The 2017 ISSF Shotgun World Championship officially kicked-off at the Fox Lodge shooting range, Moscow Region, Russia, where the championship will run from today right to the 10th of September.
640 athletes from 76 nations will compete there in 22 shotgun medal events, including separate junior competitions, team events, and the new Mixed Team events that were recently approved by the ISSF and the IOC for inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Program.
Speaking at today’s opening ceremony, the ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña said:
“Welcome to all participants, distinguishes guests of honor, coaches, jury members, officials, media, volunteers, and to all the Russian authorities to the 2017 ISSF Shotgun World Championship, held in this beautiful shooting range.”
“We would like to express our gratitude to the President of the Russian Shooting Union and ISSF Vice-President Vladimir Lisin, for the excellent preparation of this championship.”
“I declare the competition officially open. Good luck to everybody!”
Mr. Vladimir Lisin said:
“Dear friends, dear colleagues, it’s a great honor for us to host the 2017 ISSF Shotgun World Championship. I would like to wish all participants fragile clays and very good shots, and bright victories!”
During the ceremony, participants were also welcomed by the President of the Russian National Olympic Committee, Mr. Alexander Zhukov, who said:
“There is no doubt that this championship, contested in such a beautiful Olympic discipline, is of high interest. It’s a great honor for Russia to host this event. I am sure that it will be conducted at the highest possible level here in Fox Lodge, where the best conditions were created for a successful championship. I wish you all the best of luck!”
The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin addressed the participants in a letter red on the stage by Mr. Sergey Kosilov, the Deputy Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation:
“Russia pays a lot of attention to the development of shooting sport,” Mr Putin’s letter red. “We are really proud of the triumphs and records of our champions, and we are keen to further promote this spectacular sport. We are really happy to host the top athletes of the world in our country, and I am confident that the championship will be held at the highest standards.”
The Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation, Pavel Kolobkov, also addressing the participants in a letter, said: “Shooting is traditionally very popular in Russia. I am confident that this championship will give further inputs to development of the sport in our country and internationally, and will be of great interest for the shooting fans all over the world.”
The competition will start tomorrow, with the Trap Women / Trap Women Junior qualifications (conducted over two days, finals due on Saturday, September 2), and with the Trap Men / Trap Men Junior qualifications (that will be conducted over three days, the finals being scheduled on Sunday, September 3).
Find the complete schedule of the championship and of medal events here.
The competition will be broadcasted live both on internet, on the ISSF website, the Olympic Channel, Facebook page and LiveStream channel, and through the Eurovision distribution network.
Playback footage will be available on the ISSF YouTube channel, and social media updates will be published on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, YouKu and Weibo.
The ISSF President, Olegario Vazquez Raña
The ISSF Vice President and President of the Russian Shooting Union, Vladimir Lisin