In order to tell you everything frankly, I have to start from scratch.
On a nice day of July after the European Championships, my mailbox surprised me with an invitation from
Italia to participate on the first European Cup on rifle shooting. As I found it very interesting, I started to look for
a company for this adventure. After some chasing there
was a gang of Rivo, Kristo and me ready to take this challenge in Italy. In
addition, a Latvian guy Einars also
joined us.
The competition was carried out in a way of which we still did not have any idea how should it look like. Mountain sheep from a distance of 200 m and 2 * 4 shots as well as target shooting from free stick - , this was our understanding from Instructions in Italian. In addition, 50 m pig, but again, target size unknown.. Again, 2 * 4 shots. Furthermore, standing European targets and only 4 shots in series, ie 2 * 16 shots. Ranking in each separately and together. In any case, me as a rifle shooter, I was really exited.. The only thing was that we lacked enough information to prepare, so better prepared ourselves to welcome everything known and unexpected.
The day before our journey started, we were surprised that travelling with weapons requires a bunch of extra money, including the fact that Italy prepared to charge us in two-three times more than would be acceptable. Luckily, the situation was solved thanks to one nice person – my appreciation to him – who borrowed us a case for three guns + we somehow managed to get a return coupon for taking weapons to the aircraft.. Indeed, we managed to pack our three weapons to one suitcase after taking them into smaller pieces. Anyway, the airlines threatened us with times higher taxes. At the same time, Rivo insisted us to rent a small yellow Italian car for local driving. So I did.
After landing in Milan, the local police were very interested about suitcase. Nevertheless, after thorough checking we were free to look for car rental. A lady in the car rental after identification of the gang, finally found a car we had been booked. - Lancia Ypsilon. She looked at the papers, looked at us, looked at papers again, and us…. I have never seen before that one can make sooooo big eyes. Rivo and Kristo are not just short guys. Then she asked whether we had some luggage. We showed our luggage including our super suitcase with guns (fortunately she didn’t know the content). The even bigger eyes covered her whole face … and she offered us a list of other cars – for more money, of course. Freaks as we are, we remained to our booked yellow one. The next step always accompanies with attractive offers. Then she tried to convince us to take some additional insurance as the current self-liability was € 3,000 (hey, it's 2/3 from the price of that car!), in addition, there are many thieves and dangerous drivers – you are in Italy! No, not this time. We left without multiplying the rental price. Then a presentation of existing damages on the car were introduced and we were free to go.
Well, the car was an experience.. First, it was not yellow. Second, if Kristo would have been lying next to the car, he would seemed to be as long as the car.. Third, the width was not a problem – there wasn’t any. But there were many traces and scratches on the car.. Back to the lady, who had resized her eyes to normal. After she made the corrections to the booking papers (about the scratches and traces on the car) and was just keeping hoping that my credit card holds its value. The suitcase fitted to the car precisely ... when I was driving. Well, maybe I was the right person to drive in this crazy traffic – I can handle Italian temper well enough. Ok, driving, hotel and the receptionist, who, by the way, made as big eyes as the lady in the car rental, when she saw our car turning to the entry of the hostel, and sweet sleeping time could be started.
In addition to the typical ‘forever preserved’ breakfast components (bread, milk and pudding, that can be used for the whole month), we were offered even oranges and apples as well as qualitative capsule coffee machine and an opportunity to make fresh orange juice. Useful ... and speeds up digestion.
Shooting range was perfect -, we were just walking around with positively surprised faces. It was really cool there. We found there at least 10 trap ranges, for shoot as well skeet[K1] . Each trap was surrounded by glass walls and covered by roof. Thus, the spectators were not just separated, but they also had the competition possibility without violating their ears. View and maintenance were just excellent.
There were several rifle ranges - smaller and bigger ones as well as one for running boar. In the large range the target places in 100, 200, 300 and 400 m were equipped with cameras. There were 12 shooting places, all indoor and soundproof. Again, people behind the glass can enjoy the game in silence.
You could shoot only through a special hole, which was small enough eliminate a random shot. For fox shooting they installed a separate table where shooter could lay down. Each station was, of course, with own screen, where your results were presented immediately. Also, due to the hot climate, a compressed air was available – you could stick the barrel, open the tap and rifle cools down immediately. Running boar was quite simple construction, but still it enabled to see the results right after shooting.
Targets. European targets were smaller than originals. 200 m sheep - black shapes, with some visible circles on some copies (as I experienced on training), but on some copies the circles were visible only with using a magnifying glass (happened to me on competition). Ranking area 10.5 cm, 2 cm area for ten points. Fortunately or not, supporting the front of the gun was allowed (not using stick).
Moving boar circles for 50 m target were quite small, 10 was about 5 cm smaller than it is normally for ISSF shooters.. Whole target area was 27-30 cm - almost half less than in Estonia. For shooting it was allowed to put rifle to shoulder only after asking for a target, but before any request for a target and an additional verification had to be made, "ready", "ready", "give". Or in local language: "pronto" from shooter, "pronto" from referee. If there was no checking ‘pronto’, no run started. Finally, the day was closed with an opening ceremony with a presentation of a trick shooter. Probably it wasn’t a day for ticks – only 50% were successful..
We continued the day in the old town of Bergamo searching for a new hotel and parking options followed by meeting with my colleague. Sergio made corrections to his weekend plans and spent the evening with us and introducing to us Italy, but also Estonia. We, Estonians, do not even notice that for many Europeans Estonia is clean and developed country where order rules and culture is highly enjoyable. One admires our progress and technology, at the same time in home country only stagnation is noticed...
But we know Italy as a country of culture and the cradle of culture rather mafia for Italians, also they rather see disorganization, corruption and the nasty immigrant's paradise and dirty the place to live. When we look at the ruins and old houses we saw a cradle of culture, Italians see dangerous places. When we enjoy Italian food Italians see disorganization, which hides the true Italian kitchen. Anyway, despite the country was shown us from another side of a coin, we still enjoyed Italy..
On the first day of the competition, shooting began exactly at 9 am (no confusion with start time!) with boar targets.. My competitor number was 13J I reminded the scary small size of the boar target - first series included 6, 8, etc. ... why it has to be so hard??? Rivo and Kristo had better series. Only 4 shots were half of the exercise! We thought we could walk around a bit, but then discovered that we soon need to shoot 200 m targets. An Italian type of mess was still missing! This exercise was a light disaster for us – we were not prepared to see dark grey circles on black background on 200m… - this time our gut feeling was shooting. In the result of that guess, quite a number of shots were outside the circles. Damn, we should have been looked at the targets more carefully before the competition ... should … Second shooting on 200 m was a bit better outcome, but obviously this distance requires more efforts on loading and releasing. In some later discussions it was discovered that different weather conditions require different solutions. A wisdom for next time. 8 shots and the whole exercise. In case of even, the density of shots matters.
After that it was time for our second chance for moving target. The shooter number 13 managed to keep Re required level, Rivo made also nice series, but not the same happened to Kristo. Results: running boar - , Rivo first, me seventh, Kristo was 17th. In 200 m but forget about our places - Einars became the second!.
Leaving the shooting range, there was a garage and next to that a restaurant – in the middle of nowhere! Despite our doubts were peeking in into the restaurant and ended up with a warm welcome by the ownerJ After all, we were his guests and we were most welcomed to go inside. Some wine? We have today ... Ahhh, what a food, but whatever, let’s try.. Ham and salami, followed by excellent ravioli, medium cooked horse meat, a good dessert and espresso. Everything for € 10 per person ... If anyone happens to go there around, you MUST go in and try the food.
Further on that day, we tested Lancia on the highways, visited weapons museum and Brescia castle. In highway, at 140 km/h Rivo had closed his eyes on fear. At 160 km/h I released the gas as the feeling of car collapse from vibrations was getting stronger and stronger. The castle was great and old, tons of armours and development of guns from swords until rifles of 1900s were exhibited, leaving aside the bows, cross bows and stone-throwing machine guns. Developing and inventing is still very complicated - we also saw strange inventions like 3 m long barrelled gun and the widening gun tube from cartoons. Exciting. Armed cocks mechanism, where the roosters on one axis, one after the other – what kind of mysterious gun it should it be?
An evening walk in Bergamo and convincing that no vacant places for three Estonian guys were foreseen at that night.. Finally, we found one pizzeria and not very friendly faces of Rivo and Kristo when I was insisting them to go further and test some new beers. Previous tests were passed as 1:3 – one beer of three was good, others … sorry.
The second day of the competition started with my favourite exercise – standing targets. The first three targets were ok, but the boar, damn boar. I haven’t had this kind of vibration in my hands for ages – I hardly managed to keep the shape of the cross on the boar target - even eight seemed too small. Scary. Finally 153 from 160. Rivo got 158! Wow!. After the first round, we were among the top three - Rivo, Einars, me and Kristo was close enough. The second round was better, but still, I didn’t manage to get proper result. Second round was completed as Rivo, me and the rest. In fact, Kristo got a very good result - 5th place! By the end of a day, Rivo, who didn’t want to come over all, made a very good result – he won two exercises from three!
In total an Italian Paolo Pozzati won the competition, Rivo was second, Einars third, me fifth and Kristol ninth. It took a while before final ceremony started. Rivo were given three really big trophies as he would need a separate suitcase for them. Thank you, Sergio for helping us to organise these trophies to Estonia!
The afternoon led us to one of Sergio’s top five local pizza restaurants. We left our Lancia to his place and accommodated all of us into his car – two tall rabbits were sitting into back – the rally could begin - driving with 70-90 km/h in city and ‘slightly’ more on roads. We stopped in a big parking place in the middle of nowhere right after the feeling that finally we found a place with no human being in this country… Great pizza, nice company led us quickly into a very late of the night – why we had to leave already early in the morning?
The competition was carried out in a way of which we still did not have any idea how should it look like. Mountain sheep from a distance of 200 m and 2 * 4 shots as well as target shooting from free stick - , this was our understanding from Instructions in Italian. In addition, 50 m pig, but again, target size unknown.. Again, 2 * 4 shots. Furthermore, standing European targets and only 4 shots in series, ie 2 * 16 shots. Ranking in each separately and together. In any case, me as a rifle shooter, I was really exited.. The only thing was that we lacked enough information to prepare, so better prepared ourselves to welcome everything known and unexpected.
The day before our journey started, we were surprised that travelling with weapons requires a bunch of extra money, including the fact that Italy prepared to charge us in two-three times more than would be acceptable. Luckily, the situation was solved thanks to one nice person – my appreciation to him – who borrowed us a case for three guns + we somehow managed to get a return coupon for taking weapons to the aircraft.. Indeed, we managed to pack our three weapons to one suitcase after taking them into smaller pieces. Anyway, the airlines threatened us with times higher taxes. At the same time, Rivo insisted us to rent a small yellow Italian car for local driving. So I did.
After landing in Milan, the local police were very interested about suitcase. Nevertheless, after thorough checking we were free to look for car rental. A lady in the car rental after identification of the gang, finally found a car we had been booked. - Lancia Ypsilon. She looked at the papers, looked at us, looked at papers again, and us…. I have never seen before that one can make sooooo big eyes. Rivo and Kristo are not just short guys. Then she asked whether we had some luggage. We showed our luggage including our super suitcase with guns (fortunately she didn’t know the content). The even bigger eyes covered her whole face … and she offered us a list of other cars – for more money, of course. Freaks as we are, we remained to our booked yellow one. The next step always accompanies with attractive offers. Then she tried to convince us to take some additional insurance as the current self-liability was € 3,000 (hey, it's 2/3 from the price of that car!), in addition, there are many thieves and dangerous drivers – you are in Italy! No, not this time. We left without multiplying the rental price. Then a presentation of existing damages on the car were introduced and we were free to go.
Well, the car was an experience.. First, it was not yellow. Second, if Kristo would have been lying next to the car, he would seemed to be as long as the car.. Third, the width was not a problem – there wasn’t any. But there were many traces and scratches on the car.. Back to the lady, who had resized her eyes to normal. After she made the corrections to the booking papers (about the scratches and traces on the car) and was just keeping hoping that my credit card holds its value. The suitcase fitted to the car precisely ... when I was driving. Well, maybe I was the right person to drive in this crazy traffic – I can handle Italian temper well enough. Ok, driving, hotel and the receptionist, who, by the way, made as big eyes as the lady in the car rental, when she saw our car turning to the entry of the hostel, and sweet sleeping time could be started.
In addition to the typical ‘forever preserved’ breakfast components (bread, milk and pudding, that can be used for the whole month), we were offered even oranges and apples as well as qualitative capsule coffee machine and an opportunity to make fresh orange juice. Useful ... and speeds up digestion.
Shooting range was perfect -, we were just walking around with positively surprised faces. It was really cool there. We found there at least 10 trap ranges, for shoot as well skeet[K1] . Each trap was surrounded by glass walls and covered by roof. Thus, the spectators were not just separated, but they also had the competition possibility without violating their ears. View and maintenance were just excellent.
There were several rifle ranges - smaller and bigger ones as well as one for running boar. In the large range the target places in 100, 200, 300 and 400 m were equipped with cameras. There were 12 shooting places, all indoor and soundproof. Again, people behind the glass can enjoy the game in silence.
You could shoot only through a special hole, which was small enough eliminate a random shot. For fox shooting they installed a separate table where shooter could lay down. Each station was, of course, with own screen, where your results were presented immediately. Also, due to the hot climate, a compressed air was available – you could stick the barrel, open the tap and rifle cools down immediately. Running boar was quite simple construction, but still it enabled to see the results right after shooting.
Targets. European targets were smaller than originals. 200 m sheep - black shapes, with some visible circles on some copies (as I experienced on training), but on some copies the circles were visible only with using a magnifying glass (happened to me on competition). Ranking area 10.5 cm, 2 cm area for ten points. Fortunately or not, supporting the front of the gun was allowed (not using stick).
Moving boar circles for 50 m target were quite small, 10 was about 5 cm smaller than it is normally for ISSF shooters.. Whole target area was 27-30 cm - almost half less than in Estonia. For shooting it was allowed to put rifle to shoulder only after asking for a target, but before any request for a target and an additional verification had to be made, "ready", "ready", "give". Or in local language: "pronto" from shooter, "pronto" from referee. If there was no checking ‘pronto’, no run started. Finally, the day was closed with an opening ceremony with a presentation of a trick shooter. Probably it wasn’t a day for ticks – only 50% were successful..
We continued the day in the old town of Bergamo searching for a new hotel and parking options followed by meeting with my colleague. Sergio made corrections to his weekend plans and spent the evening with us and introducing to us Italy, but also Estonia. We, Estonians, do not even notice that for many Europeans Estonia is clean and developed country where order rules and culture is highly enjoyable. One admires our progress and technology, at the same time in home country only stagnation is noticed...
But we know Italy as a country of culture and the cradle of culture rather mafia for Italians, also they rather see disorganization, corruption and the nasty immigrant's paradise and dirty the place to live. When we look at the ruins and old houses we saw a cradle of culture, Italians see dangerous places. When we enjoy Italian food Italians see disorganization, which hides the true Italian kitchen. Anyway, despite the country was shown us from another side of a coin, we still enjoyed Italy..
On the first day of the competition, shooting began exactly at 9 am (no confusion with start time!) with boar targets.. My competitor number was 13J I reminded the scary small size of the boar target - first series included 6, 8, etc. ... why it has to be so hard??? Rivo and Kristo had better series. Only 4 shots were half of the exercise! We thought we could walk around a bit, but then discovered that we soon need to shoot 200 m targets. An Italian type of mess was still missing! This exercise was a light disaster for us – we were not prepared to see dark grey circles on black background on 200m… - this time our gut feeling was shooting. In the result of that guess, quite a number of shots were outside the circles. Damn, we should have been looked at the targets more carefully before the competition ... should … Second shooting on 200 m was a bit better outcome, but obviously this distance requires more efforts on loading and releasing. In some later discussions it was discovered that different weather conditions require different solutions. A wisdom for next time. 8 shots and the whole exercise. In case of even, the density of shots matters.
After that it was time for our second chance for moving target. The shooter number 13 managed to keep Re required level, Rivo made also nice series, but not the same happened to Kristo. Results: running boar - , Rivo first, me seventh, Kristo was 17th. In 200 m but forget about our places - Einars became the second!.
Leaving the shooting range, there was a garage and next to that a restaurant – in the middle of nowhere! Despite our doubts were peeking in into the restaurant and ended up with a warm welcome by the ownerJ After all, we were his guests and we were most welcomed to go inside. Some wine? We have today ... Ahhh, what a food, but whatever, let’s try.. Ham and salami, followed by excellent ravioli, medium cooked horse meat, a good dessert and espresso. Everything for € 10 per person ... If anyone happens to go there around, you MUST go in and try the food.
Further on that day, we tested Lancia on the highways, visited weapons museum and Brescia castle. In highway, at 140 km/h Rivo had closed his eyes on fear. At 160 km/h I released the gas as the feeling of car collapse from vibrations was getting stronger and stronger. The castle was great and old, tons of armours and development of guns from swords until rifles of 1900s were exhibited, leaving aside the bows, cross bows and stone-throwing machine guns. Developing and inventing is still very complicated - we also saw strange inventions like 3 m long barrelled gun and the widening gun tube from cartoons. Exciting. Armed cocks mechanism, where the roosters on one axis, one after the other – what kind of mysterious gun it should it be?
An evening walk in Bergamo and convincing that no vacant places for three Estonian guys were foreseen at that night.. Finally, we found one pizzeria and not very friendly faces of Rivo and Kristo when I was insisting them to go further and test some new beers. Previous tests were passed as 1:3 – one beer of three was good, others … sorry.
The second day of the competition started with my favourite exercise – standing targets. The first three targets were ok, but the boar, damn boar. I haven’t had this kind of vibration in my hands for ages – I hardly managed to keep the shape of the cross on the boar target - even eight seemed too small. Scary. Finally 153 from 160. Rivo got 158! Wow!. After the first round, we were among the top three - Rivo, Einars, me and Kristo was close enough. The second round was better, but still, I didn’t manage to get proper result. Second round was completed as Rivo, me and the rest. In fact, Kristo got a very good result - 5th place! By the end of a day, Rivo, who didn’t want to come over all, made a very good result – he won two exercises from three!
In total an Italian Paolo Pozzati won the competition, Rivo was second, Einars third, me fifth and Kristol ninth. It took a while before final ceremony started. Rivo were given three really big trophies as he would need a separate suitcase for them. Thank you, Sergio for helping us to organise these trophies to Estonia!
The afternoon led us to one of Sergio’s top five local pizza restaurants. We left our Lancia to his place and accommodated all of us into his car – two tall rabbits were sitting into back – the rally could begin - driving with 70-90 km/h in city and ‘slightly’ more on roads. We stopped in a big parking place in the middle of nowhere right after the feeling that finally we found a place with no human being in this country… Great pizza, nice company led us quickly into a very late of the night – why we had to leave already early in the morning?
After a slight adventure back to the hostel, noticing
representatives of the oldest profession
through the car window, we finally reached the hostel. Done with packing puzzle,
we finally fall sleep – we had 2,5 hours left for sleeping.
Oops, wrong alarm - after quick breakfast and wakeup coffee I realised that I woke up one hour earlier ..
time zones...
Back at the airport, we experienced natural Italian reaction on our guns – “oh, the guns, you know how much trouble it is, what paperwork it requires!!” But the lady herself was really helpful and nice – a small panic was just her style to talk to usJ
Change of flights in Frankfurt, 9 o'clock morning sausages with beer (have you made your morning drinking already?) and soon we landed in Estonia. Again, weapons together with all other luggage’s, but Estonian customs already knew that Estonians are rather decent with their weapons.
Back at the airport, we experienced natural Italian reaction on our guns – “oh, the guns, you know how much trouble it is, what paperwork it requires!!” But the lady herself was really helpful and nice – a small panic was just her style to talk to usJ
Change of flights in Frankfurt, 9 o'clock morning sausages with beer (have you made your morning drinking already?) and soon we landed in Estonia. Again, weapons together with all other luggage’s, but Estonian customs already knew that Estonians are rather decent with their weapons.
[K1]Kaevikrada
ja kaarrada?
