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GB Team FITASC Sporting Championships Orville France 11-14 July 2009

Report on the GB FITASC Sporting Team Performance At The European FITASC Sporting Championships
Orville France 11 to 14 July 2009

The shooting park is located approximately 1 hours drive South of Calais near Albert in the district of the Somme.

This region is typically rolling arable farmland with wooded hillsides this was the area of the Somme First World War battlefields. The 32nd European championships took place in this setting.

The targets were set by Mr Patrick Russo France and were categorised and authorised by the FITASC Sporting Technical Commission representatives Mr Hugh Smith GB and Mr Hans Wenger Switzerland. 873 competitors registered for this event.

Target Categories Rule 2.5

Class A: = 77
Class B: = 95
Class C: = 28

Total of 200 targets.

There where 8 courses set for the competition all had 4 stands per layout, the courses where named:

Tunet, Credit Mutuel, Zoli, Baron, Browning, Promatic, Ceaesar Guerini and Winchester.

The layouts were in open and scrub covered depressions that had originally been old mineral mine workings giving the appearance of overgrown bomb craters. The club served as an administration HQ and also traders and catering facilities were available if not expensive.

The competition ran over four days; as usual the first day is a settling in period with not a lot to report, however, GB Junior Phil Gray posted the first 25 straight of the competition.

On completion of day two it became obvious that the competition targets were of a high standard and no particular layout was standing out against the others i.e. all layouts produced good scores with such a variety of targets competitors would be challenged up to the last shots fired.

George Digweed was on form posting 98 ex 100 with a host of different nationalities hot on his heals. There were too many to mention but the top scores after day 2 ranged from 90 up to 98, remarkably good shooting.

In the team placing the GB Senior team had the lead on 360, France 358 and Portugal 357. The Ladies had GB 236, France 226 Italy 222. Juniors, France 264, Italy, 264 and GB, 262.

GB was leading the Veterans 263 with France on 260 and Italy 251. Finally, the GB Super Veterans were on 245, France 244 and Italy 232.
The 7 British new caps in all categories were now finding their feet and feel for the targets the final 100 targets would be crucial for all team members.

RESULTS:
Medal positions GB Non Team

Seniors: George Digweed 192, Gold and European Champion by 3 targets.

Vets: John Pool 184 Silver.

Ladies: Cheryl Hall 172 + 22 Gold and European Ladies Champion.

GB Team placing:

Seniors: France Gold, 734, GB Silver 730, Bronze, Spain 719.

GB Team: Martin Myers, (184) Shaun Stacey (186) Tony Manvell, (176) Stuart Rudling (184).

Ladies: Gold GB 490. Silver, France 459. Bronze, Italy 443.

GB Team: Sarah Hamburger (151) Pet Easton (169) Janine Preece (170).

Juniors: Gold Italy 525. Silver, France 522. Bronze, GB 514.

GB Team: Phil Gray (173), Harry Seal (171) Chris Papworth (170).

Vets: Gold GB 529. Silver France 516. Bronze, Italy 505.

GB Team: John Dyson (184), John Bidwell (176) Martin Reynolds (169).

Super Vets: Gold GB 496. Silver, France 487. Bronze Italy 472.

GB Team: David Payne (169), Alan Coy (169) Jeremy Bland (158).

There were 17 Senior teams, 5 Super Veterans teams, 8 Veterans teams, 7 juniors teams, and 6 Ladies teams.

All the GB Team members worked hard to earn a magnificent team result of 3 team Gold and 1 team Silver and 1 team Bronze together with additional individual achievements.

All team members were exceptional ambassadors for their country, worthy of note was the efforts of the GB Captain John Dyson individual Gold Veterans, David Payne individual Silver with Alan Coy individual Bronze after a Super Vets shoot off however, the result of the Ladies 31 targets ahead of their rivals and Jannine Preece winning individual Bronze one ahead of Pet Easton (GB) was a fantastic personal achievement.

The Junior GB Team worked hard all through the competition and considering this was a complete new team and new experience for them their Bronze medal was a very good result indeed.
Martin Reynolds Reserve for Veterans replaced Steve Brightwell at short notice and should be commended for his efforts and contribution to the Veterans Gold medal.

Hugh Smith
Chairman BICTSF FITASC Sporting.

See full list of results >>>

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