News

Bathurst Rifle Club 12th December Diggers & G James Cups Final 

          Weather conditions again terrorized all shooters with a WSW breeze swinging in a 45-degree ark, but one thing is becoming abundantly clear this season. As difficult as the weeks have been since the introduction of the new targets, class will out, as Steve Williams translates his strong 2009-year in open competition, to the local range.

          Williams, like the rest of the club members is not having an easy time of it, but his ability and experience is head and shoulders over his competitors. Despite a breeze which gusted from the right and flicked down range, Williams kept it together in his first stage 47.04 before steaming home with a 49.05 second stage. He blitzed all comers on the day and secured the first of the seasons majors, the off rifle Diggers Cup, by a resounding 7 shots.

          Graeme Bright was the only other shooter who didn't combust, grinding to a pair of 46's with just 5 centre bulls eyes. With up to 6 points difference between shots, and the directional flags seemingly some seconds behind the changes, shooters were just chasing their tails.

          Williams and Bright were the only ones to avoid the ubiquitous magpie on a day where 24 magpie threes and 4 outer twos graced the scorecards. Gordon Shepherd who has been holding his ground in recent weeks imploded with a first stage 44.03 before plucking a last shot magpie from nowhere in his second stage 46.02. 

          Dennis Lavelle couldn't buy a centre but his 89.0 was by far the best of the also-rans, some 6 shots better than John Coghill on 83.02, and a Jan Sibera and Adam Parkinson on 82.03 a piece. Tim Robinson tried out his new shooting jacket but was not able to translate the new gear into a decent score. He was at least consistent with a pair of 40.0s. Ron Gibson didn't handle the breeze at all well scrabbling together just 77.0.

          A bemused and bewildered Jeff Eppleston was not to be left out of the fun, shooting his lowest score since commencing F class shooting with the club in 2006. The weather and new targets are no respecter of peoples feelings, and shooters are fervently hoping for some milder days ahead.

          Shepherd won the G James Cup, a handicap event run in parallel with the Diggers Cup, by the comfortable margin of three points over Sibera.  

          Next week is the W Northcott Memorial Trophy over 700 yards  

SCORES:

S Williams 96.09 (2 ½) 98 ½

G Shepherd 90.05 (6) 96

D Lavelle 89.0 (6) 95

A Parkinson 82.03 (12 ¾) 94 ¾

J Sibera 82.03 (12 ¼) 94 ¼

G Bright 92.05 (1 ¼) 93 ¼

J Coghill 83.02 (8 ¼) 91 ¼

T Robinson 80.0 (11 ¼) 91 ¼

R Gibson 77.0 (10 ½) 87 ½

J Eppleston 95 (9 ¼) 87