COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 5, 2018)
Twelve USA Shooting shotgun athletes have descended on the Mediterranean island nation of Malta for the penultimate International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup of the season starting today through June 15 at the Ta’ Kandja Shooting Complex in Siggiewi, Malta.
Shotgun has earned all the medals for the United States on the World Cup circuit this year, amassing nine over the past two Cups (six in Guadalajara, Mexico and three in Changwon, South Korea). The U.S. competitors in Malta will look to build on their success as they work toward the ISSF World Championship in August 31 – September 14 in Changwon. At this World Cup, look for Kim Rhode (El Monte, California, pictured) and Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Georgia) to continue their winning ways as the both claimed gold at both previous World Cups in Women’s and Men’s Skeet respectively. In the previous World Cup in Changwon, Rhode bested the World Record she set in Guadalajara by two hits to set a Finals World Record of 58/60 targets.
Rhode will be joined by her World Championship teammates Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, Louisiana) and Amber English (Colorado Springs, Colorado) in the Women’s Skeet competition. Connor and English have each won a medal on the World Cup circuit this year, Connor silver in Guadalajara and English bronze in Changwon.
On the men’s side, Hancock is joined by his two-time Olympic teammate Frank Thompson (Alliance, Nebraska) who finished in fifth place at the Guadalajara and Phillip Jungman (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit/Caldwell, Texas).
In Women’s Trap, Guadalajara medalists Ashley Carroll (gold, Solvang, California) and Aeriel Skinner (bronze in the individual event and Mixed Trap Team, Jackson, California) will look to rebound from their Changwon performances and get back on the podium in Malta. They will be joined by Kayle Browning-Thomas (Wooster, Arkansas) who competed in the Changwon World Cup where she finished in 14th place (112 hits).
Former Double Trap specialist Glenn Eller (USAMU, Katy, Texas) will get his second crack at Trap on the international stage in Malta. Eller made his World Cup debut in Trap in Changwon, hitting 113/125 targets. He and his Men’s Trap teammates, world-record holder Jake Wallace (Castaic, California) and 17-year-old Grayson Davey (Anchorage, Alaska). Eller and Davey will also pair up with Carroll and Skinner for the Mixed Team event.
More than 400 athletes from 61 countries will compete in this World Cup, which is also the first ISSF Championship to be hosted in Malta. Follow live results and view the complete schedule on the ISSF website at https://www.issf-sports.org/competition ... hipid=2394. All Finals will be streamed live at https://livestream.com/ISSF.