MLAIC 2024: Results of the 30th World Muzzle loading Championship held from 27 to 31 August in Valeggio sul Mincio, Italy

The 30th Muzzle Loading Shooting World Championship that took place in Valeggio sul Mincio, near Verona, Italy, officially ended on 31 August 2024. It had been more than twenty years since the international competition was held in Italy, and the eyes of the world were all focused on the firing lines of the shooting range located in an area that is considered the cradle of Italian Risorgimento.

CNDA President Gianmario Delvò was at the forefront throughout the event, which was applauded by all present for its excellent organisation.

Expectations were therefore very high, but the organisation by the CNDA, the Confederazione nazionale degli archibugieri (the Italian National Arquebusiers' Association), was extremely efficient, garnering the applause of shooters and accompanying persons. Only the scorching temperatures during the competition days (30°C on average with peaks around 40°C) created some problems for the shooters and staff. CNDA President Gianmario Delvò wanted to thank "all the CNDA staff who accompanied me, supported me and put up with me in this wonderful adventure and thanks to Marco Pasini for always believing in it, together with me, against everything and everyone. I am extremely satisfied with how the event was managed, the staff was essential to win the bet. I hope that the goal achieved by the CNDA can relaunch the arquebusier movement in Italy. We also achieved significant results from a competitive point of view despite many shooters also being involved in the organization".

The World Championship took place over four days, from Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 August, 2024. Around 500 shooters from almost 30 countries took part in the various competitions: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA.

Germany racks up medals and sets two new records

Part of the Valeggio range housed the delegations' tents, often the only defence against the scorching sun. Here is the Swiss area.

Germany dominated the championship, winning 31 gold medals (19 individual), followed by Switzerland with 12 medals, while France had six, Spain five and Slovakia four.

A stunning performance for German Matthias Plöscher, world champion in Mariette with 98 and Remington Replica, an event combining Colt or Mariette or Donald Malson, enhanced by a world record of 187 points (98+89). He is almost 9 points ahead of the second placed, Pole Maksym Zukow (178), and the other German Lucas Muller (178).

The volunteers were crucial to the success of such a complex world championship. Security was always at the highest level.

Plöscher has won four pistol titles, is 46 years old and has been shooting since childhood with air rifles. "At some point my uncle gave me an old Italian muzzle-loading revolver and my passion for muzzle loading was born, thirteen years ago. Now I use an original Swiss Prelat revolver in Vevey". He lives near Munich and shoots mainly at the Landsberg shooting range. "I also like modern guns and go hunting. I had also won at the World Championship in Pforzheim, but this year was perfect. Maybe because I was sweaty and dirty... I intensified my training even to five times a week in the last three months."

In the combined Remington event reserved for original guns, victory again went to Germany's Andreas Wimmer with 175 points (93+82) over Canada's Brian Lacroix at 171 (90+81) and Austria's Günther Kolb at 165 (90+75).

Among the many personalities who stopped by the Pedersoli booth to say hello was Eddie Davenport, winner of the American TV series "Mountain Man: Ultimate Marksman". Here we see him posing with a Pedersoli Swiss Match identical to the one he uses in the show.

Second in the Mariette event was Sweden's Ronnie M. Ljungvall (98) and third the Czech Josef Forman (96). In the hard-fought team classification, that is Peterlongo, Poland ahead of Portugal with the same score of 277 points with thirteen 10s against nine, Germany third with 276.

As far as rifles are concerned, the news is that there is a podium without Germans: Switzerland places Adrian Eichelberger, with 98 and a world record equalled, on the top step of the Lamarmora Original event, 50-m percussion rifle, ahead of the Spaniard José Ramòn Galàn Talens (96) and the Hungarian Balasz Nemeth (95).

In the team competition, known as Königgrätz, Swiss victory with 271 points over France and Germany (266). In the same event with replica guns, Germany immediately re-established its rule: first was Michael Sturm, with 97, over multiple champion Andreas Wimmer with 96 and Czech Martin Zurek with 95. Andrea Vicini of Italy was sixth, with 294, and the team was also sixth, with Vicini himself, Mauro Pesavento (89) and Leonardo Nicoli (88). In this team classification, which includes Original and Replica and is called Enfield, Switzerland managed to dominate with 285 over Germany at 277 and Spain at 273.

In the Maximilian Replica, six German shooters took the top six places with Michael Sturm (94) ahead of Leonhard Brader (93), and Peter Käpernick (92).

In the Maximilian Replica, flintlock rifles with a spherical ball at 100 meters, six Germans took the top six places with Michael Sturm (94) ahead of Leonhard Brader (93), and again Käpernick (92) for the medals. In the specific team classification, called Lucca, victory by a wide margin for Germany at 276, over Spain at 248 and Austria at 243.

In the Maximilian event with original rifles, a Swiss victory for Herbert Grad (89) over Germany's Alfred Bailer (86) and Great Britain's Jon Harper Smith (86); Italy's Graziano Cattaneo twelfth with 81. In the corresponding team ranking, called Wedgnock, Switzerland at 257, over Germany at 248 and Great Britain at 243.

In the women's events, the Walkyrie Replica was won by Germany's Tanja Eichert (96), over France's Véronique Tissier (95) and the other German Ute Gretz (95); the Walkyrie Original was won by Britain's Helen Harper Smith (94), over Spain's Nunci Rodriguez SanJosé (92) and Brazil's Luciane Cortezao (89). The team classification comprising the two events, called Amazons, saw the Germans win at 285 over the French at 284 and the Poles at 261.

Also among the events dominated by the Germans was the Tanegashima Replica with Sturm, a three-time world champion now, and the very young Kilian Fichtl, both on 100 points with a 2 mm narrower shot for Sturm. Third was the German Thomas Baumhakl at 98. Nagashino is the name of the corresponding team ranking, won by Germany at 292, over Switzerland at 282 and France at 281. In the Tanegashima Original, like the previous one with ball-shooting matchlock guns at 50 m, victory for Britain's Jon Harper Smith over Sweden's Johan Karlsson and Germany's Leonhard Brader, all at 94.

Young German shooter Kilian Fichtl equalled the world record of 100 points in the Whitworth Replica event. Left: Tanja Eichert, first in the Walkyrie Replica.

Of note was the victory with a world record equalled by 100 points by the young German Kilian Fichtl in the Whitworth Replica discipline over compatriot Leonhard Brader (99) and Austria's Hubert Gierlinger (98). Fichtl repeated in the junior event with 94, however, which was enough to overcome French athlete Céleste Fleury Bouge (91) and Austrian Max Grasserbauer (88). Fichtl is 21 years old and resides in Hausham, south of Munich, also shoots 10m air rifle and is a trained industrial mechanic.

In the Cominazzo Original, flintlock smoothbore pistols shot at 25 meters, the winner is the Swiss Andreas Holdener with 88 points and four 10s, second the Spaniard Ricardo Guillén Doz at 88, but with one 10 less, third the Briton Shaun Twomey with 85. Antonio Ferrerio is eighth with 80.

The relevant team classification, called Egg, goes to Spain with 245 points ahead of Switzerland with 243 and the USA with 235.

The stunning groupimg with which German Reiner Holla set a new world record in the Minié Replica event, shooting a Wuerttembergischen Mauser rifle by Pedersoli.

In the Minié Replica, yet another German victory with an amazing world record of 99 (the previous one was 97) by Reiner Holla; second was Finland's Timo Aulis Nääthänen Lihavainen at 96 and third was France's Noël Risch at 94.

French victory in the Miquelet Original thanks to Philippe Martinant with 95, second place for Sweden's Johan Karlsson (94) and third place for Norway's Oddvar Deberitz (92). The corresponding team classification, known as the Gustav Adolf, is the prerogative of Germany (270), which is 8 points ahead of Norway (262) and 10 ahead of Sweden (260).

German shooter Sabrina Rager, gold medallist in the Manton Replica clay target event.

Victory for young German Sabrina Rager in the Manton Replica clay tartget event, with 46 out of 50, ahead of Hungarian Tamas Dobos (42) and Frenchman Bruno Descombin (40)

It was again Slovakian Stefan Ernst who won the Cominazzo Replica event with a score of 94, over German Lucas Müller (93) and the other German Ralf Strobel (92). In the Wogdon team classification it was still Germany with 274, overtaking the Slovakian Republic with 263 and Belgium with 255.

The Pennsylvania event, with flintlock rifles at 50 meters, in the Original competition rewarded Germany's Raimund Zellner with a score of 94, ahead of Switzerland's Roland Frei (93). Italian Sergio Magnani with 92 put the bronze medal around his neck. Michael Sturm won the Pennsylvania Replica event with 99 points and a tighter grouping than compatriot Thomas Baumhakl; third was France's Anaïs Terpoorter (96).

The Original and Replica team classification, named Kossuth, sees France with 284 over Germany at 283 and Hungary at 275.

American shooter Terry Townsend engaged in muzzle loading clay target shooting.

The Hizadai discipline is shot in kneeling position with smoothbore guns at 50 meters. Among shooters firing in the Original event, the winner is Britain's Jon Harper Smith with 96 points, over Sweden's Johann Karlsson at 95 and Austria's Peter Kanzler at 94. The Hibuta team classification is the prerogative of Great Britain with 262 points over Austria with 259 and Sweden with 256.

Gold again for Sturm with 100, a world record equalled, with the Hizadai Replica, ahead of Switzerland's Hans-Peter Rüfenacht, who also scored 100 points, with a slightly wider grouping, and third was France's Mathieu Ducellier with 98. In the Hinawa discipline team ranking, Switzerland won with 291 points over Germany at 289 and France at 286.

It is again the Swiss Adrian Eichelberger, former Lamarmora Original champion, who wins the Whitworth Original event with a score of 98, ahead of the other Swiss Hans-Peter Rüfenacht and the German Raimund Zellner, both with 97. Eichelberger won five gold medals, two of them individual, is 28 years old and started muzzleloading when he was 14.

German victory again in the Rigby competition, which includes Original and Replica Whitworths, with 294 points against 288 from Austria and Spain, second and third in the number of 10.

In the Original Minié, again a Swiss victory, with Roland Frei at 95, over German Thomas Baumhakl at 93 with four 10s and the other Swiss Adrian Eichelberger again at 93 but with one 10 less.

The team classification of the Original Minié, named Pauly, is won by Switzerland with 289 points over Germany with 273 and France with 261.

The Versailles ranking includes the combination of the team rankings Pauly (Miniè O, prone at 100 meters) and Gustav Adolf (Michelet O, standing at 50 meters). Victory for Germany with 543, over Switzerland and France at 515, but ranked in the order of 10s achieved.

In the Lorenzoni Replica clay target competition, victory went to Hungary's Tamas Dobos with 45/50 (23+22), over Dutchman Nap Bollemeijer at 44+3 and Frenchman Bruno Descombin at 44+2.

Lorenzoni's Batesville team ranking is the prerogative of Spain with 128 over the USA at 120 and Germany at 119.

Nineteen-year-old Marco Pasolini is the future of Italian muzzle loading rifle shooting. He won the silver medal in the Kuchenreuter Youth and in Mariette Youth events.

As for the non-MLAIC disciplines, bronze and an Italian record for young Marco Pasolini, with a score of 90 (the previous one was 88) in Barsanti that is the same as Kuchenreuter, in all variations, but at 50 meters. The young shooter went home with three medals, a result that is unparalleled for the Italian team. Victory for the German Markus Wörnle with 94 and second place for the Czech Josef Forman at 91.

In the Smith & Wesson 25-meter, pre-1890 free revolver, metallic cartridge, victory for Spaniard Martin Morales Laguna (135) over compatriot Ricardo Guillén Doz (134) and Finland's Jukka Päärnila (131); a good fourth place for Italian MLAIC representative Antonio Ferrerio with 128.

The Trapper event, rifles of all types at 50 meters standing, was won by Sweden's Johan Karlsson with 89, second USA's Eugene Kinnel (88), third the Hungarian András Biter (86). US victory in Zouave, rifle of caliber larger than 13.5 mm at 100 meters, by Ed Schneeman with 94 over the Hungarian Balász Nemeth (92) and the Norwegian Oddvar Deberitz (88).

Gerda Lejeune, newly elected MLAIC General Secretary.

Gerda Lejeune, newly elected MLAIC General Secretary, at the conclusion of the World Championship said: “The shooting range was well set up, comfortable, with excellent services and general cleanliness, despite the great heat. The organization was more than up to par. There could have been more shooters, at least a hundred, but the economic situation certainly didn’t help”. The Dutchwoman, a muzzle loading shooter since 1985, is happy with the results: “Above all with the young people who competed. We decided to have them shoot both in their specialties and integrated with the Seniors, to offer them more opportunities”.

Muzzle-loading replicas: Pedersoli shines above the rest

The Davide Pedersoli stand was a focal point for shooters and enthusiasts from all over the world.

A final note for the success of the Italian replicas: out of 1,273 performances, no less than 443 were achieved using guns made by Davide Pedersoli (with numerous victories) and 67 by the other sponsor of the Championship, specialising in pistols, Uberti. Pedersoli's booth at the Valeggio sul Mincio range was a real crossroads for shooters and enthusiasts throughout the championship. Other technical sponsors of the event included Conarmi, F.A.I.R., EOS, Nosparo, Farmacare-Nonoise, Tanfoglio and Uberti.

To conclude, the excellent work of the press office curated by Massimo Vallini (VIDEO), who guided us through the complex maze of the numerous rankings, and the very high level of catering by Bologna chef Mauro Fabbri, co-owner of the famous restaurant Diana in Bologna. Fabbri and his staff surprised and amazed the shooters with a menu dedicated to traditional Italian cuisine, and even baked pizzas using a field oven (VIDEO).

The next international muzzle loading event is next year in Barcelos, Portugal, where the European Championship will be held, while in 2026 the next World Championship will be held in Eisenstadt, Austria.