U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- The world’s best shotgun athletes are descending upon Moscow, Russia in anticipation of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Shotgun World Championships that gets underway Friday with Women’s and Men’s Trap. Today we shift our attention to Men’s Trap after beginning our preview of World Champs competition with Women’s Trap. Women’s and Men’s Skeet previews will follow on Monday, September 4 and Tuesday, September 5.
Twenty-four U.S. representatives including six-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode (El Monte, California), two-time Olympic medalist Corey Cogdell-Unrein (Eagle River, Alaska), two-time Olympian Frank Thompson (Alliance, Nebraska), reigning World Champs silver medalist Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, Louisiana) and three-time junior World Champs medalist Dania Vizzi (Odessa, Florida) are among those participating.
Earning his team appointment with the largest point advantage (27) was Men’s Trap athlete Jake Wallace (Castaic, California). This World Championship marks Wallace’s fifth with his highest finish being eighth in the Junior division in 2010. Wallace is the current world-record holder in the event having shot a perfect 125 in Qualification at the Championship of the Americas in 2014. He was 10th during World Cup Acapulco earlier this year and has appeared in the Finals of two previous World Cups. Wallace was recently featured in the current issue of USA Shooting News.
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) athlete Derek Haldeman has proven his versatility as a shooter by earning the second spot on the World Championship team in Men’s Trap. Previously a Double Trap specialist, Haldeman earned a World Cup bronze medal in 2015 along with three other top-10 performances, before making the switch to Trap given the recent elimination of Double Trap from the Olympic program. Haldeman will be attending his sixth World Championship, but his first in Trap.
Shooting icons Kim Rhode and Vincent Hancock were 16-year-old phenoms when they first appeared in their first World Championship. In 2017, enter 17-year-old Roe Reynolds (Quitman, Arkansas) who becomes one of the youngest athletes to ever make a U.S. open trap team. 2004 Olympian Collyn Loper was just 15 when she competed at the 2002 World Championships. Typically, Men’s Trap features one of the oldest, most experienced, fields during Olympic competition.
Reynolds earned his selection by coming from behind to capture the Finals win at National Championships and weathering two, 25-target shoot-offs to earn his slot. The start of his international career didn’t go the way he intended after getting sick during World Cup Acapulco earlier this year. He fought through sickness throughout his rounds to finish 57th. He is coached by National Team Assistant Coach Tommy Browning and National Team member Kayle Browning-Thomas. He was featured recently in his hometown newspaper. Read here.
The last American to earn a podium spot at World Championships is Bret Erickson who earned the last World Championships medal for the U.S. Team back in 2006.
Junior Trap team members Dale Royer (left), Logan Mountain (center) and Ryne Barfield.In Junior Men’s Trap, Logan Mountain (Palmdale, California) earned the top overall spot for World Championship selection. Joining him will be Ryne Barfield (Poulan, Georgia) followed by Dale Royer (Jackson, Montana). All three were part of the last World Championships in Lonato, Italy, with Royer competing in Double Trap. Mountain finished 36th in his lone international experience. Barfield has finished 19th and 39th in two preview World Championship experiences. He’ll enter Moscow with a good deal of confidence given his junior win at the recent Italian Cup in Todi, Italy.
You have to go back to 1997 to find the last time an American earned a trap medal when Matthew Depuydt earned bronze.
More than 600 athletes from 73 countries will compete at this World Championship at the Foxlodge Shooting Range in Moscow. For more information, visit the World Championship website and follow along with results on the ISSF website.
SHOTGUN World Champs Schedule
NOTE: Moscow is seven (7) hours ahead of Eastern Time Zone.
Friday, September 1
- Men’s & Women’s Trap (50 Targets) – 1:30 am ET start
Saturday, September 2
- Men’s & Women’s Trap (25 Targets) – 1:30 am ET start
- Jr. Women’s FINAL – 9 am ET
- Women’s FINAL – 10 am ET
Sunday, September 3
- Men’s Trap (50 Targets) – 1:30 am ET start
- Jr. Men’s FINAL – 9:30 am ET
- Men’s FINAL – 10:30 am ET
Monday, September 4
- Trap Mixed Team Qualification – 1:30 am ET start
- Trap Mixed Team FINAL – Semis @ 8:15 am ET
Thursday, September 7
- Men’s & Women’s Skeet (50 Targets) – 1:00 am ET start
Friday, September 8
- Men’s & Women’s Skeet (25 Targets) – 1:00 am ET start
- Jr. Women’s FINAL – 10:00 am ET
- Women’s FINAL– 11:00 am ET
Saturday, September 9
- Men’s Skeet (50 Targets)
- Jr. Men’s FINAL – 10:00 am ET
- Men’s FINAL – 11:00 am ET
Sunday, September 10
- Skeet Mixed Team Qualification – 1:30 am ET start
- Skeet Mixed Team FINAL – Semis @ 8:15 am ET
About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country.
For more information, check them out on the website and on Twitter.