Gianluca Chetcuti claimed victory in this year’s edition of the Gorg Bugeja Memorial Grand Prix, a Trap shooting event held over two days at the Qormi Clay Shooting Club. Each participant shot at 125 qualifying targets, with the top scorers advancing to the final stages.
Emmanuel Bugeja secured second place overall, while Brian Galea placed third. The competition attracted several high-level shooters, all aiming for the prestigious title in honour of Gorg Bugeja.
The six finalists, based on their qualification scores and subsequent shoot-offs, were: Gianluca Chetcuti (119/125), James Jr Galea (113/125), Emmanuel Bugeja (110/125 +2 in shoot-off), Brian Galea (110/125 +1+0+6 in shoot-off), Mario Buhagiar (110/125 +1+0+5 in shoot-off), and Jean Pierre Coleiro (108/125).
Following the final rounds, the event concluded with the following results:
1st – Gianluca Chetcuti (47/50),
2nd – Emmanuel Bugeja (41/50),
3rd – Brian Galea (29/40),
4th – Mario Buhagiar (27/35),
5th – Jean Pierre Coleiro (22/30),
6th – James Jr Galea (15/25).
In terms of class rankings, Chetcuti also topped Class A, followed by James Jr Galea and Brian Galea. In Class B, Stephen Vella took first place, with Philip Camilleri and Roderick Vella close behind. Class C was led by Paul Formosa, with Hubert Baldacchino and Abiel Cassar rounding off the top three.
The best two shooters from each class who did not qualify for the final took part in Barrage B, a 25-target single-shot round. Paul Formosa (Class C) emerged victorious after a shoot-off, finishing with 19/25. He was followed by Ryan Bugeja (Class A), also with 19/25, and Stephen Vella (Class B) with 17/25. Other participants included Rennie Deguara (15/25), Roderick Vella (15/25), and Hubert Baldacchino (14/25).
Chetcuti’s dominance extended to the daily scores, achieving 69/75 on the first day and a perfect 50/50 on the second. These results further cemented his position as the event’s standout performer.
In the additional categories, John Marmara topped the Veterans division, while Ryan Bugeja was recognised as the Best Junior Shooter of the event.
The next Trap shooting competition on the local calendar is the MSSF Trap Competition 50+50+25 (T3), which is scheduled to take place on 20 July 2025 at the Southern Shooting Club in Ħal Far.
