25th Anniversary, Anne-Grethe Stormorken

I  have particpated in the InterShoot matches as a shooter for six years and as a trainer for the junior team for some four years. Throughout the years InterShoot meant a lot for the shooters of the National Team and especially for myself.. It was a qualification match for the European Championship most of the time and, more importantly, it was an international match in full view of the home front. That always resulted in some extra pressure, as you wanted to perform well on the separate matches, but also wanted to qualify for the other international matches. In this way InterShoot has always meant something special for most of the shooters from the Netherlands. During my first match as a trainer I thought the pressure was only there for the shooters, but the very moment that the shooters went onto the range I knew exactly what it meant for them and there was a certain pressure for the trainers as well. I experienced all of this at InterShoot.

Through the years InterShoot has changed location, from the quaint ‘Schilderswijk’ to the Ockenburgh Sporting Hall. The location in the ‘Schilderswijk’ (de Houtzagerij) was really something special, but when I rejoined the matches as a trainer at the Ockenburgh location, it was very evident that InterShoot had grown as an organisation, as a concept, etc. There is one thing that I will always remember from the Houtzagerij sporting hall and that is the price giving ceremony on the last day of the match. This price giving ceremony took place in some sort of jungle-like atmosphere, in some sort of giant aviary. Whilst enjoying a drink and a snack in between the ponds with the fish, the parrots and the vines some of the team were allowed to take their price. I also received my price and I have kept it until this day as it was my first international price.

When thinking back about InterShoot, many faces of a large numbers of helpers spring to mind. Both in front as well as behind the scene the same people have been active in organising the event, which has probably been the driving power and the success throughout all these years. Even for small problems the helpers will roll-up their sleeves to resolve it. One morning during the match there was a problem with the bus, which caused some mayhem, but was quickly brought under control. The bus driver had fallen ill and as a result the bus didn’t show up at the hotel. A number of shooters managed to get to the shooting ranges on their own, but the large majority is dependent on the bus service (arranged by the organisers). One helper of the organising team immediately went to collect a bus and drove the shooters from and to the ranges himself.

I wish all the shooters, trainers and the organising team much success for the future and I hope that this match can be preserved into the future for the shooting sport.