N.S.W.
Pistol Grand Prix No. 2
Western Metro Pistol Open
RESULTS
Saturday 18th February was a warm and sunny but humid day as we arrived at the John Moroney Correctional Centre shooting range. Located near Richmond, the range is reached easily from any direction being only a few minutes drive from the West-Link Expressway. The complex has several 50m. ranges and one of them, set up with 12 shooting positions, easily accommodated the 24 shooters from the ACT and NSW who attended. The range is well equipped with covered firing positions and BBQ cooking and dining areas. Forty-two complete matches were shot during the day.
This first NSW Grand Prix Pistol Saturday event, looks like a winning formula and a useful addition to the calendar versus the Friday shoots that did not attract the numbers. Shooters represented clubs from Batemans Bay, Bowral, Bathurst, Majura Mudgee, Sydney and Tamworth, ranging in age from 17 to 77. The shoot was organised as an individual and 3 person team event.
Class 1, Military Pistol, produced some impressive scores. In the 50m deliberate, Rob Irving (Bowral) shot 117.02 from 120.12; Dan Yin (Majura) blitzed the field with 117.03 out of 120.12 in the 15m. kneeling deliberate. This match was new to most competitors and consisted of pistol on the firing line with the competitor standing 4m. behind. On the command, the competitor advanced, took up position, fired 6 shots, re-loaded and fired a further six shots all within 30secs. Not very “deliberate” as half the competitors found out, having failed to manage 12 shots on target.
Class 1 Grand Aggregate places went to Rob Irving, Dan Yin and Kerry Benson (Silverdale).
With 15 competitors, Class 2 pistol had the following highlights both shot by Rob Irving, first a 3 position 25 m 179.06 out of 180.18 and 3Range Core 354.16 out of 360.36. The Class 2 Grand Aggregate places went to Rob Irving, Kerry Benson and Dan Yin, with Robert Prowse (Mudgee) winning the junior medal.
In the Grand Prix Aggregate ( 3R 25 m match plus 3P Core) for class 1 / 2 combined the top guns were: Rob Irving, Wal Cameron (Tamworth) Dan Yin, Terry Lark (Bathurst), Kerry Benson, Paul Howe (Batemans Bay)
Dave Toovey (Mudgee) won the Class 3 Grand Aggregate and his score included a creditable 50m section of 113.04. Andrew Radford (RNVR) was second with Bob Scott (Batemans Bay) third.
The Class 3 Grand Prix Aggregate was won by Andrew Radford, followed by Dave Toovey and Bob Scott.
Class 4, rimfire, as usual produced some high scores, with Rob Irving shooting a 3P 25m. of 179.11 and 3R core of 358.18, whilst Wal Cameron shot a superb 15m. Kneeling “Deliberate” of 118.06.The Class 4 Grand Prix Aggregate leaders were Rob Irving, Wal Cameron and Terry Lark, with Robert Prowse taking the Junior medal. The Class 4 Grand Aggregate winners were Rob Irving, Wal Cameron and Lea Sutherland (Batemans Bay).
In the Class 1 /2 Teams Challenge event, the team who named themselves “The Leftovers” consisting of Kerry Benson, Wal Cameron and Terry Lark swept the field with a score of 2082.36 from Bowral “Geriatrics” on 2063.43 and Batemans Bay on 1967.24.
A special prize sponsored by our Discipline Chairman, Jamie Harris was awarded for the highest X score in the class 1 / 2 Grand Prix Aggregate. This was won by Rob Irving with 22 Xs out of 54 possible.
This competition was possible thanks to the organizing efforts of Kerry Benson and Peter Pitchford who together with Kerry’s’ mother and sister (who cooked a great sausage “morning tea” and bacon & egg sandwich lunch) gave us a superb days shooting which will be looked forward to as an annual event.
Thanks also to J.M.C.C. for use of the venue and Jamie Harris for his patience as chief scorer aided by Darren Pearce (Mudgee) and for the sponsorship of the event by Harris Building and Design Services. Naturally without the help from competitors who acted as scorers, patchers and range officers the match would not have been possible. None of us present will forget Wayne Coles demonstration of how to quote, “ diddley bop the 4m. down to the firing line” at the start of the 15m. deliberate match.
On a cautionary note, one competitor suffered Heat Stroke after several hours sun exposure and whilst he fully recovered after a short stay in hospital, this should act as reminder to all competitors that re-hydration is vital on hot sunny days. Not only is this important for general health but in less than an hour of mild exertion on a hot day the inter-ocular pressure falls giving fuzzy foresights; not good for top scores, rifle or pistol.
Once again good humour and smiles ruled the whole day despite hard competition. The next Pistol Grand Prix event will be at Mudgee on Friday 17th March, as part of the City versus Country weekend, one of the most enjoyable events on the NSW Military Service Discipline calendar. Come and be a part of it.