29th World Championship M.L.A.I.C.

This summer’s competition calendar was particularly splendid, thanks to these 2 events of global importance with athletes competing from 3 over continents: Europe, America, and Africa.

We go first to the charming town of Szentendre, Hungary for a one-week event, the 1st MLAIC LONG RANGE WORLD CUP.
This event is part of the 50^th Anniversary Shooting festival of MLAIC, where the competition targets were ranged at considerable distances; 300, 500, 600, 900, and 1000 yards.

There were various types of rifles, both muzzle loading and metal cartridge models, all rigorously loaded with black powder and only traditional support systems, tunnel sights and micrometric Creedmoor sights, no modern sights, no optics, no magnification tools to ease the life of these shooters.

“So much for the skeptics who still question the performance of these guns!"

It is difficult to try to explain the range of emotions of the participants as they engaged in such delicate disciplines.
Where an inaccuracy in loading, a hesitation in the breath, an unfortunate and sudden change in the direction of the wind, is sufficient to render a dissatisfactory result.
The length and glory of the parabolic run can be appreciated, with immense satisfaction and gratification, when the bullet does reach its target, aided by the strength of a late nineteenth-century mechanic and shot with all the necessary preparation, skill, and precision of these MLAIC athletes.

The powerful emotions continue well beyond the Hungarian events, when only a week later, on August 14, in Pforzheim, Germany, the 29th Annual of the MLAIC World Championships began.

This event is marked by the presence of unrivalled athlete shooters who took to the field, competing in multiple disciplines, from the 25 meters for the pistols to the 100 meters for the rifles, as well as the skeet shooting competitions. On par to rival the best Olympic athletes, the winners and losers were determined not by the final score, but in a slightest difference in the group diameter, to the order of millimeters.

The results? “Top notch! What else to expect at the World Championships, if not the best?!”

The presence of shooting veterans, side by side with a new generation is idyllic, thanks to their considerable and unbeatable experience and knowledge of this romantic sport.
This new generation of young shooters, boys and girls of all ages, have chosen to carve out this moment in time, devoting themselves to this noble discipline, full of meaning and history and destined to deeply enrich them, taking time out from the frenzy and superficiality of adolescent life.

Pedersoli was proud to be represented in the field at both events, featuring the following guns. Honoring those medals winners who competed with our models:

- Peter Kaepenick, GOLD in the MICHELET discipline, totaling 97/100 with the AN IX musket
- Kilian Fich, SILVER in the WHITWORTH YOUTH discipline, scoring 91/100 with the Gibbs rifle
- Martin Zurek, SILVER in the VETTERLI YOUTH discipline, totaling 96/100 with the Tryon rifle
- Martin Crix, SILVER in the LORENZONI discipline, hitting 47 clays out of 50 with the Gibbs shotgun 12ga
- Tamas Dobos, SILVER in the MANTON discipline, hitting 42 clays out of 50 with the Mortimer flintlock 12ga

The best representation of Pedersoli's presence was at the podium in the Pennsylvania discipline, where all three of the following competed with the Swiss Match flintlock rifle:

- Mathieu Ducellier, GOLD, scoring 99/100
- Walter Massing, SILVER, scoring 98/100
- Nemeth Balazs, BRONZE, scoring 97/100

I would like to offer a heartfelt congratulations to the organizers of these two Events, the support staff, the journalists and obviously all the participants, who once again demonstrated how passion and stubbornness can take us everywhere, overcome prejudices, and defeat fears.

Stefano Pedersoli

TOTAL INDIVIDUAL MEDALS
2 GOLD
7 SILVER
6 BRONZE

TOTALE TEAM MEDALS
8 GOLD
8 SILVER
10 BRONZE