The Malta Shooting Sport Federation recently took part in the Commonwealth Shooting Federation (European Division) championships which were held in Gibraltar.

The following were the shooters who represented Malta at this event:

Skeet: Clive Farrugia and Darren Vella,

Trap: Joe Cutajar, Silvio and Jason Azzopardi. .Air-Rifle: William Vella, Lawrence Darmanin and Charlo Chircop.

Prone 50M rifle: Lawrence Darmanin

Air-Pistol: Ray Cacciattolo

Mission Official: Grezzju Agius

The first competitions saw William Vella and Lawrence Darmanin competing in the ‘Doubles’ event where with a total score of 1,111 points finished in a prestigious second place to take the Silver medal just 26 points behind England and ahead of Wales and Scotland.

This was the first international medal won in this shooting discipline by Malta. Charlo Chircop at a tender age of 15 years was competing for the first time internationally and obtained a creditable 10th placing out of 16 competing shooters with a score of 533.

On the same afternoon Lawrence Darmanin also competed in the prone 50m 0.22 rifle competition. This was also the first official representation in this shooting discipline for Malta. Darmanin obtained a score of 540 points.

On the same day the Skeet and Trap events started and continued the next day. Clive Farrugia won a highly prestigious Gold medal in both the individual and the ‘doubles’event together with Darren Vella who also won bronze in the former event. This great feat was doubly important as both shooters were juniors and their wins were achieved under very bad weather conditions.

During Saturday, the Maltese shooters also participated in air-rifle individuals competitions where Charlo Chircop finished with a score of 526 and a 12th placing. Lawrence Darmanin scored 553 in this shoot to give him a good joint seventh placing which unfortunately for him did not take him to the finals as only six lanes were available at the range and the final was therefore reduced from the normal ISSF eight to six shooters. Only three points separated the last three shooters from sixth place!

Meanwhile William Vella with his usual fighting spirit obtained a record 568 points (national Maltese record overseas) and went into the final in fourth place. The final was shot at 9pm and William kept his placing after a tense shootout just missing out another bronze medal.

On Sunday morning in torrid wind and rain the 50m prone individual rifle competition was shot and Lawrence Darmanin could only manage a score of 535 under such difficult conditions.

In the afternoon, Ray Cacciattolo came into the scene in the air-pistol event where he finished in a prestigious 4th place with a score of 547 thus earning him a place in the final.

Ray kept his cool and in his last shot of the shoot-off, he obtained his best shot of the day with a beautiful 10.6 against an 8.6 of his third placed opponent. With this last final shot he moved into third place to the joy of all the Maltese that were supporting him. A first international bronze medal in air-pistol for Malta!

This was the last shooting competition for the Maltese shooters who were all satisfied with their efforts which landed them three gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

The Maltese contingent were then invited to the medal presentation ceremony and reception at the famous Caleta Hotel. The medals were presented by the Minister of Sport Mr Joseph Edwin Reyes MP and the Commonwealth Shooting Federation President John Ballimore, to all winners of the various shooting disciplines.

The countries participating in this edition of the CSF (ED) Gibraltar 2008 were:

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Gibraltar and Malta.