World championship Finale of the World Cup - Sporting - Cyprus (September 2008)

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Sporting

1 targets

Participants

0 /870

Start

Sep 25, 2008, 03:00

Europe/Kyiv (UTC+3)

End

Sep 28, 2008, 03:00

Europe/Kyiv (UTC+3)

Until competition start

0 days

Location

Limassol, Cyprus

Status

Registration closed

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Results

About competition

The 2008 FITASC Sporting World Championship (officially registered as the 30th World Sporting Championship and incorporating the prestigious Finale of the World Cup) was the absolute pinnacle event of the global clay target shooting calendar. Held from September 25th to September 28th, 2008, this landmark four-day championship brought together hundreds of the world's most elite shooters, Olympic medalists, and national squads to compete in the main Sporting discipline (Parcours de chasse). The tournament was proudly hosted at the world-class Limassol International Shooting Range in Limassol, Cyprus.

Event Highlights & Historic Achievements

This historic milestone is widely regarded by clay target shooting enthusiasts as one of the most exciting and masterclass displays of marksmanship in the sport's history:

The Record-Breaking Crown: Great Britain's legendary shooter Richard Faulds claimed the World Championship gold medal by executing a legendary, world-record performance of 198/200. Remarkably, Faulds missed his very first target of the tournament and went on to deliver an almost flawless shooting display over the subsequent layouts.
The Podium battle: The competition was fierce at the absolute top, with Richard Faulds narrowly holding off a world-class pursuit from American champion Anthony Matarese Jr. (Silver) and fellow British icon Ben Husthwaite (Bronze).
World Cup Finale Integration: Acting as the high-stakes final leg of the 2008 World Cup, this event combined qualification ranking points from global Grand Prix tournaments throughout the year to crown the definitive seasonal cup champions across individual, team, and age categories.
Extreme Mediterranean Topography: The courses were laid out across the rugged, sun-drenched hills of Cyprus, utilizing tricky background elevations and sharp sea breezes that demanded supreme visual acquisition and mental grit from the shooters.

1. Championship Program & Operational Schedule

The intense 200-target championship course was distributed across a rigorous multi-day schedule, preceded by administrative and preparation blocks:

September 22nd – September 24th (Monday – Wednesday): Arrival of international delegations, firearm customs clearance at Larnaca/Paphos airports, official squadding registration, and mandatory weapon compliance safety verifications. Official training fields open for practice flights.
September 25th (Thursday) — Championship Day One: Opening ceremony followed by Phase 1 of the official qualification rounds over highly technical, natural layouts.
September 26th – September 27th (Friday – Saturday): Middle qualification stages. Intense target tracking as squads attempt to maintain high averages amidst shifting winds and Mediterranean sun glares.
September 28th (Sunday) — Championship Final Day: The concluding round of qualification flights, followed immediately by high-stakes, sudden-death international tie-breaking shoot-offs (barrages) to determine the definitive podium positions.
September 28th (Sunday) — Official Closing & Awards Ceremony: Staged on Sunday evening to honor individual, category, and national team winners, crowning the 2008 World Sporting Champions and finalizing the 2008 World Cup standings.

2. Venue Profile & Logistical Location Details

All championship layouts, multi-stand trajectories, and central administrative operations were hosted at Cyprus' premier outdoor shooting facility:

Host Venue:

Limassol International Shooting Range (Armenochori)

Limassol, Cyprus

3. Organizing Committee & Registration Framework

The operational management, logistical support, and coordination of international firearm import permits were facilitated under the joint authority of the host federation, the regional club, and the global governing body:

National Organizing Body: Cyprus Shooting Sport Federation (CSSF)
International Sanctioning Oversight: Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse (FITASC)

Shooting Ground

Limassol International Shooting Club

Limassol, Cyprus

Limassol International Shooting Club is a premier, world-class sporting facility located in the mountainous area of Armenochori, approximately a 20-minute drive from the center of Limassol. Operating as a modern complex since 1999, it is designed to cater to everyone, from Olympic athletes to beginners, families, and corporate teams. The standout feature of the venue is its highly challenging natural mountain terrain, paired with the expert management of Lefkios Miltiadous-an active European Championship medalist and the #2 ranked Compak Sporting shooter in the world-who personally oversees the complex target settings.

The venue is fully certified by the ISSF and FITASC, making it a regular host for prestigious high-level international tournaments. Its most notable recurring event is the Cyprus Grand Prix, which draws elite international competitors to compete in Trap, Skeet, Compak, and Compak Sporting disciplines. Beyond professional sports, the club is highly integrated into the corporate sector, frequently hosting large-scale B2B networking events like the TSI Annual Shooting Day, which offers clay shooting, airgun target practice, and celebratory banquets.

The club's infrastructure is built to strict professional engineering standards while offering a premium and comfortable visitor experience. The key elements on-site include:

Shooting Layouts: 3 fully renovated Trap layouts and 3 separate Skeet ranges (facing northeast per ISSF rules), alongside specialized Compak Sporting arenas integrated directly into the natural landscape.
Premium Equipment: State-of-the-art PROMATIC clay throwing machines and RangeMaster acoustic voice-release systems, ensuring flawlessly stable flights without human error.
Hospitality & Comfort: A full-service restaurant and cafeteria offering reasonably priced meals, complete with live electronic scoreboards displaying real-time competition results.
Advanced Features: Elevated natural platforms and hidden trenches utilized for complex target trajectories.

Training and shooting at the club are deeply influenced by the unique geographical relief and expert coaching. The highly uneven terrain, featuring rocky hills and deep ravines, creates optical illusions that force shooters to constantly adapt their visual tracking and reflexes. This challenging environment is leveraged by the club manager, Lefkios Miltiadous, whose elite competitive experience translates into world-class training programs. Whether providing intense, stress-tested sessions for Olympians or conducting safe, structured introductory lessons for absolute beginners, the club guarantees top-tier instruction.

The facility provides a highly adaptable environment suitable for several specific target audiences:

Beginners & Families: A safe setting with professional instruction, predictable Trap layouts, and comfortable rest areas for a weekend outing.
Professional Athletes: A premier training base with ISSF-certified setups, extreme terrain, and championship-level management.
Corporate Teams (B2B): Complete packages for team-building, offering competitive shooting, dining, and networking in a premium setting.
The main advantages of the club include its stable and precise target flights, the extreme training value of its natural relief, its excellent hospitality services, and its highly convenient logistics near Limassol.

The club operates with a transparent and accessible pricing model for both standard practice and events. Key services and fees include:

Target Practice: €8.00 per training round of 25 targets for Trap or Skeet.
Ammunition: Premium imported and local cartridges (e.g., VICTORY, RC, CLEVER) are available on-site for €8.00 to €18.00 per box of 25.
Layout Booking: €100 for a 1-hour layout session, which covers up to 2 people (a €50 deposit is required online).

Working Hours:

Tuesday – Sunday: 08:30 – 19:00
Monday: Closed

Armenochori Village, Limassol 4523, Cyprus

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World championship Finale of the World Cup - Sporting - Cyprus (September 2008)

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About competition

Event Highlights & Historic Achievements

1. Championship Program & Operational Schedule

2. Venue Profile & Logistical Location Details

3. Organizing Committee & Registration Framework

Limassol International Shooting Club

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