US Olympic veteran Kimberly Rhode leads at the intermediate stage of the ISSF Shtogun World Cup in Tucson ©ISSF

Kimberly Rhode, United States' triple Olympic champion, leads at the intermediate stage of the women's skeet competition at the sixth and final International Shooting Sport Federation Shotgun World Cup event of the season in Tuscon.

The 38-year-old from Whittler, California, who has six Olympic medals to her name in trap and skeet shooting, goes into tomorrow's second day in Arizona at the head of the competition having scored 73 out of her 75 targets.

South Korea’s Kim Minji and Rhode’s compatriot Caitlin Connor were second and third on 72 hits each.

Tomorrow the skeet women competitors will have 50 additional qualification targets and the final.

US double Olympic skeet champion Vincent Hancock is skipping the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tucson in order to prepare for the World Championships starting in South Korea on August 31 ©Getty Images
US double Olympic skeet champion Vincent Hancock is skipping the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tucson in order to prepare for the World Championships starting in South Korea on August 31 ©Getty Images

A total of 205 shooters from 39 different nations are competing at the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club until July 18.

Home shooter Vincent Hancock, winner of the skeet gold medal at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, chose not to compete in Tucson.

Hancock, winner at the last three World Cups, is concentrating on his preparations for the World Championships which start in Changwon, South Korea on August 31.