The third Rifle and Pistol World Cup Stage of the year was officially opened by the ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña and by the ISSF Vice President Gary Anderson. USA's William Krilling was awarded the "President Button", the ISSF's highest honour.
The 2011 ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Fort Benning, USA, was officially opened by the ISSF President, Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña, at the Opening Ceremony held at Fort Benning’s Infantry Museum yesterday evening.
“We are very happy to be back here in Fort Benning, a great place to conduct our World Cups,” The ISSF President said, welcoming the participants along with the USA Shooting President Gary Anderson.
The Opening Ceremony also turned into a chance for the ISSF President to award the highest ISSF honour, the “President Button”, to William Krilling, 84.
Krilling, a well-known rifle coach based in Fort Benning and a member of the ISSF Rifle Committee for more than ten year, had been the personal rifle coach of Mr. Vazquez Raña, when he was competing at world level. “Krilling has been my coach and one of my best friends in the world of shooting, I would like to present him my own President Button, which I have been wearing for almost thirty years.” Mr. Olegario Vazquez Raña said.
More than 600 athletes coming from 70 countries will participate in the third leg of the 2011 ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup. Twenty-4 Olympic Quota Palces, the “entrance tickets” for the 2012 Olympic Games, will be distributed by the ISSF to the best shooters.
The first two medal matches, the 10m Air Rifle Men and the 10m Air Pistol Women Finals, will take place today (May the 16) starting from 3.15 PM (GMT-4).