Malta Is Hosting The World Cup Of Shooting And We Even Have An Anthem
Malta is hosting the ISSF World Cup for the first time ever this week. The international competition will see over 400 top level shooters from over 60 different countries head to Malta to partake in the debut edition of the festival.
“The International Shooting Sport Federation organises four World Cup competitions each year in four different continents and the MSSF is proud to have succeeded in bringing such a prestigious competition here,” said Saviour Portelli, the Malta Shooting Sport Federation president. “We are aware that our representatives will be competing against the best shooters in their category and we will be following them with interest to see how far can our team go in this competition.”
The National Shooting Range Complex at Ta’ Kandja is set to become the competitions grounds for over 400 trap and skeet shooters between the 6th and 15th of June – and here’s what you need to look out for.
1. The newly-opened world class facilities
Saviour Portelli was excited about the new facilities hosting the World Cup.
“During my time as a shooter many years ago we never dreamed of having such world class facilities. We are grateful to the government for making this investment which will be a lasting legacy for our sport and will encourage more youngsters to taking up shooting sport serious and represent Malta at the highest level,” he said.
He was especially hopeful for a new generation of athletes to take advantage of the new shooting range
“It is a great opportunity not only for the youngsters taking part in this event, but for all those others who will be following them in future,” he said.
2. The first Maltese woman to take part in a World Cup
Mikaela Galea, a trap shooter, is set to become the first Maltese woman to take part in a World Cup of this type as she takes part in the women’s competition and Mixed Trap event.
3. The Opening Ceremony will be ‘aiming high’
With Christabelle and Amber slotted in to open the World Cup with the over 400 athletes in attendance, this is pretty much our own version of the Olympic opening ceremony. The two singers will be performing the official song for the ISSF World Cup, titled Aiming High, on Wednesday evening at the official opening event.
The ceremony will be streamed live by PBS.
4. The impressive Maltese athletes
The Parliamentary Secretary for Sports, Dr Clifton Grima, has been on the ground with organisers and Maltese athletes, pepping them up for the big competition.
“Shooting deserves to have such a top-class facility. The sport has been honouring the country with several medals at top levels. The government is investing in sport in a way that it should become possible for Maltese athletes to achieve even better results in future,” he said. “You will also be Malta’s ambassadors at this event,” he said of the 11 Maltese athletes.
Trap (6): Regular – Mikaela Galea, Brian Galea, William Chetcuti, Mario Buhagiar, Nazzareno Attard
MQS – Nazzareno Attard and Gianluca Chetcuti
Skeet (5): Regular – Marlon Attard, Bozhidar Dimitrov, Darren Vella
MQS – Marcello Attard, Jason Sciberras
5. The schedule
Wednesday 6th
20.30 Opening ceremony
Thursday 7th
08.00 – 18.00 Women’s Skeet Day 1
Friday 8th
08.00 – 14.30 Women’s Skeet Day 2
10.00 – 17.30 Men’s Skeet Day One
18.00 Women’s Skeet final
Saturday 9th
09.30 – 17.30 Skeet Men Day 2
18.30 Men’s Skeet Final.
Monday 11th
08.00 – 17.35 Trap Women Day 1
Tuesday 12th
08.00 – 13.45 Trap Women Day 2
09.30 – 16.15 Trap Men Day 1
17.30 Women’s Trap final
Wednesday 13th
09.30 – 17.30 Trap Men Day 2
18.30 Trap Men final
Thursday 14th
09.00 – 14.50 Trap Mixed Team
16.15 Final Trap Mixed Team
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