyprus in 2013.

Jan Sychra of the Czech Republic, a six-time World Cup medallist, will compete in men's Skeet. Sychra, 46, came in sixth at the London 2012 Olympics.

Finland's Satu Makela-Nummela, an Olympic Gold at Beijing 2008, will compete in women's Trap. Makela-Nummela, 44, also won one World Cup Final and three World Cups.

Germany's Christine Wenzel, an Olympic Bronze at Beijing 2008, will compete in women's Skeet. Wenzel, 33, won four World Championships and 10 World Cup medals.

Italy's Diana Bacosi, an eight-time World Cup medallist, will compete in women's Skeet. Bacosi, 31, won a World Cup Final bronze medal in Abu Dhabi in 2013. Chiara Cainero, Bacosi's teammate and an Olympic Gold at Beijing 2008, will compete in the same event.

Daniele Di Spigno, also from Italy and a 15-time World Cup medallist, will compete in Double Trap. Di Spigno, 40, won a World Cup in Cyprus in 1997.

Jessica Rossi, the Italian shooter who broke every record at London 2012, will compete in women's Trap. Rossi, 23, won a World Champhionship in Cyprus as a Junior in 2007.

Kuwait's Fehaid Aldeehani, an Olympic Bronze at Sydney 2000 and London 2012, will compete in men's Trap and Double Trap. Aldeehani, 48, also won three World Cup Final bronze medals. His teammate Abdullah Alrashidi, an eight-time World Cup medallist, will compete in men's Skeet. Alrashidi, 51, won a World Championship in Cyprus in 1995.

Norway's Tore Brovold, an Olympic Silver at Beijing 2008, will compete in men's Skeet. Brovold, 44, won two World Cup Finals and four World Cups.

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiya, an Olympic Bronze at London 2012, will compete in men's Skeet. Al-Attiya, 44, is also a driver won his second Dakar Rally title last January.

Russia's Alexey Alipov, a two-time Olympic medallist, will compete in men's Trap. Alipov, 39, won one World Cup Final and six World Cups. Vitaly Fokeev, Alipov's teammate and a 12-time World Cup medallist, will compete in Double Trap--so will do Vasily Mosin, an Olympic Bronze at London 2012.

Slovakia's Danka Bartekova, an Olympic Bronze at London 2012, will compete in Women's Skeet. Bartekova, 30, won one World Cup Final and four World Cups.

USA's Corey Cogdell, an Olympic Bronze at Beijing 2008, will compete in women's Trap. Cogdell, 28, won a gold medal at the World Cup in Acapulco earlier in the season. Walton Eller, Cogdell's teammate and an Olympic Gold at Beijing 2008, will compete in Double Trap. Walton, 33, won two World Championships, two World Cup Finals, and five World Cups. Walton's teammate Jeffrey Holguin, a seven-time World Cup medallist, will also take part in the event.

Vincent Hancock, also from the USA and a two-time Olympic Gold Medallist, will compete in men's Skeet. Kimberly Rhode, Hancock's teammate and a three-time Olympic Gold Medallist, will compete in women's Skeet.

After Larnaca, shotgun events this season will come back next August at the Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun World Cup Stage in Gabala, Azerbaijan. In September, Lonato, Italy will host the Shotgun World Championship. In October, Nicosia, Cyprus will host the Shotgun World Cup Final.

Find out more about the World Cup stage in Larnaca--schedule, entry list (PDF), complete information (PDF).