One Heck of an Event | 2024 World FITASC Championship
Aug 01, 2024
Inside the 2024 FITASC World Championship: A Shooter's Paradise
The FITASC World Championship is one of the most prestigious shooting events in the world, and this year, it was held just two and a half hours away from us. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to see what all the excitement was about, and we're thrilled we did.
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What is FITASC?
For those unfamiliar with FITASC, it stands for "Federation Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse," and it is an international form of Sporting Clays. Don't worry, we couldn't pronounce it either. We'll stick to FITASC. This prestigious discipline is often referred to as English Sporting Clays. Competitors from around the world participate in FITASC, which many consider the "Formula 1" of clay shooting.
This championship event rotates between locations in the United States and Europe. In 2025, the championship will be held in Cyprus, an island south of Turkey. This year’s event was at Game Unlimited near Hudson, Wisconsin, just 160 miles from home. Probably the closest it will ever be to us in our lifetime so we had to make the trip.
The Venue: Game Unlimited
Set on over 700 acres of rolling hills and a mix of woods and fields, Game Unlimited Hunting Club was an exceptional host location. The property was a shooter’s paradise, with eight parcours, three sporting courses, make-or-break, a vendor village, and a helice ring, which we had the pleasure of shooting for the first time. If you're unfamiliar with any of these terms, keep reading, or check out the video to learn more!
Opening Ceremonies and March of Nations
The evening before the shoot, opening ceremonies and the March of Nations took place. Shooters from 47 states and 33 countries were represented, with only those who made their national teams participating in the March of Nations. Over 1,000 shooters participated in this competition. Fun fact: Australia was second to only the United States when it came to the number of participants. That is a LONG way to travel - All for the love of the game and a chance at possibly the most prestigious title in shotgun shooting.
We quickly realized we would encounter some of the world’s best shooters. Team USA Olympian Derrick Mein was among the first we met. He mentioned, “This is one of my favorite events of the year, so I try not to miss it.” Mein just competed in the International trap finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics finishing in 5th place.
We also saw notable shooters like Zach Kienbaum, Abel Spire, Cameron Hicks, Cory Kruse, and our friend Travis Mears. They all shared their insights and experiences, emphasizing the unique and challenging nature of these FITASC targets. One shooter said, "You have to bring your world-level game because these are world-level targets being thrown."
Understanding FITASC
In simple terms, FITASC is a version of Sporting Clays with some key differences. Shooters compete on courses called parcours, each consisting of different shooting stations known as pegs. Each parcour has 25 targets. Shooters must stay within a designated hoop and can't mount their gun until the target is seen. The event is highly formal with strict rules, and the shooters' performances are judged by referees at each peg. At the World FITASC events, shooters tackle two parcours a day for four days, totaling 200 targets. The shooter with the highest score at the end of the four days wins the prestigious title of the World FITASC Sporting Champion. The last American to win the open class was Anthony Matarese Jr. in 2020.
The Helice Ring
Besides the main event, there were plenty of side games. One standout was the helice ring, where I had the chance to try out a Kreighoff K80. Helice, also known as ZZ bird shooting, is a unique and challenging shooting game that simulates live bird shooting using plastic, mechanical targets that spin in the air. The targets, called "ZZ birds," are made of two plastic wings attached to a central piece, which is released at random from one of five traps. The release, and flight path are completely unpredictable making this a very challenging game. Shooters must drop the target within a circular arena, and break the central piece away from the wings. The erratic flight patterns of the ZZ birds make Helice shooting a highly demanding test of a shooter's reflexes, accuracy, and anticipation skills. It's also a TON of fun.
Homebase/Vendor Village
The vendor village featured a range of premier vendors showcasing high-end shotguns. Among the standout pieces were the Zoli shotguns starting around $15,000 and a Blaser shotgun priced just over $22,000. It was a treat to handle these awesome shotguns. It's also a dangerous game to be playing when it comes to our goal of shooting and reviewing every shotgun out there. Day one ended with socializing and refreshments, courtesy of Minnesota Horse and Hunt. This was an excellent opportunity to catch up with competitors and learn from their experiences. Talking to people from all around the world was such a unique learning opportunity. It's not every day that you can interact with people who share a common passion from all around the globe.
Conclusion
After four days and nearly a million rounds fired, the 2024 FITASC World Championship concluded. Zachary Kienbaum emerged as the champion, with Anthony Matarese Jr. as the runner-up, and Portuguese shooter Joaquim Luis finishing in third place. It was an impressive display of skill and dedication from all participants. This was one of the most intriguing shoots we've ever experienced. Who knows, maybe next time, we'll try our hand at competing in the World FITASC Championship. Until then, remember, whether you're in the field or in life, you're only going to hit those shots that you're laser-focused on. So, live target-focused.
