Weekly Review 03/03/2018
Weekly Review 03/03/2018
Bathurst Rifle Club Inc. 3rd March 2018, J Wilde Memorial, and K Redding Trophies, 900yards
The light breeze from the north west was the least of shooters worries as the burning sunshine set up perfect conditions for the formation of a heavy mirage. Practically the whole afternoon was influenced by the swirling mass of boiling air in front of the target and the fishtail breeze caused the mirage to change direction constantly.
The 900 yard range, the longest on the Bathurst Rifle Range, is never easy and even the best were fooled by the shimmering air in front of the target face. Nick Cock and Geoff Willis did best, dropping just two points each in a first stage which proved at times unreadable. Cock appeared in control until he shot a double inner late in his shoot for a 48.05. On the other hand Willis started with a wobble before tightening up for a 58.2.
Steve Williams and Graeme Bright both shot 47.03’s, Williams flip-flopping either side of the bull’s eye and Bright succumbing to a magpie three to add to his early inner four. Jeff Eppleston had a steady shoot scoring 55.4 but Grahame Willis started disastrously with a triple inner dropping 6 points almost as soon as he hit the mound and another two for good measure later in the stage.
Gordon Shepherd and John Coghill seemed to dissolve in the heat with both taking up a large part of the inner four circle and annoying the magpie ring. Coghill started with a long string of inner fours finally landing two centres before he returned to character with a double magpie finish. Shepherd also collected two magpies in his centre less 43.0 to end the first stage.
Williams got close to the possible with a 49.04 and set up a Cock of the Walk win with a 49.04, as Bright and Cock matched each other’s first stage scores. Both finished with 95.07 one point short of Williams. Shepherd still toying with inners and magpies had a one point and 4 centre better stage, but Coghill expired in the heat barely able to keep his shots on the target.
The stage of the day went to Grahame Willis who somehow managed to shoot through the boiling mass to keep them all in the V bull ring finishing with a 60.1 possible. Geoff Willis was again steady taking out the F class Cock of the Walk with 115.6 but Eppleston had a Coghill moment and crawled to a lowly 52.0. Phil Mahon had just the one stage for 49.0.
Grahame Willis won the J Wilde Memorial Trophy and Geoff Willis the K Redding 8/900 yard trophy. The W Cutler Cup commences next week, 10th March at 300 yards.
Scores:
G S Willis FSA 115.6 (5 ¼) 100
G P Willis FSA 112.3 (5 ¾) 98 ¼
S Williams TRA 96.07 (1 3/40 97 ¾
J Eppleston FSA 107.4 (7 ¾) 95 ¾
by John Coghill
Posted in Weekly Roundup on Mar 04, 2018