2018 Season Preview

Spring is on its way and with it, the start another exciting clay shooting season

DOWN THE LINE

2018 sees the 13th World DTL Championships at the ACTA National Ground in Wagga Wagga, Australia

2017 was a big year for the Down the Line discipline, with ever-more shots taking up and, subsequently, more events taking place to compete in. The big shoots are filling up but even if you’re competing, DTL makes for great spectator sport. The first big event of the year means a lengthy flight to the 13th World DTL Championships at the ACTA National Ground in Wagga Wagga, Australia. There’s $50,000 (minimum) up for grabs in cash and sponsors’ prizes. The competition takes place from 24 to 27 March.

Want to stay closer to home? The DTL Grand Prix is to be held at Fauxdelga in Wales on 1-2 April and the popular Krieghoff Classic, now in its 20th year, returns from 24 to 27 May, when all the big shots will be there for the prize money. Likewise, the ever-popular Bywell weekend event takes place on 15 to 17 June and there’s the Welsh Open and Grand Prix at the Mid Wales Shooting Centre on 7 to 8 July. Mid Wales also hosts the Home International, British Open and the European Championship from 19 to 22 July, and hang around in Wales for the Gamebore Elite Grand Prix on 14 to 16 September and the DTL Grand Masters at Fauxdegla on 29 and 30 September.

THE BIG SHOOTS

24-27 March
World DTL Championship
ACTA National Ground, Australia

1-2 April
DTL Grand Prix
Fauxdelga

24-27 May
Krieghoff Classic
Mid Wales Shooting Centre

15-17 June
DTL Weekend
Bywell Shooting Ground, Northumberland

19-22 July
Home International, British Open and European Championship
Mid Wales Shooting Centre

29-30 September
Grand Masters
Fauxdegla

DOUBLE TRAP

The Junior World Cup kicks off Double Trap this year in Oz

Despite the troubles that affected international Double Trap throughout 2017, this year sees a packed calendar right across the globe. It kicked off with the Junior World Cup from 19 to 29 March in Sydney, Australia – a great place to spot the talent of the future. If you can, hop on a plane headed for Pleven, Bulgaria, where the Grand Prix Gen.Lavrov will be contested from 28 March to 2 April.

It’s back to Australia for the Commonwealth Games on the country’s stunning Gold Coast from 4 to 15 April. Then it’s from Oz to South Korea for the 2018 World Cup that takes place 20 to 30 April at Changwon. The Junior World Cup is in Suhl, Germany, from 22 to 29 June and the Youth Olympic Games are being held on 6 to 18 October in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Make that lot and you’ll be clocking up a very healthy air miles balance!

THE BIG SHOOTS

19-29 March
Junior World Cup
Sydney, Australia

4-15 April
Commonwealth Games
Gold Coast, Australia

20-30 April
World Cup
Changwon, South Korea

22-29 June
Junior World Cup
Suhl, Germany

COMPAK

Get down to South Africa if you want your dose of Compak this year

Although it’s been a bit of a slow burner, more guns are taking up Compak and it really has taken off on the international and domestic scenes. Indeed, it’s overseas where the Compak season gets going with the Africa Championship and Africa Cup on 17-18 March in Sterkfontein, South Africa.

At the end of the month, starting on 31 March through to 4 April, why not get some sun at the Grand Prix of Cyprus in Lanarka? This is quickly followed by the Grand Prix of Hungary on 7-8 April in Sarlospuzta and then the Italian Grand Prix in Rio Salso on 14-15 April. Further international events include the European Championship and European Cup in Lanarka, Cyrpus on 3-6 May and the Grand Prix of France on 19-20 May.

The British season starts on home soil with the British Grand Prix at High Lodge on 28 and 29 July. We’re all then off to Rio Saslo again for the 15th World Championship and the Finale of the World Cup on 23 to 26 August.

THE BIG SHOOTS

17-18 March

Africa Championship and Cup
Sterkfontein, South Africa

31 March – 4 April

Grand Prix of Cyprus
Lanarka

7-8 April
Grand Prix of Hungary
Sarlospuzta

28-29 July
British Grand Prix
High Lodge

23-26 August
15th World Championship and the Finale of the World Cup
Rio Saslo, Italy

ABT

Automatic Ball Trap 2018 starts off in Cheddar where England Team Selection takes place at Brook Bank

Following the efforts and successes of the Automatic Ball Trap community last year, its participants and fans have plenty to look forward top throughout the coming competition season. It starts off fairly quiet but hots up on 28 to 19 April when the England Team Selection takes place at Brook Bank, Cheddar. Then we’re into May when the English Open takes place at Bywell (19 and 20 of the month). There are further England Team selection events taking place on 23 and 24 June, and 7 to 8 July at the Beverly Clay Target Centre.

Fauxdegla hosts the Fauxdelga’s World Championships on 5 to 6 August – it’s sure to be a tremendous spectator event contested by the very best. The Home International kicks from 31 August to 1 September, followed by the British Open on 2 September, both at the Mid Wales Shooting Ground. Finally, the year is capped off by the National Intercounties in Beverly on 23 September.

THE BIG SHOOTS

28-29 April
England Team Selection
Brook Bank, Cheddar

19-20 May
English Open
Bywell

5-6 August
Fauxdegla’s World Chamionship
Fauxdegla, Wales

31 August – 1/2 September
Home International/
British Open

South Wales Shooting Ground

23 September
National Intercounties
Beverly Clay Target Centre, Yorkshire

NATIONAL SKEET

Skeet England team selection starts on 21-22 April at the Nottingham and District Ground

National Skeet is one of the most fiercely competitive disciplines and the 2018 season will be as unpredictable as in recent years where the prize money and awards have changed hands frequently. Will Megan Jones, our interviewee this issue, return to her staggering win in 2017 at the tender age of just 16? She’s certainly planning to.

England team selection starts on 21-22 April at the Nottingham and District Ground. This is followed on 25 to 27 May, when the action contesting the English Open will take place at the National Clay Shooting Centre at Bisley. There’s more England Team Selection taking place on 16 and 17 June at Doveridge before the Welsh Open at the Mid Wales Shooting Ground 23 and 24 June. August sees what are bound to be hotly contested events at Northampton’s British Open on 17-19 as well as the Home International at Doveridge on 24-25 August.

THE BIG SHOOTS

21-22 April
England team selection
Nottingham and District

25-27 May
English Open
National Clay Shooting Centre,
Bisley

16-17 June
England team selection
Doveridge

23-24 June
Welsh Open
Mid Wales Shooting Centre

17-19 August
British Open
Northampton

24-25 August
Home Interntional
Doveridge

FITASC

Pay attention on the 7 and 8 April to see Mount Farm host the UK Championships and Team GB Selection

It’s going to be a very busy schedule this year for FITASC shooters both at home and overseas. By the time you read this, the US Grand Prix will have taken place in Palm City, Florida, and  the New Zealand Grand Prix took place on 18 and 19 February in Oamaru, New Zealand. Mid March has been exceptionally busy with Grand Prix taking place in Italy (Piancardato), Australia (Rocky Gully) and Africa (Wattlespring, South Africa), all over 11 and 12 March.

On home soil on 7 and 8 April, we’ll see Mount Farm host the UK Championships and Team GB Selection, with further England Team selection taking place at Hepworth Hall on 28 and 29 April. 19-20 May will be when Doveridge will be hosting the British Grand Prix and GB Selection.

And we’re just getting started! The European Championship and Cup take place in Piancardato in Italy on 7 to 10 June and the English Open and GB Selection takes place at Valley View on 24 June, with the Grand Prix of France taking place at La Cerisalle on 7 and 8 July. France also plays host to the 40th World Championship 12 to 15 July. Everything starts to quiet down through the back end of the summer, the main event being the Home International on
22 September at Ardlethen, Scotland.

THE BIG SHOOTS

7-8 April
UK Championships
and Team GB Selection

Mount Farm, Wakefield

19-20 May
British Grand Prix
and GB Selection

Doveridge

7-10 June
European Championship
and European Cup

Piancardato, Italy

12 – 15 July
40th World Championship 
St Lambert Laon, France

ENGLISH SPORTING

The English Open takes place on 8 to 12 May at Atkin Grant and Lang

The English Sporting Premier League regular events start on 24 February at EJ Churchill with eight league shoots planned throughout the season, but the first major event is the annual Essex Gun Masters, which takes place at Hepworth Hall from 9 to 15 April. Shooters will arrive in their droves for what is one of the best attended shows at a wonderful location.

May will be a busy month for English Sporting guns. The English Open takes place on 8 to 12 May at Atkin Grant and Lang and there’s the Benelli Sp’Auto Championship at the Southdown Shooting Ground on 20 May. June has a couple of Premier League shoots and there’s plenty more going on come the end of the month when the World English Sporting competition takes place (24 June til 1 July). As for the rest of July, you’ll have the Beretta World Championship on 6 to 8 July at Farleigh Wallop.

The season keeps on ticking with the Perazzi Sporting Grand Prix at the Mid Wales Shooting Centre (10 till 12 August), with further Premier League tussles, and the British Open at Oakedge from 29 August until 2 September. The Home International takes place at Lea Farm, Wales, on 8 September. The season’s close come late in the day with Nottingham and District hosting the National Intercounties.

THE BIG SHOOTS

9-15 April
Essex Gun Masters
Hepworth Hall

8-10 May
The English Open
Atkin, Grant and Lang

20 May
Benelli Sp’Auto Championship
Southdown Gun Club, Sussex

6-8 July
Beretta World Championship
Farleigh Wallop

10-12 August
Perazzi Sporting Grand Prix
Mid Wales Shooting Centre

OLYMPIC SKEET

The World Cup opened the season, taking place on 1-12 March in Guadalajara, Mexico

If Olympic Skeet is your thing, the 2018 season will not disappoint. The fast and furious nature of the discipline means that only the best guns need apply. Indeed, the World Cup opened the season, taking place on 1-12 March in Guadalajara, Mexico. Malaysia hosted the World University Shooting Championship in Kuala Lumpur while the Junior World Cup in Sydney, Australia, is on now from 19 til 29 March.

Hopefuls can shoot at the English Open and England team selection at Doveridge on 24 and 25 March before jetting off to the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast from 4 to 15 April. Given that you’ll be pretty immune to jet lag by now, you won’t mind travelling to Changwon in South Korea for the World Cup from 20 to 30 April.

Back on home turf, round two of the British Shooting Shotgun Series takes place in South Wales on 26 and 27 May – unless, of course, you’d prefer to attend the Moldova International Tournament in Kishinev on 22 to 27 May.

Are you still with us? There’s also the Emir Cup Nations Grand Prix in Todi, Italy, on 7 to 13 May, and the Austria Trophy in Leobersdorf from 15 to 21 May. At the end of the month and into June (29 May until 7 June), there’s the CISM (Military) World Shooting Championship, this year taking place in Thun, Switzerland.

The big British event – the British Grand Prix – takes place in Beverley on 18 and 19 August, followed by the British Shooting Grand Final at Fauxdegla in Wales on 22 and 23 September. Oh, and you can finish off your season by frequenting Buenos Aires in Argentina for the Youth Olympic Games, taking place on 6 to 18 October. Phew.

THE BIG SHOOTS

1-12 March
World Cup
Guadalajara, Mexico

19-29 March
Junior World Cup
Sydney, Australia

24-25 March
English Open and team selection
Doveridge

4-15 April
Commonwealth Games
Gold Coast, Australia

20-30 April
World Cup
Changwon, South Korea

22-29 June
Junior World Cup
Suhl, Germany

18-19 August
British Grand Prix
Beverley, Yorkshire


This article originally appeared in the March 2018 issue of Clay Shooting magazine. For more great content like this, subscribe today at our secure online store www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk

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