Britain's Double Trap top shots: Peter Wilson, Tim Kneale, Steve Walton, Steve Scott, Matt French and Richard Faulds
Scheduled events for all the Olympic disciplines at Southern Counties turned into a mini Commonwealth as all the big names showed up and Wilson set a new GB record
Recently crowned world number one Double Trap shooter, Peter Wilson, shot a fantastic round of 149ex-150 to set a new GB record at Southern Counties on the weekend of 24-25 September.
The combination of selection shoots, British Grand Prix and CSF events taking place over the weekend saw all the big names descend on the ground and a great atmosphere as well as some fantastic shooting.
In the fine weather there was a chance to see some high scores from the Double Trap men in the first day’s selection shoot, but Peter Wilson went one better and set a blistering pace that none of the other shooters could match.
A straight 50 on his first round, then a 49, then another 50 meant he went into the six-man final on 149, nine targets clear of his nearest rivals Matt French and Steve Scott, and set a new GB record in the process.
Joining them were Tim Kneale and Richard Faulds on 138 and Stevan Walton on 137. Wilson posted a 48 for a 197ex-200. Tim Kneale matched Wilson’s final round of 48 to take second place on 186 with Matt French third on 185.
Peter Wilson shot 149ex-150 and set a new GB record
On Sunday the weather started off wet and dull for the Grand Prix and CSF competitions, but both Tim Kneale and Steve Scott started well with 48 apiece. Richard Faulds and Matt French were just one target behind on 47.
By the end of the second round Kneale was on 95, two targets ahead of Faulds and Scott on 93, French on 91. Going into the finals the gaps had closed up; Kneale led the way on 137, Faulds and French were on 136, Scott was just behind on 135.
Joining these four was Jake Keeling on 128 and Sam Wathen on 125. All six shooters matched each other shot for shot until the final five pairs when Kneale saw an unusual four targets sail away. French and Faulds took full advantage, finishing on 182 apiece; a shoot-off ensued that saw French miss a pair, Faulds hit his to take the gold.
The results from the initial three rounds of Sunday’s Double Trap were used to decide who would enter the six-man final for the CSF event. Tim Kneale led the way on 137. He was joined by Matt French on 136, Jake Keeling on 128, Sam Wathen on 125, Matt Bell on 124, and D Stewart, 124.
Kneale maintained his lead throughout the final, shooting a 46ex-50 for first place total of 183. A 44 by French was more than enough to secure second on 180, and third place went to Sam Wathen who shot 48 to finish on 173.
The OT saw 75 targets on the first day for the Senior men and 50 targets on the second day with a six-man flash final; the Ladies was shot 75 targets on the first day followed by a final.
Abbey Burton, John Heading and Anita North
There was some good, consistent shooting from Mark Hampton, who posted three 24s to take the lead on the first day.
Scott Morgan, was just two targets off on 70 as was Dug Brown, who was shooting a 9¾lb Huglu side-by-side, which he has been having some success with.
By the end of the first round on the second day Hampton and Brown were on 95 apiece and had pulled ahead of the field, whilst a 21 from Morgan put him just off pace with Jeffry McCready, James McKeown and Rod Gould. Into the last round, with honour at stake the rain coming down. Hampton shot another 24 to put him on 119ex-125 and well ahead of Brown, who could only manage an 18. The weather improved for the flash final and by the last five targets Hampton had the competition all sown up finishing six targets ahead on 138ex-150. Dug Brown and Scott Morgan shot-off for the minor places, Brown taking silver, Morgan the bronze.
England’s Ladies shot well to take the first four places leading into the final, but that was not how it would end.
None of the ladies started well except Sarah Wixey, and by the halfway point only three targets separated the six finalists. With her position in jeopardy Abbey Burton got her head down and by the finish had secured first place by three targets over Wixey, 89 to 86, Esmey Sparey took third place on 84.
There was some fine shooting from the Olympic Skeet shooters in the selection shoot and Grand Prix events and by the end of the first day a host of scores in the 70s with Craig Lakey and Michael Gilligan leading the pack on 73, Alex Buchanan and Malcolm Allen on 72.
Elena Allen dropped just three to go into the final on 72
In the Ladies Elena Allen was in good form dropping just three targets to lead into the flash final on 72. Joining her was Sian Bruce and Nicki Brocklesby on 67, Sarah Gray on 66, Vicky Humphreys on 65 and Pinky Le Grelle on 64. Allen shot a 24, which was more than enough to secure first place on 96ex-100, Bruce and Brocklesby shot 22s to both finish up on 89, but Le Grelle shot a 25-straight to force a three-way shoot-off for the minor places, second place went to Sian Bruce, Pinky Le Grelle was third and Nikki Brocklesby was fourth.
Clive Bramley, who had shot a 71 on the first day, added a straight 50 to his score on the second day giving him 121 – three targets clear of his rivals leading into the final.
Rory Warlow shot well dropping just one target to finish on 120. Joining Bramley and Warlow was Allen on 119, Gilligan and Buchanan on 118, and John McCarthy on 117. The scores were close but nobody could catch Bramley who shot a 24 to finish on 145ex-150. A shoot-off was required for second and third places between Allen and Buchanan, the result going in Allen’s favour.
In the parallel CSF event the Seniors, with scores from the selection shoot competition, saw Alex Buchanan on 118 lead the way into the flash final. Joining him was Rhys Price, on 113, Drew Christie, Freddie Killander and Jeremy Bird, all on 112 and Andrew Lea on 111.
Mark Hampton has had a good season, he finished in the lead on 138
Buchanan’s lead was never in doubt as he shot a 23 for first place. Both Price and Bird shot straight to secure second and third places on 138 and 137.
The Ladies flash final could not have been closer. Sian Bruce and Nicki Brocklesby, were joint leaders on 67ex-75. Joining them in the final was Sarah Gray on 66, Vicky Humphreys, on 65, Pinky Le Grelle on 64 and Hannah Gibson, on 62.
Bruce, Brocklesby and Gray all shot 22, Gray now had third place, but a shoot-off was required for first and second. Bruce and Brocklesby matched each other shot for shot and honour was again at stake – this time Bruce emerged victorious on six to Brocklesby’s five.
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