Gay Games VIII organizers in Cologne, Germany, announced today that Sport Shooting has been added to the official Sports Program for Gay Games VIII Sports & Cultural Festival. Extremely popular in the host country of Germany, this will mark the first time that any shooting sport has been offered in the history of the Gay Games.
Air Rifle (10 meter) and Air Pistol (10 meter), both sport shooting disciplines offered in the Olympic Games, will be fired at the Cologne Gay Games in 2010. Air Rifle and Air Pistol disciplines will be offered for both men and women. Consistent with international rules, women will fire 40 rating shots in a period of 75 minutes while men will fire 60 shots within 105 minutes. Shots are fired standing free-hand, with the athletes standing without leaning and artificial support. Official rules and schedule will be posted at www.games-cologne.com starting July 2008.
"We received many requests to add sport shooting," said Games Cologne Sports Director Karl-Heinz Schmitz. "We were surprised at how many lesbian and gay athletes, especially in Germany, wanted us to include the sport at Gay Games VIII. Assured of demand, we have added the sport." The German Shooters Federation (Deutscher Schützenbund/DSB) is the fourth largest German sports association with 1.6 million members and almost 15,000 local shooting clubs. Sport shooting is extremely popular in other parts of Europe.
Sports Shooting completes the sports program for Gay Games VIII, now to include 34 sports: Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Billiards, Bodybuilding, Bowling, Chess, Cycling, Dance Sport, Diving, Field Hockey, Figure Skating, Golf, Handball, Ice Hockey, Inline Speed Skating, Martial Arts, Powerlifting, Road Races incl. Marathon, Sailing, Soccer (Football), Softball, Sport Climbing, Sport Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Wrestling.
Air Rifle (10 meter) and Air Pistol (10 meter), both sport shooting disciplines offered in the Olympic Games, will be fired at the Cologne Gay Games in 2010. Air Rifle and Air Pistol disciplines will be offered for both men and women. Consistent with international rules, women will fire 40 rating shots in a period of 75 minutes while men will fire 60 shots within 105 minutes. Shots are fired standing free-hand, with the athletes standing without leaning and artificial support. Official rules and schedule will be posted at www.games-cologne.com starting July 2008.
"We received many requests to add sport shooting," said Games Cologne Sports Director Karl-Heinz Schmitz. "We were surprised at how many lesbian and gay athletes, especially in Germany, wanted us to include the sport at Gay Games VIII. Assured of demand, we have added the sport." The German Shooters Federation (Deutscher Schützenbund/DSB) is the fourth largest German sports association with 1.6 million members and almost 15,000 local shooting clubs. Sport shooting is extremely popular in other parts of Europe.
Sports Shooting completes the sports program for Gay Games VIII, now to include 34 sports: Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Billiards, Bodybuilding, Bowling, Chess, Cycling, Dance Sport, Diving, Field Hockey, Figure Skating, Golf, Handball, Ice Hockey, Inline Speed Skating, Martial Arts, Powerlifting, Road Races incl. Marathon, Sailing, Soccer (Football), Softball, Sport Climbing, Sport Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Wrestling.
