Sweden Wins Rifle Team Gold at 18th European Championship of Combined Game Shooting
The Finale European Cup and the 18th European Championship in Combined Game Shooting took place last weekend, 3–5 July, in Pärnu, Estonia. The event featured the full 800‑point competition, including Compak Sporting, Universal Trench, and rifle shooting across four target setups: standing supported, prone, mountain stick, and standing / moving wild boar. Over three days, athletes completed two disciplines per day. A total of 162 competitors participated, accompanied by around one hundred family members.
The Swedish national team successfully defended their European Championship title in rifle, delivering an outstanding team score of 1960/2000. Sweden also secured second place in team combined and third place in shotgun.
Swedish shooter Emil Håkansson claimed the individual gold medal, securing an impressive 779/800 points using Lapua 6 mm BR Norma cases resized to .22 BR, paired with .22 FMJ 55 gr bullets and Vihtavuori N135 powder. His results included 395/400 in rifle and 96/100 clay targets in shotgun. He also earned the bronze medal in the individual rifle event.
“I’m happy to once again win this prestigious European Championship in Combined Game Shooting – my previous victory was back in 2017. I also managed to secure third place in the rifle individual event. The venue was really nice, and for most of the three days we were lucky with the weather. It feels really good to use Lapua components, as they give me confidence and trust in my gear when it matters the most,” shared Håkansson after the competition.
For the six‑man Swedish national team, the championship produced three medals across the disciplines. Sweden successfully defended its position as Europe’s strongest precision‑shooting nation in Combined Game Shooting and claimed the gold medal in team rifle shooting. Out of roughly 160 competitors, four Swedish shooters placed in the top nine in rifle:
3rd – Emil Håkansson: 395/400
5th – Ulf Edeen Kravik: 394/400
6th – Roger Ståhl: 393/400 + overall 5th in the competition with a very solid 765/800 points
9th – Rikard Alm: 392/400
Pierre Håkansson: 386/400
The Swedish Combined Game Shooting Team proudly competes with Lapua ammunition. “This competition was very rewarding for the Swedish national team. After 200 shots, we managed to defend our title as European Champions with an excellent score of 1960 points. Second place went to the Czech Republic with a team score of 1947. The Swedish team also secured second place in the combined event and third place in shotgun”, said team member Rikard Alm, who competed with factory‑loaded .223 Lapua Scenar 69 gr cartridges known for their excellent accuracy.
In addition to the titles, the Swedish team also set a new European record in team rifle. The previous record was 1958 points by Finland.
Finnish athletes also delivered impressive results across multiple disciplines. Linda Kyntäjä placed fifth overall in the Women’s category, and her combined rifle scores were the second‑best in the women’s. She hit 79 out of 100 targets in the shotgun events, scoring 47/50 in Compak Sporting and 32/50 in Trap. In the rifle events, she achieved 186/200 and 188/200 points. Kyntäjä competed with a .222 caliber rifle built with Lapua .224 cases and 55 gr FMJ bullets loaded with Vihtavuori N133 powder.
Her father, Timo Kyntäjä, also delivered an outstanding performance by winning the S55 overall competition. He achieved exceptional rifle scores of 195/200 and 194/200, complemented by a strong shotgun result of 90/100. Timo competes with the same Lapua products as Linda.
“The competition was well organized, and the atmosphere throughout the event was great. Finland had a record‑breaking turnout with 31 athletes. In total, there were 162 competitors from 12 countries,” Linda commented.
“I was very happy with my results. I knew I had the potential to shoot even better, but especially in Compak I achieved one of the best results of the entire competition, so I was extremely pleased with my shotgun performance. The first day’s trap was challenging and affected my overall score, but I improved significantly in the second trap from 12/25 to 20/25. My rifle shooting was at my usual level, with consistent performances. In the most difficult stages, standing and moving wild boar, I succeeded particularly well and achieved excellent results of 48/50 and 49/50. Overall, my combined score was one of my best in this discipline and clearly my personal season’s best.”
She added that the competition reinforced the importance of continuing one shot at a time, even if one discipline goes poorly. “This year, my rifle shooting level in Finland’s qualification matches has been similar to Pärnu. However, my shotgun shooting has improved significantly. The Pärnu ranges were excellent, and I enjoyed both the competition and the company of fellow athletes throughout the weekend.”
