The official opening of the Malta Air-Rifle and Air-Pistol Club’s season 2010 - 2011 finally got underway last Saturday with various exciting airgun shooting competitions at the Bidnija 10m indoor ranges.

William Vella was again the protagonist in the air-rifle competition to win the event with a score of 573+97.8 ahead of Lawrence Darmanin, who after a long layoff made a good comeback to take second place with a score of 562+98.1. Austin Vella finished in third place scoring 457+64.8. Romeo Zuber was 4th with a score of 420+68.8.

In the Air-Pistol (men) event, Ray Cacciattolo who recently won a bronze medal during his participation in the Welsh Airgun championships in Cardiff, won first place with a good score of 549+95.7. Martin Grech came in second place scoring 494+87.5 points and newcomer Emmanuel Grech achieved a respectable third placing with a score of 465+86.9 in his first competition.

The Ladies Air-Pistol event was won by Eleanor Bezzina with a score of 361+96.3 and was followed in second place by the ever improving Josette Calleja with a score of 323+91.3. Eleanor also took part in the recent Welsh Airgun championships quite successfully and left very good impressions after winning a silver and a bronze medals in Ladies Air-Pistol events when competing against experienced shooters coming from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Norway. 

It is now hoped that with full support from the Malta Shooting Sport Federation and the Maltese Olympic Committee, the local shooters will continue to register further improvement in their bid to achieve even greater success in the forthcoming Liechtenstein Games for European Small Nations next year.