Category: Competitions

Rugeley shooters represent at Welsh Airgun Championships

by RichHin Competitions

Shooters from Rugeley Rifle Club collected medals in Cardiff this weekend at the Welsh Airgun Championships. Held at the Sport Wales centre in Sophia Gardens, the meeting rolls in three days of shooting with three matches. Competitors participate in the Cardiff Grand Prix; an AirOShoot qualification match (in which top scorers can qualify for the Super Final in Belgium) and finish with the Welsh Open Championship.

Shooting Air Pistol, Pavelas Voitiukevicius placed 2nd in the Cardiff GP on Friday, before placing 3rd in the AirOShoot qualification match on Saturday – climbing in the final to win silver. On Sunday, he qualified for the final in the Welsh Open Championship match, narrowly missing a medal to place 4th.

Paul Watkiss placed eighth in the Cardiff GP and qualified for the Bronze medal match in the Mixed Pairs, where he finished 4th with randomly-allocated partner Ina Gulowsen Knudsen. Paul finished 12th in the AiroShoot match and 17th in the Welsh Championship.

Kiril Voitiukevicius placed 5th in the Cardiff GP, and qualified for the final of the AirOShoot match, finishing 7th. He placed 23rd in the Championship.

On Air Rifle, Zoe Perkin placed 12th in the Cardiff GP and 10th in the AirOShoot match, finishing 25th in the Championship.

Friends of the club Mike & Megan Bamsey also shot strongly, with Megan claiming silver in her AirOShoot and Cardiff GP matches, whilst Mike placed fourth in the Cardiff GP and won silver in the Welsh Championship.

Three medal winning shooters stand on a podium with their medals
Pavelas takes silver at the Welsh Airgun
A young man aims an air pistol at a shooting match
Two athletes are presented at the start of a finals match
Paul and Ina in the Mixed Pairs final.
A man aims an air pistol during a final at the Welsh Airgun Championships.
Pavelas in finals action
A young lady aims an air rifle at the Welsh Airgun Championships
Zoe on aim

Top 5 finish for Paul at NSRA-Eley Final

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley member Paul Watkiss placed fifth in the A-Class 10metre Air Pistol final of the NSRA-Eley Postal competition this weekend. Having shot two postal stages at the club, Paul qualified with the top 15 shooters nationally for the final at Bisley.

Well shot Paul!

Victory for Zoltan in club Through the Ranges competition

by RichHin Club News, Competitions

Zoltan Papp won Rugeley’s 2023 Through the Ranges competition on Sunday.

Shot Prone over 25yards, 50metres and 100yards, the competition tests shooter’s abilities indoor and out.

A trophy is awarded to a target shooter
Zoltan wins the Kershaw Trophy in the 2023 Through the Ranges competition
A trophy is awarded to a target shooter
Dave wins the Buttery Trophy in the 2023 Through the Ranges competition
A group of target shooters on an outdoor range. The firing point is covered by a tin roof.
A group of target shooters on an indoor range.

National Selection and Championship Finals for Hemingway

by RichHin Club News, Competitions

Rugeley member Rich Hemingway had a sterling weekend at Bisley, shooting for Wales and qualifying for the Final of the British Prone Championship (the “Earl Roberts Championship”) at the close of the NSRA’s 2023 National Meeting.

On Friday, Rich warmed up by comfortably making it through the First Stage of the Earl Roberts, placing 9th of the 50 who qualified. That afternoon he went on to shoot in the Home Countries International, competing for Wales against England and Scotland. Wales narrowly placed third, close behind Scotland. Rich had the second highest score in the Welsh team, just a point behind Sian Corish – who was awarded the “Tartan Dragon” trophy for highest Welsh scorer.

Rich Hemingway with the 2023 Welsh Home Countries Team
photo credit: Eleanor Shorey theshorey.co.uk

On Saturday morning, competitors took to the range for another early start to contest the Second Stage of the Roberts, from which 40 qualified to the final. Placing 27th, Richard entered his first Roberts Final, making him the first Rugeley or Staffordshire shooter to compete in the final for some years.

Shooting a Double Dewar course – 40 shots each at 50metres and 100yards – the wind picked up significantly, as is appropriate for championship finals! In gusty conditions, many competitors struggled to keep their scores above 190, with a smattering of big flyers (including 4s and 6s!) seen along the range, especially on the 100yard portion. Keeping their cool amongst all of them though was 2022 champion Lina Jones, who retained her title with a score of 772. Rich finished his debut Final with 756, placing him 20th.

Staffordshire prizes in Eley Final

by RichHin Competitions

Three Staffordshire shooters claimed prizes this Sunday at the Prone Rifle Finals in the NSRA-Eley Competition. Rich Hemingway of Rugeley placed fourth in A-Class. Duncan Chilcott of Market Drayton placed 8th in D-Class whilst Alan Boyles placed 7th in E-Class.

Best of luck to Paul Watkiss, who has qualified for the Air Pistol finals in A-Class, to be held in October at Bisley.

Trophies galore at County Championship

by RichHin Club News, Competitions

Rugeley cleaned up at the Staffordshire County Championships on Sunday with members winning nine trophies.

Richard Hemingway retained his title as County Champion, ultimately earning five separate trophies – the Association Cup (Overall Confined Championship), the 50Metre Challenge Trophy, the Miniature Rifle Cup (A-Class Champion), the Michelin Cup (best 100yard scores in A-Class) and the Greatrex Cup (top NSRA County Medal holder).

Deb Truman became Staffordshire Ladies Champion. Graham Delaney won D-Class, with Lee Featherstone runner up. Paul Watkiss narrowly missed out on a medal, placing fourth in C-Class.

Bronze for Olivia at British Shooting Series

by RichHin Competitions

Congratulations to Rugeley shooter Olivia Beech, who claimed a Bronze medal at the July leg of British Shooting’s 50M Series on Sunday. The series – new for 2023 – is being held at the West Midlands Regional Shooting Centre at Aldersley, near Wolverhampton.

After a hard fought qualification round, six athletes qualified into an adapted Final, which allowed Para-athletes to compete alongside the able-bodied competitors on an equal footing. Olivia eventually placed third, behind silver medallist Wesley Cann and gold medallist Beth Edwards.

Three rifle shooters holding their rifles and smiling. They are the medallists from the July edition of British Shooting's 50Metre Rifle Series.
Wes Cann, Beth Edwards & Olivia Beech celebrate their medals
Photo courtesy:British Shooting
A group of paralympic and able-bodied athletes on the firing point competing in a rifle final.
3-Position Final underway
Photo:British Shooting
A young woman aims a precision target rifle from the kneeling position
Olivia training
Photo courtesy: Shannon Davies

Rugeley Shooter becomes Welsh Champion

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley member and Staffordshire County Captain Richard Hemingway won the Welsh Confined Prone Championship this weekend. Shooting at Tondu Target Shooting Club near Bridgend, Rich saw off strong competition from GB & Commonwealth shooters.

Qualifying mid-table on Saturday in difficult conditions, Sunday saw a calmer outlook and strong start for Richard as he clocked up a significant lead in the first half of the match. Rising winds saw scores fluctuate in the second half, but despite a difficult finish he had done enough to claim his first Welsh Championship title. Sian Corish was runner up, and Liam Webster – formerly of Rugeley and friend of the club – placed third.

Full results.

Welsh 50M Prone Champion Richard Hemingway & Runner-Up Sian Corish
Welsh 50M Prone Champion Richard Hemingway & Runner-Up Sian Corish (photo:Dave Phelps)
The 3-Position Rifle event of the 2023 Welsh 50Metre Championships taking place on the 50M Range at Tondu Target Shooting Club
Shooters kneeling in the 3-Position rifle event (photo:Richard Hemingway)
The Welsh 50Metre Prone Open underway (photo:Dave Phelps)
The Welsh 50Metre Prone Championship underway (photo:Dave Phelps)
Targets wait for shooters at the Welsh 50M Championships (photo:Dave Phelps)

Bronze at the Torfaen Open

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley member Rich Hemingway claimed Bronze in X-Class at the Torfaen Open on Sunday. With light winds, Simon Green of Appleton led the field with 624.3. Sam Harris of Chippenham followed closely with 623.0 for Silver whilst Rich scored 620.2.

Former Rugeley member Liam Webster placed third in A-Class with 614.2. The Torfaen Open is held annually at Long Ashton Rifle Club near Bristol. The match consists of an ISSF Prone Rifle 60-shot course, shot on Megalink electronic targets.

Medal for Paul at Swadlincote Air Open

by RichHin Club News, Competitions

Rugeley shooter Paul Watkiss claimed a Bronze medal at the Swadlincote Open Airgun Meeting on Sunday. Shooting Air Pistol in A-Class, Paul scored 548, tying for Silver but losing on inner-tens to Lucy Evans of the West Midlands Regional Squad (and just selected by GB for the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl later this year).

Mick Chaganis placed 10th in B-Class for Air Pistol, and 3rd in Air Rifle B-Class. Congratulations to both.