www.loadmakeready.com

EUROPEAN HANDGUN CHAMPIONSHIP IN IPSC SHOOTING BELGRADE, SERBIA

The recent days saw the attention of sport fans concentrated on Belgrade, Serbia in particular in the context of the lawn tennis duel for Davis Cup finals between Czechs and Serbia. Nevertheless, the Serbian metropolis hosted also another significant sporting event – European Handgun Championship in IPSC shooting, where those involved were shooters from Team CZ Shooting and handguns made by Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod.

The European Championship was held at the superb shooting range belonging to the Serbia Anti-terrorist Unit (SAJ). The shooting range built above the Danube river having at its disposal 32 shooting stages (EC used 24 of these stages) was perfectly prepared, as well as its support and background. Serbian organizers headed by EC Director, Mr Spasoj Vulevič, set actual standards very high, not only for the future organizers of continental championships but also for the World championships.

This Championship has been attended by 861 shooters coming from 44 countries. Shooters of the Team CZ Shooting were represented by Kameníček Martin, Kameníček Miroslav, Petr Pijáček, Robin Šebo, Zdeněk Liehne, Petr Znamenáček, Miroslav Zapletal, Marian Vyšný. The top foreign shooters of the Team CZ Shooting were represented by Ljubiša Momčilovič from Serbia (Division Production), Andrej Hrnčiarik (Production) from Slovakia and Gyorgy Batki (Standard), Hungary.

The most occupied division in this Championship was the Production Division, having 335 competitors. Česká zbrojovka has seen here a huge success as 68 percent of this Division competitors were using the CZ 75 SP-01 pistols or its variants.

The Team CZ Shooting Manager, Mr Milan Trkujla put his highest hopes on Ljubišu Momčiloviče from Serbia, who had among our shooters for a long time very good and steady results. The above shooter ended up in the overall standings in the Production Division on 3rd place, closely behind Eduard de Cobos from Spain and Manni Mattiez from Finland. There were also expectations that the final top ranking list of the Production Division would be achieved also by Miroslav Zapletal, who was eventually placed as 6th. For both these shooters named above this meant the best placement in their shooting history. Great success has been achieved by the Team CZ Shooting, Mr. Andrej Hrnčiarik, who won the title of the European Champion in the Production Division at the Junior Category. On the other hand the performance of Mr Marian Vyšný was a little bit of disappointment, as he was one of the biggest favourites of this Championship in the Production Division, because Adam Tyc was not present at this competition. At the final ranking he ended up at the 9th place, thus making the worst placement spanning his past 10 years.

At the Standard Division the bronze medal has been won by the Hungarian shooter of the Team CZ Shooting, Mr. Gyorgy Batki and the Team of the Czech Republic for the Standard Division successfully defended its gold medal from the European Championship, held three years ago in the French Cheval Blanc. The gold medal can be definitely attributed to shooters of the Team CZ Shooting, Zdeněk Liehne and Petr Znamenáček, who in overall ranking won places bumper-to-bumper and that 7th and 8th place. The 8th place of Mr Znamenáček in the individual event is also a disappointment especially after his success at the World Championship 2008 in Bali where he won 4th place. It was nice to see young Zdeňek Liehne to be at the 7th place, this is really a great promise for the future.

The shooters of the Open Division made achievements as widely expected. Activated by the performance of Martina Kameníček, who won the bronze stand, all four shooters came off as the top ten shooters in the final ranking and thus confirmed that they all belong among extra-class of the World. The excellent performance was demonstrated also by the new acquisition of the Team CZ Shooting, Mr. Robin Šebo, who thus testifies that he could became the leader of the Team Open in the not so distant future. This team comprising Kameníček, Šebo, Pijáček and Havlíček took over on this EC the second place, only a few points behind France.In the Open Division individual event, Category Senior another silver medal has been won for the Team CZ Shooting by MUDr. Miroslav Kameníček.

The member of the Team CZ Shooting, Ing. Zdeněk Heneš then vindicated his title in the Modified Division achieved at Cheval Blanc. Heneš shoots pistol assembled from parts and components made by Dan Wesson.

Team CZ Shooting at the EC 2010 in Belgrade – Medals Recapitulation:

3 Gold Medals (Hrnčiarik, Heneš, Team Standard)
2 Silver Medals (Kameníček sen., Team Open)
3 Bronze Medals (Kameníček jun., Momčilovič, Batki)

Another medals won by the Czech Republic shooters:

• Irena Liehne, 2. place, Division Standard, Lady Category
• Lenka Hořejší, 3. place, Division Open, Lady Category
• Team ČR, 2. place (Hořejší, Šustrová, Šerá), Division Open, Lady Category
• Miloš Šustr, 2. place, Division Modified, Senior Category
• Team, Division Modified (Heneš, Heláň, Šustr), 2. place
• Ing. Zdeněk Němeček, 2. place, Division Revolver, Senior Category
• Team ČR (Němeček, Kolář, Ladič), Division Revolver, 2. place
• Rataj Zdeněk, 2. place, Division Production, Senior Category
• Martina Šerá, 2. place, Division Open, Junior Category

Medal harvest was complemented by the Team Manager, Mr. Milan Trkulja as the IPSC President, Mr. Nick Alexakos awarded him with Gold Medal for the perfect management of hundreds of international range officers of IROA (International Range Officers Institute). Besides this Mr. Trkulja won "Ken Norman Award", which is presented each year to the "Best of the Best" of IROA range officers of the World. Within practical shooting sport events this counts for the highest award which can be attained.

For more information please contact PR Manager of Česká zbrojovka - Mr Karel Šimána:

Karel ŠIMÁNA
E-mail: pr@czub.cz