Gianluca Chetcuti Triumphs at 2025 Gorg Bugeja Memorial Grand Prix

Gianluca Chetcuti delivered an outstanding performance to claim victory at this year’s Gorg Bugeja Memorial Grand Prix, a prestigious two-day Trap shooting competition held at the Qormi Clay Shooting Club.

Chetcuti, who was in excellent form across both days, led the qualification round with 119 hits out of 125 targets and maintained his dominance through the finals. His consistent accuracy culminated in a remarkable score of 47/50 in the final, securing him the top spot on the podium.

Emmanuel Bugeja followed in second place with a solid 41/50, while Brian Galea rounded out the top three with 29/40.

Final Standings – Main Event:

1. Gianluca Chetcuti – 47/50

2. Emmanuel Bugeja – 41/50

3. Brian Galea – 29/40

4. Mario Buhagiar – 27/35

5. Jean Pierre Coleiro – 22/30

6. James Galea Jr. – 15/25

The qualification phase saw each participant shoot 125 targets. The top six scorers progressed to the final stages. The qualifiers were:

• Gianluca Chetcuti – 119/125

• James Galea Jr. – 113/125

• Emmanuel Bugeja – 110/125 (+2 in shoot-off)

• Brian Galea – 110/125 (+1+0+6 shoot-off)

• Mario Buhagiar – 110/125 (+1+0+5 shoot-off)

• Jean Pierre Coleiro – 108/125

Top Shooters by Class:

Class A:

1. Gianluca Chetcuti – 119/125

2. James Galea Jr. – 113/125

3. Brian Galea – 110/125

Class B:

1. Stephen Vella – 102/125

2. Philip Camilleri – 101/125

3. Roderick Vella – 101/125

Class C:

1. Paul Formosa – 99/125

2. Hubert Baldacchino – 94/125

3. Abiel Cassar – 94/125

Barrage B Results:

A separate Barrage B final was held for the best two shooters from each class who did not make it into the main final. This 25-target round, shot single-barrel, produced intense competition:

1. Paul Formosa (C) – 19/25 (+1 shoot-off)

2. Ryan Bugeja (A) – 19/25 (+0 shoot-off)

3. Stephen Vella (B) – 17/25

4. Rennie Deguara (A) – 15/25

5. Roderick Vella (B) – 15/25

6. Hubert Baldacchino (C) – 14/25

Notable Achievements:

• Gianluca Chetcuti was also awarded for the best score on both competition days, hitting 69/75 on Day 1 and a perfect 50/50 on Day 2.

• John Marmara topped the Veterans Category.

• Ryan Bugeja was named Best Junior Athlete of the event.

This competition continues to honour the legacy of Gorg Bugeja, celebrating excellence and sportsmanship in Trap shooting.

The next major event on the Maltese shooting calendar is the MSSF Trap Competition 50+50+25 (T3), scheduled for July 20, 2025, at the Southern Shooting Club in Ħal Far.

Gerald Fenech

Sports Editor
Veteran Journalist