Last weekend (14th – 17th July 2011) saw Christophe Auvret win the FITASC World Championship in Orville, France with a stunning score of 198ex200 over four testing days of shooting.

We contacted Christophe to see if he would answer a few questions about his performance, to get the real story behind those two dropped shots, and to find out a little bit more about the man behind the scores.

Christophe Auvret by GreenGirlPhotos.com

(Interview in original French is here)

ShootClay : Firstly, many congratulations on your stunning win at the FITASC World Championship in Orville – we were following results from the UK and were amazed at your perfect scores coming in. How does it feel to win a competition with scores like this?

Christophe Auvret : I am very proud of myself. I thought I’d make the podium, but I didn’t think I would win this world championship. And this result is unbelievable! A little anecdote, the title had not been back in France for 25 years (since 1986)!!!

SC : We’ve been hearing a lot of things about the 2 targets that you missed can you tell us what happened?

CA : The 1st stand of la tunet was a double from trap B then D.  I stepped up to shoot convinced that the Double was D then B, so I did not look at the sign.  When I called that double, I was positioned to take the D, but the B came from the left so I could not see it go. I saw it land next to the trap D, I tried to shoot it but it was too late.  As I fired the shot, the second went. Convinced that the error was not coming from me I wasted my shot on that clay and  the referee  announced ‘pair missed’ – so THEN I looked at the menu posted!

SC : Let’s go back to the beginning – how did you get started with shooting?

CA : My father had been shooting for a few years, I tried it, I liked it, I hit the targets and I got a licence.

SC : Who are your shooting heroes? Who do you enjoy competing against?

CA : I do not have any heroes, but a lot of respect for the past performances of Georges Digweed (and those that he will have in the future). The people who were at this championship and Damien Birgam who was absent.

SC : Which club do you train at?

CA : My own, Ball Trap Club de la Rapee 

SC : Your record of achievements is impressive, Parcours European and World champion , Compak European Champion etc.. What is your favourite discipline to shoot?

CA : I prefer Parcours which is much more difficult to win due to the increasing amount of participants each year and the difficulty of the trajectories.

SC : You must travel a lot for competitions, where has been your favourite location to shoot?

CA : The English clubs for their surroundings and the variety of targets/trajectories and Spain because it’s worked  for me there!

SC : What has been your most memorable victory so far?

CA : This Parcours World Championship, and the European Championship in Saint Petersburg in 2010.

SC : How do you prepare for a big competition?  

CA : Physically, I try not to eat too much and  shooting wise I double my training two weeks before going.

SC : What is your pre-shot routine? How do you stay focused for a full round of challenging stands?

CA : I like the human contact, chatting to the other shooters. How do I concentrate? I don’t really know, maybe it’s down to my calm nature.

SC : A lot of our readers are interested your kit – Which guns and cartridges do you use? Do you have sponsors?

CA : I shoot with a Browning B525 prestige with a barrel of 81cm (32 inch) choked 3/4 &  full and I use RIO 50 cartridges. My sponsors are Browning, Rio (Maxam) and Laporte

SC : Do you have any superstitions when you shoot? What should we look out for when we come and watch you compete?

CA : Yes, the number on my bib. (Watch out for) my calm.

SC : What are your short term objectives and in the next few years?

CA : Finish the season as I’ve started it and carry on that way.

SC : Finally – if you had the opportunity to choose your ideal shooting squad – dead or alive – who would you have with you?

CA : Charles Bardou, Jean-Paul Mordefroid et Bastien Havart.

SC : Thank you very much for answering our questions.

CA : Thank you and speak to to you soon.

Thanks to Christophe for taking time to do this interview via email – and also to Lynne Green at GreenGirlPhotos.Com  for kindly letting us use her great photo of Christophe.