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ISSF 2022

ICTSA Selection Policy – ISSF & ESC events, 2022

 

The mission of the National Executive Board of Directors, Irish Clay Target Shooting Association, is to support ICTSA High Performance athletes to achieve consistent international success at European, World and Olympic levels.

Establishment of the new High Performance Council (HPC) is the mechanism to take forward the ICTSA mission statement.

1. This policy updates and replaces the ‘Interim Policy’ published on 28th January 2022 and applies to both Senior & Junior events as listed below.

2. This policy will apply to both Olympic disciplines, Skeet & Trap. Using the same selection methodology for both disciplines, notwithstanding Skeet scores are usually higher in international competition, underpins the current and future development needs of Olympic disciplines in Ireland.

3. This policy remains valid for the remainder of the 2022 competition season and should be read in conjunction with the High Performance Pathway document published on 15th April 2022.

 

Relevant competitions –

i) World Cup, Changwon, South Korea (July)

ii) *European Championships, Larnaca, Cyprus (August) - includes Junior competition

iii) *World Championships, Osijeck, Croatia (September)

*The 2022 European (ECH) and World (WCH) Championships signal the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification period. There are 2 & 4 Olympic ‘Quota Places’ available, per event, at the ECH and WCH respectively (Skeet Men & Skeet Women; Trap Men & Trap Women).

 

The changes to the ISSF entry categories and Finals format for the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle have now been verified in writing on the ISSF website

• The ‘traditional’ Top 6 Final has been replaced with the Top 8 competing in 2 ‘relays’ of 4 athletes. 2 will go forward from each into a Top 4 Medal match.

• 2 additional athlete positions are available as ‘Ranking Points Only’ (RPO). This means they are in the competition proper but cannot progress to the Final Stages. These athletes will be awarded World/European Ranking points commensurate with their finishing position.

 

Team selection (3 athletes + 2 RPO athletes) will be made by the High Performance Council. This will be an objective assessment of Minimum Consideration Scores (MCS). These are best 2 verifiable, published results, achieved during the previous 12-month period e.g. 1st May 2021 to 1st May 2022. Going forward, this will continue to be a rolling 12-month period, June to June, July to July etc.

The ISSF qualification system for the Paris Olympics, 2024, restricts Quota Places being awarded to those in the Final 4 medal match. Athletes must therefore be able to demonstrate a level of performance capable of reaching the final stages at the highest levels of competition.

Minimum Consideration Score (MCS):

118 Men & 113 Women (MCS-1) - Should team places not be filled, consideration will be given to athletes who have achieved

115 Men & 110 Women (MCS-2)

MCS scores have been identified after objective assessment of results from the 4x ISSF World Cups, European Championships and Olympic Games during 2021, and the most recent World Championships, 2019.

They have then been assessed against the lowest relevant score required to meet the minimum Sport Ireland ‘Carding’ criteria for ‘International’ level. Those are as follows:

• Top 20 at the Olympic Games

• Top 20 at the World Championships

• Top 12 at the European Championships

• Top 10 at an ISSF World Cup

The lowest relevant score in any of these events was 118 Men & 113 Women.

 

A similar analysis was conducted for results required to qualify for the new ‘Top 8’ Final stages, or at least a shoot-off for same. These were 121 (Top 8) Men with and 116 (Top 8) Women.

Recognizing that Ireland suffers from adverse weather effects of the Atlantic Ocean, scores within the island of Ireland will be ‘adjusted’ by the ratio of 0.5 targets per round, 2.5 in total.

Rounding ‘adjusted’ scores (downward), is how the MCS-1 scores were established at 118 Men & 113 Women.

Similarly, by ‘adjusting’ the lowest relevant score to attain HP status, MCS-2 is assessed as 115 Men & 110 Women.

Given Ireland does not currently hold 125 target competitions on a routine basis, it is only fair, for the lifespan of this policy, the relevant percentage ex 100 targets will be deemed acceptable.

‘Adjusted’ scores, ex 100, are as follows:

a. Men – MCS-1 94 (118) & MCS-2 92 (115) 

b. Women – MCS-1 90 (113) & MCS-2 88 (110)

c. Junior – MCS 84 (105)

Selection system

Priority will be given to High Performance ‘Carded’ athletes which demonstrates best value use of public funds as awarded by Sport Ireland.

Tier 1 – Podium, then

Tier 2 – Podium potential

If team places remain unfilled, those from Tier 3 – HP potential, will be considered.

 

ISSF ‘Grand Prix’ events

Athletes wishing to represent Ireland at ISSF ‘Grand Prix’ events e.g. Konya, Turkey (May), Granada, Spain (June) & Almaty, Kazakhstan (July) must have obtained the minimum of 1x verifiable MCS-2, within the previous rolling 12 months, to be eligible to compete at these events.

Notes for guidance:

1. MCS standards are necessarily high to compete successfully in an increasingly professional sporting environment.

2. Raw’ score will always be preferred to ‘Adjusted’ score

    a. ISSF standard ‘course of fire’, 125 targets, over 2 or 3 days, then

    b. 125 targets on 1 day, then

    c. 100 targets on 1 day

3. ‘Adjusted’ scores are relevant, only if achieved on the island of Ireland.

4. Scores achieved external to Ireland, will not be ‘Adjusted’

 

Applications are invited from athletes who can evidence achievement of MCS-1 or MCS-2, including the ‘adjusted’ alternative.

 

This policy will be reviewed and updated, where necessary, for the 2023 season. Please find attached:

Appendix ‘A’ – Pro-forma, Competitions to be considered for

Appendix ‘B’ – Pro-forma, relevant MCS scores (rolling 12 months)

 

Jeffrey C. McCready High Performance Director, ICTSA

12th May 2022

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