2022 WORLD FITASC

BY HAYLYN HANKS

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to shoot the World FITASC? Follow me as I tell you about my travel experiences in the town of Orvieto while representing NSCA Team USA at the 2022 World FITASC Championships.

The ancient Roman town of Orvieto is nestled into the mountains in the region of Umbria, Italy. A full view of the mountain valley below reveals multiple vineyards, endless farmland with tractors bailing hay, and small villages scattered about. When driving from the airport in Rome, you never would have guessed this little gem of a town existed.

Disembarking our overnight flight from Charlotte to Rome, my family and I arrived Monday morning and then drove from Rome to Orvieto. Jet lag certainly set in while searching for our hotel, as we drove up the winding narrow roads in a steady climb into the Orvieto city limits. We rented a Renault SUV which barely squeezed between the buildings as the navigation system blared out directions. When all frustration and tiredness began to take over the entirety of the car, the roads opened to the front steps of one of the most beautiful churches that I have ever seen. The Duomo is one of the most intriguing staples of

this little town and is known by the locals as the Golden Lily of cathedrals, having taken three centuries to complete.

Of course, we could not stay long because we were in search of our hotel, which ended up being down the slopes of the mountain road. The weariness induced by the trip relieved us of any reservations about the appearance of our temporary home as we checked in and immediately sought sleep. After a desperately needed five-hour nap, we found ourselves hungry. Venturing into the lower town to search for a place to eat around five o’clock, we discovered that the restaurants in this region open from noon to three and from six to ten. Since the familiar drive thru restaurants were nowhere to be seen and the regular restaurants did not open for two more hours, we decided to return to the hotel in search of dining recommendations.

From the time my sister found out that she has Celiac disease, our family has adopted a gluten free lifestyle which significantly limited dining options in Italy. The man at the front desk offered to call his friend who owned one of the restaurants in town to see if gluten free options were available. Thankfully, the restauranteur agreed to help, preparing us gluten free pasta and pork. Pork was very popular in this region, being incorporated in various styles with most meals. We ordered a meat and cheese plate that happened to be served with bread. After discussion with friends and family that have travelled to Italy before, the verdict was that the wheat products in Italy are much easier digested than the preservativepacked dishes in the United States.

The next morning my family and I planned to take the bullet train into Rome for the day, but we decided to stay back and utilize that day as rest for my sister and practice for myself. When practice opened, shooting commenced in the bottom of the quarry and wound completely around into the mountain. The volume of people shooting that morning slowed down the practice process tremendously. More than twenty people waited urgently to step into the cage and take shots at targets lining the walls of the rock quarry we were in. The range looked as if it was out of a movie. The inner quarry looked like a giant bowl with machines situated one hundred yards away from the top of a cliff, or from the bottom of the quarry. The versatility of this practice range was impressive.

After a good three-hour practice, we returned to the hotel to enjoy the team dinner and solidify the plan was for the week. Each team member had entirely different ideas on how they were going to spend the next day before opening ceremonies. Some were off to see the city of Orvieto, others planned to hit the practice range for a chance to shoot. For me, after the chaos of practice that day, I knew that Wednesday would be my day to run tasks and work to get my mind off the week before me.

Wednesday morning was a busy one from the start. My dad and I took my mom and sister back to the airport to return to the US. Driving into Rome was beautiful, but the winding roads seemed endless. The road was steadily meandering until we ended up back at the range. After interviews with sponsors and meeting the European counterparts of the companies in the US, it was time to make preparations for the opening ceremonies.

Opening ceremonies unfolded on the front steps of the Duomo. We walked half a mile away to begin the parade route with the rest of the countries in attendance. The locals peered down from their apartments above the stores and boutiques to the people in matching suits and flags from different countries, puzzled at the sight. To my surprise, many tourists from the US came and asked questions about what exactly we were doing. After explaining to them that we were competing as the United States team for the 2022 World FITASC Championships, a sense of national pride came over them. The whole of the team stood proud at the foot

of the Duomo as we waited to retrieve our packets which contained squadding and shoot times.

I began the first day of competition on the Perazzi and Fiocchi/B&P courses. These two parcours were nestled on the edge of the cliffs and overlooking the trees and valley below. There is no feeling quite like putting your toes over the edge of a one hundred yard drop off and feeling your heart race. We may have encountered these target trajectories at some point in the US before, but the views are unmatched. The tension was high among the competitors on the peg and those waiting for the chance for glory.

After finishing that day of competition feeling confident in my shooting, we went back to the hotel. I learned very quickly that the air conditioning in Italy is almost nonexistent. We bought an oscillating tower fan to try and give our hotel room some airflow, but the temperature inside the room was no less than eighty degrees Fahrenheit. We asked the hotel staff if they somehow could lower the temperature or bring up another fan. They lowered the temperature to around seventythree degrees and brought another tower oscillating fan which cooled the room down tremendously. Just as we had achieved a more temperate room and were ready to get some rest, music started blaring loudly outside the hotel. Unbeknownst to us, a Rock and Beer Festival commenced right across the street and continued until one o’clock in the morning. The members at the team hotel all spoke of the concert the next morning at breakfast, as we laughed at the ironic timing of our stay.

The next two days of competition were very hit or miss for me. I shot the Beretta and Benelli parcours the second day, and the Zoli and Browning the third. Beretta and Benelli both were shot on the practice course, located at the bottom of the rock quarry and over the edge of cliff. I felt the nerves come on that day more than ever. On Benelli, I felt as if the gun and I were not one, but I was able to control those nerves and finish strong on Beretta. The Zoli and Browning parcours were in the open, on top of the quarry. No respite was available from the blazing heat on any part of those parcours. With limited shade and lack of water, dehydration could set in quickly. We bought an umbrella for shade, but the sun was persistent. Like the day before, my first par was not in sync, but I was able to pull through on the second.

We ate dinner that night at La

Buca Di Bacco inside the city of Orvieto. We had a meat and cheese board with different staple pieces from around the Umbria Region. The pasta was full of savory flavor that had the entire dinner table silent for the first time that night. We finished off the night at the Blue Bar. This little gem hosted our group with drinks and entertainment by the bartender who played the guitar. We watched locals scramble by, trying to get home before midnight. People in Latin American dancewear were running across the cobblestone streets in hopes of getting to a Salsa Festival happening outside the Duomo where I once stood in my Team USA formal wear. After some relaxing conversation, we called it a night due to my upcoming early morning rotation.

On the final day of the World FITASC, I shot the Kreighoff and Rizzini parcours. These two were mostly set in the woods but had a few pegs with open fields. I believe since my head got in the way the during the previous two days, the feeling of letting go and relishing in the fact that I was fortunate to be in Italy, was beneficial to my performance. The absence of pressure allowed me to finish strong on the last day with scores that made my confidence grow. The final shot was a sense of satisfaction and relief that only few could have felt. The sense of pride and hard work finally paid off.

Once we said goodbye to teammates and others, it was off to Rome. Looking out the car window and seeing the Italian countryside pass by was a moment I will always cherish. The trip I had was a very interesting addition to the story of my shooting career. The people, the food, the scenery, the culture, the competition, and the targets were amazing. For those in search of adventure on their shooting path, my suggestion is “just take the trip”. The adventure will find you. n