Mountaineers Earn Top Results at Fort Benning World Cup
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 19, 2015) – The West Virginia University rifle team was well represented at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Fort Benning World Cup, which wrapped up after six days of competition on May 18, in Fort Benning, Georgia.
Of the current Mountaineers who shot at the competition, rising redshirt-senior Meelis Kiisk had the best finish, placing 26th in the men’s 10m air rifle on May 13. The Paide, Estonia, native, shot 620.2 in the first qualification relay. Kiisk also finished 33rd in the men’s 50m rifle prone on May 14, shooting 611.6 in the second elimination relay, and 45th in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions, shooting 1152 in the first elimination relay on May 17 and 1159 in the qualification competition on May 18.
Rising senior Michael Bamsey finished 33rd in the men’s 10m air rifle, shooting 617.4 in the first qualification relay. The Cardiff, Wales, native also shot 607.6 in the men’s 50 rifle prone MQS on May 14.
Recent graduate Maren Prediger, the 2015 NCAA air rifle champion, enjoyed a solid showing in the women’s 10m air rifle, shooting 414.9 on May 14 and finishing sixth in the second qualification relay. The Petersaurach, Germany, native finished 15th overall, shooting 414.9 in the qualification competition later that day.
Classmate Ziva Dvorsak earned two top-30 finishes. A native of Ljubljana, Slovenia, she finished 17th overall in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions, shooting 582 in the qualification competition on May 17. Her final finish was six spots higher than her elimination finish, shooting 575 in the second relay on May 16. Dvorsak also placed 30th in the women’s 10m air rifle, shooting 413.5 in the qualification competition. She placed 18th in the first qualification relay with a score of 413.5.
Graduate Thomas Kyanko, a native of Wellsburg, West Virginia, shot in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions MQS on May 17 and finished with a 1163 mark.
Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond (Great Britain) and graduate assistant Dan Hermsmeier (United States) also shot at the World Cup. Following a 10th-place showing in the men’s 50m rifle prone third elimination relay on May 14 with a score of 622.2, Hammond finished 48th overall, shooting 619.8 in the qualification competition on May 15. Hermsmeier tallied a mark of 617.3 in the men’s 10m air rifle MQS on May 13.
Of note, former Mountaineer national champions Nicco Campriani and Petra Zublasing earned top-eight finishes for Italy. Campriani, the 2011 NCAA air rifle champion, placed eighth in the men’s 10m air rifle on May 13, shooting 80.3 in the final. He advanced following a second place, 629.5 showing in the first qualification relay. Zublasing, a three-time NCAA champion (2012 air rifle, 2013 air rifle and smallbore) placed fourth in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions on May 17 with a 437.7 final score. She advanced following a fourth-place 586 in the qualification competition, also on May 17, and a first-place 589 in the second elimination relay on May 16.
The ISSF World Cup Series continues May 26 – June 2, in Munich, Germany. All five Mountaineers that competed in Fort Benning, as well as Hermsmeier, also will compete in Munich. Additionally, Ginny Thrasher, a member of the 2015-16 WVU rifle class, will compete for the United States.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVURifle on Twitter.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 19, 2015) – The West Virginia University rifle team was well represented at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Fort Benning World Cup, which wrapped up after six days of competition on May 18, in Fort Benning, Georgia.
Of the current Mountaineers who shot at the competition, rising redshirt-senior Meelis Kiisk had the best finish, placing 26th in the men’s 10m air rifle on May 13. The Paide, Estonia, native, shot 620.2 in the first qualification relay. Kiisk also finished 33rd in the men’s 50m rifle prone on May 14, shooting 611.6 in the second elimination relay, and 45th in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions, shooting 1152 in the first elimination relay on May 17 and 1159 in the qualification competition on May 18.
Rising senior Michael Bamsey finished 33rd in the men’s 10m air rifle, shooting 617.4 in the first qualification relay. The Cardiff, Wales, native also shot 607.6 in the men’s 50 rifle prone MQS on May 14.
Recent graduate Maren Prediger, the 2015 NCAA air rifle champion, enjoyed a solid showing in the women’s 10m air rifle, shooting 414.9 on May 14 and finishing sixth in the second qualification relay. The Petersaurach, Germany, native finished 15th overall, shooting 414.9 in the qualification competition later that day.
Classmate Ziva Dvorsak earned two top-30 finishes. A native of Ljubljana, Slovenia, she finished 17th overall in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions, shooting 582 in the qualification competition on May 17. Her final finish was six spots higher than her elimination finish, shooting 575 in the second relay on May 16. Dvorsak also placed 30th in the women’s 10m air rifle, shooting 413.5 in the qualification competition. She placed 18th in the first qualification relay with a score of 413.5.
Graduate Thomas Kyanko, a native of Wellsburg, West Virginia, shot in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions MQS on May 17 and finished with a 1163 mark.
Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond (Great Britain) and graduate assistant Dan Hermsmeier (United States) also shot at the World Cup. Following a 10th-place showing in the men’s 50m rifle prone third elimination relay on May 14 with a score of 622.2, Hammond finished 48th overall, shooting 619.8 in the qualification competition on May 15. Hermsmeier tallied a mark of 617.3 in the men’s 10m air rifle MQS on May 13.
Of note, former Mountaineer national champions Nicco Campriani and Petra Zublasing earned top-eight finishes for Italy. Campriani, the 2011 NCAA air rifle champion, placed eighth in the men’s 10m air rifle on May 13, shooting 80.3 in the final. He advanced following a second place, 629.5 showing in the first qualification relay. Zublasing, a three-time NCAA champion (2012 air rifle, 2013 air rifle and smallbore) placed fourth in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions on May 17 with a 437.7 final score. She advanced following a fourth-place 586 in the qualification competition, also on May 17, and a first-place 589 in the second elimination relay on May 16.
The ISSF World Cup Series continues May 26 – June 2, in Munich, Germany. All five Mountaineers that competed in Fort Benning, as well as Hermsmeier, also will compete in Munich. Additionally, Ginny Thrasher, a member of the 2015-16 WVU rifle class, will compete for the United States.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVURifle on Twitter.
