On Thursday 8th December in Uherský Brod was held a traditional evening during which the shooters in the colours of Česká zbrojovka looked back and evaluated this year’s shooting season. And the word traditional is undoubtedly the right one, as such meeting has been held since 1998 for the thirteenth time. The importance of this event underscored the presence of the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Česká zbrojovka a.s. Mr. Ing. Tadeáš Kufa, CSc. and the Commercial Director of Česká zbrojovka a.s. Ing. Ladislav Britaňák.
And what are the tangible results in different parts of the shooting programme?
Shooting a pistol under the rules of IPSC
2011 was a true test and it culminated by the IPSC World Shoot held in the Greek island of Rhodes.
Video WORLD SHOOT XVI Rhodes, Greece
The progress of shooters from Česká zbrojovka to the World Shoot went through competitions carried out on four continents: the shooters of this team were shooting in Europe, Latin America, Asia and North America. The intensive preparations led them to countries as are USA, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Canada, Poland, Serbia, Argentina, Austria, Greece, Hungary, Denmark, Slovakia, New Zealand, Russia, France, Spain, Republic of South Africa, Thailand and Philippines. It is worth noting that they not only competed, but as was always expected from them, everywhere they went were always seen on winners’ pedestal. With such achievements, which are augmented by outstanding results the shooters from Team CZ Shooting cannot be overlooked in the world arena of practical shooting! It should be also emphasized that most of the shooters involved in the pistol programme of Team CZ Shooting are current national champions of their respective countries - namely the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia. All Česká zbrojovka shooters are also full members of named countries national teams of practical shooting.
The results achieved by shooters and firearms made by Česká zbrojovka were not left without response and unnoticed by the shooting community wherever were the CZUB shooters present and winning. They became the model for many, and so since 2004 throughout the world proliferate shooters who switched from competition to firearms made by Česká zbrojovka. Thus forming a new phenomenon when regional CZ teams began to emerge equipped with firearms from Česká zbrojovka and shooting in colours of CZ Team. Some of these international CZ shooters have even become medallists, and that not only on continental championships, but as well on championships of the world.
At the World Shoot the shooters of Team CZ Shooting together with members of CZ regional teams won or participated at winning 8 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze medals.
Zdeněk Heneš, Andrej Hrnčiarik (2), Team USA Production (half of the members consisted of CZ-USA shooters), Junior Team Russia - Production (similarly half of the members consisted of Team CZ Alliance Russia shooters), Ladies Team Russia - Production (half of the members consisted of Team CZ Alliance Russia shooters), Ljubiša Momčilovič - Shoot-Off Production,MUDr. Miroslav Kameníček (Shoot – Off, Senior Open)
Team CZ Standard, Team CZ Production Slovakia, Sara Dunivin - Team USA Production Ladies, Pavel Torgašov – Team CZ Russia – Junior
MUDr. Miroslav Kameníček – Open Division Seniors, Mathew Mink – Team CZ-USA, Production Men, Jorge, Ma Inez - Team Philippines - Production Ladies, Zdeněk Heneš - Team CZ Modified, Sara Dunivin – Team CZ USA, Div. Production Ladies.
Attention should be drawn also to another significant fact. And this is increased commercial interest in pistol models as are CZ 75 TS Czechmate, CZ 75 TS, CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow and CZ 75 P-07 Duty. On the Rhodes World Shoot more than 90 per cent (!) from more than 390 participating shooters of PRODUCTION Division used products made by Česká zbrojovka. And that is a huge number of which must be proud not only the shooters but all the staff of CZUB, who made these pistols!
Shotgun disciplines
Extending our shooting programme by Olympic shooting disciplines was a step in the right direction. After three years of this programme operation it can be stated that the shotgun programme got under way very well and it works.
The season of 2011 was in the light of the results achieved so far the best for Ivo Hilšer, a young shooter in the SKEET discipline. He gave an outstanding performance on his first major international competition – the World Cup in Beijing, where he ended on the overall 6th place and narrowly missed his nomination to the Olympic Games in 2012. He also kept very well outside the main competition in the World Cup in Maribor, Slovenia, where he repeated his Beijing score. A successful season of 2011 was then crowned by the title of the Champion of the Czech Republic.
Unfortunately, the other shooters were much less successful. Mr. Miroslav Matějík is assessing this year’s season rather as an average. At the Championship of the Czech Republic held in August he attained 6th place, one stand better he was at the Czech Cup. However, it should be mentioned that in July 2011 he achieved 1st place at the Czech Cup in Brno. This year’s season did not come up to intentions of Česká zbrojovka´s shooting representation managers. This could be also said about František Hondl, who failed neither at the European Championship nor at World Championship at the Hunters Parkour.
Production of new sniper rifles in Česká zbrojovka was a stimulus even to formation of sniper’s team. It operates since 2005 and during its activities within the Czech Republic attained a very good results. Sniper shooters from the Team CZ are also actively involved in the development of the new CZ sniper rifle.
Photogallery
.jpg "Photogallery - The Year with Glossy Medals")
Although the shooting events calendar for 2012 is still in the making, primarily handgun shooters await exceptional race that is going to be held in the Czech Republic, Serbia and Greece. It will be a competition “Triple Crown Extreme Series“, where the winner will be announced only after shooting 90 stages and when shooting more than 1,500 rounds. It will be a race like no other, putting under a huge test of endurance handguns, their ammunition and all shooters.
Long-term outstanding results of Team CZ Shooting would not be possible to achieve without the support of Česká zbrojovka and its top managers. Finally, also all regular sponsors deserve much of our appreciation, as well as donators, who contributed to the Czech Shooting Foundation, the founder of which is Česká zbrojovka a.s.
