Rugeley Rifle Club members supported the West Midlands leg of British Shooting’s Target Sprint Series today. Martyn, Mick and Michelle were on hand as stewards and range officers. The event took place on the outdoor ranges at the NSRA’s Aldersley Shooting Centre at the Aldersley Leisure Village.
Rugeley have been a huge supporter of British Shooting events in the Midlands, with members also volunteering at the British Schools Championship Finals.
Rugeley member Abbigael Beech took Gold at the British Shooting Schools Rifle & Pistol Championships this week, winning the Junior 6yd Air Rifle event. The 6yd event is shot with “Sporter” air rifles which are lighter than full precision air rifles, and does not allow special shooting jackets or trousers.
The Championships took place over the 6th and 7th of February at Cannock Leisure Centre, and were supported by volunteers from Rugeley Rifle Club.
Paul Watkiss had a stand-up weekend, finishing fourth in the open Air Pistol event at the third installment of British Shooting’s Air Series at Aldersley, near Wolverhampton.
Shooting on Saturday, Paul managed 561, topping Relay 2. On Sunday morning he improved on that with a 562 in Relay 4. Both these scores were good enough to qualify Paul for the 8-athlete final. Starting with a wobble he placed 6th after the first string. Regrouping however, he climbed to fifth after the second string and fourth after his 12th shot. Further steady shooting saw him climb in to bronze medal position, but a robust response from Charlotte Hicks over her last four shots saw her climb past Paul and Ayush Chauhan into silver medal position, pushing Ayush in Bronze and Paul just out the medals.
In the Air Rifle, Bill Clark, Izzy Ward and Nathan Clark all put in strong performances. Bill managed third and 5th in his two relays, Izzy placed 5th and 3rd, whilst Nathan placed 6th in his relay. Their best results put Bill 13th overall, Izzy 15th and Nathan 19th. Congratulations to all.
Paul Watkiss on aim in the Air Pistol Final at the British Shooting Air Series.
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.
Megan Bamsey claimed silver in her AirOShoot and Cardiff GP matches, whilst Mike Bamsey placed fourth in the Cardiff GP and won silver in the Welsh Championship.
Pavelas takes silver at the Welsh AirgunPaul and Ina in the Mixed Pairs final.Pavelas in finals actionZoe on aim
Rugeley Rifle Club is delighted to announce it’s Youth Shooting Camp 2023.
Running from August 19-22, and on August 26th this is a tented camp at Target Sprint Burntwood.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights will be spent under canvas. Airgun shooting will take place at Burntwood with .22lr shooting at Rugeley Rifle Club. There will also be team activities and camp fires.
On August 26th, the campers will be invited back to Rugeley Rifle Club with parents and guardians to see the progress made and have an end-of-camp shooting competition including air rifle, air pistol and .22 rimfire rifle. The young person showing the most promise will earnt he Young Gun Trophy and a years club membership, with free ammunition sponsored by Eley!
Apply to Lee Featherstone (RRC Secretary) at rugeleyrc (at) outlook (dot) com.
More than 80 visitors from the local community tried their hand at Rugeley Rifle Club’s Open Day on Saturday. Despite drizzly weather, young and old received a tour of the club’s facilities and tried their hand at air rifle and air pistol, before enjoying the barbecue on the outdoor range.
Local councillor Olivia Lyons formally opened the new range wall on the 100yard range. The club successfully crowdfunded to replace the old wall, which had been in place 51 years.
Club Chairman Martyn Buttery & local COuncillor Olivia Lyons open the new range wall.Visitors try their aim with air pistolJuniors take instruction on benchrest air rifleVisitors shoot benchrest air rifle at 10metres on the club’s 25yard indoor range
Congratulations to Rugeley member Megan Bamsey, who earned national honours when she was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2023 ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. The team of five competed across Air Rifle and Air Pistol disciplines. Megan placed 91st in the Women’s Air Rifle, between teammates Rhona Love and Seren Thorne. In the Mixed Pairs, Megan placed 35th with Bertie Galloway.
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.
Members of Rugeley Rifle Club were on hand to assist with British Shooting’s 2023 Schools Championship. Held over two days at Chase Leisure Centre in Cannock, 159 air pistol shooters and 107 air rifle shooters competed across Junior, Intermediate and Senior classes after qualifying through regional shoots around the UK. Congratulations to all the participants and medallists on a fantastic two days of competition.
The event was sponsored by Steyr Sport and Hill Pumps. A number of world class and Paralympic athletes on hand to award medals and inspire the next generation of target shooters. More photos at British Shooting’s Facebook Page.