Grand Prix of South Africa - Sporting - South Africa (February 2013)

Registration closed

Sporting

200 targets

Participants

63 /100

Start

Feb 23, 2013, 02:00

Europe/Kyiv (UTC+2)

End

Feb 24, 2013, 02:00

Europe/Kyiv (UTC+2)

Until competition start

0 days

Location

Paarl, South Africa

Status

Registration closed

Actions

Results

Winners

TOP 3

Overall

DIGWEED George

SO +25

192

DIGWEED George

SO +25

192

CICOGNANI Michele

SO +18

192

CICOGNANI Michele

SO +18

192

MARSHALL Mark

SO +24

192

MARSHALL Mark

SO +24

192

Category Man

DIGWEED George

SO +25

192

CICOGNANI Michele

SO +18

192

MARSHALL Mark

SO +24

192

Category Ladies

KIRENSKA Ira

170

BREAM Rebecca

SO +14

167

ROTH Christiane

SO +13

167

Category Junior

MELCHER Max

182

BARTMAN Jakes

165

THOMAS Ian

140

Category Senior

OLIVEIRA Joao Soares

177

TOSCANO Fernando Antunes

170

ROTAETXE Juan

167

Category Veteran

BOLD Ray

166

FALLS William

SO +15

161

BRUNETTI Luciano

SO +16

161

Grand Prix of South Africa - Sporting - South Africa (February 2013)

About competition

Elite Sporting Discipline Opener

The 2013 FITASC Sporting Grand Prix of South Africa was staged from 23 February to 24 February 2013. Serving as the explosive opening event of a massive 9-day continental shooting festival, this high-stakes tournament brought together top-tier domestic and international marksmen to face a demanding 200-target qualification course in the Sporting discipline (Parcours de chasse). The venue for this prestigious opener was the world-class Valley Gun Club in Cape Town.

Event Highlights & Visual Analysis

Based on the official championship literature and posters, the competition integrated regional identity with top-tier international sanctioning:

Iconic Visual Backdrops: The primary event poster prominently features the stark silhouette of Cape Town’s famous Table Mountain set against the vibrant colors of the South African national flag.
Sanctioning Architecture: The visual graphics proudly display the official global seal of FITASC (Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse). This ensures strict compliance with global target flight paths, weapon parameters, and safety field grids. It also features organizational logos for CTSASA (The Clay Target Shooting Association of South Africa) and the host Valley Gun Club Western Cape.
Festival Integration: While the standalone Sporting Grand Prix spanned the opening weekend, it was the first piece within a larger festival consisting of 5 competitions across 9 days, featuring 800 total targets. This massive umbrella event consolidated the SA Champs, the Africa Championships, and the definitive finals of the Beretta Fitasc Africa Cups.
Premium Technical Support: The promotional materials indicate substantial technical backing from Promatic, the world-leading automated clay target launcher specialist, ensuring high-performance target presentations across the layout.

1. Program & Weekend Schedule

The timeline for the primary Sporting Grand Prix was structured as follows within the broader 9-day framework:

21 Feb – 22 Feb (Thursday – Friday): Arrival of international and domestic delegations, squadding confirmation, shooter registry check-in, weapon compliance safety checks, and unofficial practice lines open.
23 Feb (Saturday) — Grand Prix Day One: Initial qualification flight consisting of the first 100 competition targets open across specialized natural terrain layouts.
24 Feb (Sunday) — Grand Prix Day Two: Concluding qualification flight consisting of the final 100 competition targets. Any deadlocks for podium positions are resolved via sudden-death international tie-breaking shoot-offs (barrages).
24 Feb (Sunday) — Opening Awards: Presentation ceremony for the Grand Prix leg staged Sunday afternoon at the clubhouse pavilion.

2. Venue Profile & Geographic Setting

Host Club: The Valley Gun Club of South Africa Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

Terrain & Facility: Nestled below the Simonsberg Mountain in the lush vineyards of the Paarl Valley, Valley Gun Club stands as one of the oldest and most prestigious clay target facilities in South Africa. The complex spans 40 hectares of Fynbos-rich natural vegetation, offering exceptional ambient light vectors and challenging natural backgrounds for high-performance target tracking.

3. Travel, Accommodation & Surrounding Logistics

The host facility provides efficient transit distances to several world-renowned Western Cape locations:

Paarl: Located 15 minutes from the shooting grounds.
Stellenbosch: Located 30 minutes from the facility.
Franschhoek: Located 30 minutes from the facility.
Durbanville: Located 30 minutes from the facility.
Cape Town Waterfront: Located 40 minutes from the club gates.

Official Travel Agency Coordinator:

Agency: That's Africa Travel & Incentives
Contact Person: Nicole Wagner
Telephone: (+27) 21 4152000
Fax Line: (+27) 21 4210229
Mobile Support: (+27) 72 1182285
Skype Handle: nixcape
Direct Email: nicole@thatsafrica.com

4. Organizing Committee Contact Information

For event registries, ammunition pre-orders, and weapon customs documentation, the following administrative channels were utilized:

Primary Facility Landline: (+27) 21 9792520
Official Administrative Email: valleygunclub@paarlonline.co.za

Shooting Ground

Valley Gun Club

Paarl, South Africa

Valley Gun Club (historically known as Paarl Gun Club) is indisputably the premier clay target shooting facility in Africa, located in the picturesque Simonsberg Mountains within the Paarl Valley, Western Cape. Established in 1956, this expansive 40-hectare estate caters to everyone, from elite global athletes and passionate amateurs to families and corporate teams. Its absolute standout feature is the unique mountainous terrain and lush vineyard landscape, which creates highly challenging wind and optical conditions that perfectly simulate the unpredictability of wild hunting.

The club boasts a rich competitive pedigree, serving as a prestigious venue for major international events, including the 2010 DTL Trap World Championships and FITASC Africa Cups. On a local level, it hosts monthly "Club 100" competitions across all standard disciplines, alongside provincial and national trials. Thanks to its world-class infrastructure and challenging environmental factors, it has become a renowned proving ground where champions are forged and world-class scores are achieved.

To accommodate both high-volume international tournaments and daily recreational shooting without compromising strict safety zones, the 40-hectare grounds are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The core sporting infrastructure includes:

10 ATA & DTL Trap ranges.
4 Compak Sporting and 4 traditional Sporting ranges.
2 Skeet ranges.
1 Universal Trench, 1 Olympic Trap, and an exclusive ZZ Range for advanced technical shooting.
An on-site Gun Shop and Armoury for convenient ammunition sales and secure firearm storage.

Beyond pure competition, Valley Gun Club excels in its training and development programs. The club offers comprehensive coaching tailored to all skill levels, ensuring a safe introduction for complete beginners and marginal gains for seasoned professionals. Dedicated coaching sessions with experienced professionals (such as C. Potgieter) are available starting at R400 per hour, allowing shooters to progressively scale their skills from predictable trap flights to complex sporting trajectories.

The venue also operates as a premium country club, heavily promoting its "turnkey" corporate and recreational packages with the motto that clay shooting is "better than a golf day". This makes it an ideal destination for team building, bachelor parties, and family gatherings. The exceptional hospitality and service amenities include:

A modern, fully air-conditioned clubhouse ideal for banquets, networking, and relaxation.
A fully licensed bar for post-shoot socializing.
Two covered, traditional braai (BBQ) areas and an authentic wood-fired pizza oven.
Commercial kitchen facilities managed alongside catering partners to handle events of various sizes.

Ultimately, Valley Gun Club provides an unparalleled "all-in-one" experience. Beginners enjoy a welcoming and safe environment, athletes benefit from top-tier automated traps and varied disciplines, and corporate groups receive exclusive networking opportunities. The seamless combination of exceptional hospitality, rigorous safety standards, and elite sporting facilities firmly cements its status as the ultimate destination for clay target shooting in South Africa.

Operating Hours:

Tue – Sat: 08:00 – 17:00
Sun – Mon: CLOSED
(Note: The club is open on most public holidays, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day.)

R312 Suid-Agter-Paarl Rd, Paarl Farms, Paarl, 7650, Afrique du Sud

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Website

Grand Prix of South Africa - Sporting - South Africa (February 2013)

Actions

Winners

About competition

Elite Sporting Discipline Opener

Event Highlights & Visual Analysis

1. Program & Weekend Schedule

2. Venue Profile & Geographic Setting

3. Travel, Accommodation & Surrounding Logistics

4. Organizing Committee Contact Information

Valley Gun Club

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