From 10-12 May, Lonato del Garda played host to the Italy Open International Para Trap competition. The competition provided athletes with the opportunity to achieve an MQS and was attended by 69 athletes representing 9 countries.
The gold for the PT1 class went to the Sardinian athlete, Oreste Lai (97/125 + 38), silver to the Scottish athlete Keith White (101/125 + 32), and bronze to the blue Omar Radaelli (93/125 + 26).
For the PT2 class the result of the national title was repeated with the success of Tuscan Saverio Cuciti (112/125 + 45), followed by Messina Massimo Lanza (109/125 + 39) with silver and Reggino Antonino Ventre (107/125 +32) in third place.
In the PT3 class the Dane Kim Nyby (104/124 + 37 + 1) won, beating Italians Mirko Cafaggi (103/125 + 37) and Francesco Nespeca (110/125 + 28) to silve and bronze respectiely.
The number of entrants meant that awards to female athletes could be made in the PT2 class with gold going to Magionese Giulia Vernata (91/125), silver to the British athlete Tori Clinch (84/125) and bronze for compatriot Annabelle Mackendrick (57/125).
Prizes were sponsored by Beretta in all class's. The scores obtained in the three final series of the International Grand Prix also indicated the winners of the "Pietro Bortolin Memorial", now in its fourth edition, and was wone this year by Cosimo D'Oria (class PT1 63/75), Fabrizio Cormons (class PT2 68/75) and Calogero Sansone (class PT3 65/75).
The winners' prizes were awarded by the Para Trap athlete Paolo Bortolin and by FITAV Vice President Emanuela Croce Bonomi.
As strange as the weather was, there was a great atmosphere around the event. Thank you to all the staff at the Range, FITAV and the local/national referees who made my job easier.
Report by Keith Shields, Shotgun AMG Chair (& ISSF Referee at the event)