Tag: Championship

Fifth place for Richard at English Championships

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley Captain Richard Hemingway placed fifth at the ESSU Open Championship today, held at NSRA Aldersley near Wolverhampton.

After a slow start in elimination, he picked up the pace to score 616.2, placing third in his squad and qualifying fourth overall for the championship shoot.

After lunch, he opened strong, and shot consistently in a tightly fought contest. Shelbie Marsland of Appleton streaked ahead to win the Open and Ladies Championships with 620.1, but below her was a tight battle for the remaining medals with six athletes within a point of one another. Sean Bett took silver on 616.5, Kosta Loukas placed third in the Open category with 616.3, whilst Simon Green was third in the English Confined on 616.0. Richard placed fifth, a single tenth behind on 615.9 followed by Matt Dixon on 615.7 and Alun Evans on 615.5.

The ESSU Championships were held at Aldersley for the first time in decades following the closure of the Malcolm Cooper Range at Bisley. Although the reorganisation of the facilities in the Lord Roberts Centre do represent a loss of amenity at present, it has resulted in matches seeking new homes outside of Surey. We look forward to seeing more opportunities for smallbore athletes to compete at a high standard in the West Midlands.

Rugeley Captain makes National Championship Final

by RichHin Competitions

Club Captain Richard Hemingway became the first Rugeley member to qualify in the top-20 for the British Long Range Smallbore Championship Final since Martyn Buttery in 2013. Shooting at 50metres and 100yards, Richard finished 9th in his first stage squad, comfortably qualifying for the second stage where he finished 12th, with the top 20 progressing to the final.

Richard started the final strong with a 199/200, placing him narrowly in the lead after his first card. Changeable winds caused a struggle in the middle with a pair of 191s, managing a 193 to finish joint 9th, ranked 10th on count-back.

Concurrent to the British Championship, Richard was also the highest ranking Welsh competitor, earning him the title of Welsh Long-Range Champion and the Western Mail & Echo Cup.

Richard had previously qualified for the final of the 100th Roberts Championship in 2023, when 40 finalists were taken forward as was the practice in 1923. He finished 27th.

Two smiling men take a selfie on a shooting range between details. A plotting board is visible where one of them will mark the fall of shot and estimate scores for the benefit of spectators.
Richard & Club Chair Martyn before the match
A man stands in front of a table and a row of flags holding a silver trophy. He is suited with a red and green tie and a black blazer bearing a gold, red and green badge. The badge reads "Welsh Target Shooting Federation" and is embroidered with the Prince of Wales Feathers.
Richard with the Western Mail & Echo cup for leading Welsh competitor
A man kneels next to a plotting board on a shooting range. He is holding an unloaded target rifle and wearing a red and green shooting jacket. The board is titled "Earl Roberts Final" and the shots on the target have been marked by a spotter along with estimated scores for the benefit of spectators.
Richard with plotting board after the match
A man lies on a blue shooting mat aiming a rifle on a shooting range. A row of targets are visible in the distance. He is wearing brown shorts and a red and white shooting jacket.

Gold and Silver for Olivia and Richard in Wales

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley members Olivia Beech and Richard Hemingway claimed medals at the weekend competing in the Welsh 50Metre Championships at Tondu Target Shooting Club in South Wales.

Shooting in the Welsh Confined Prone Championship on Sunday 22nd June, Richard took second, following friend of Rugeley Liam Webster who became Welsh Confined 50Metre Champion for the first time.

The afternoon saw the wind pick up in time for the Three-Position match where Olivia was pitted against a number of GB Pathway athletes. Maintaining a steady shoot in difficult conditions, Olivia finished with a score of 564, edging out Alun Evans on 562 and Louis Norman on 558.

Full Results

A female athlete loads a round into a smallbore target rifle The rearsight is mounted on tall sight raising blocks. The silver chassis bears the Walther logo.
Two people stand in front of a projection screen. The man wearing a red, white and green top presents a prize to an athlete.

British Championship medals for Rugeley shooters

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooters have had a very successful weekend at the British Open Airgun Championships at Bisley.

Kicking off on Thursday, Abbi Beech took bronze in the Sporter Rifle championship.

On Friday, Pippa Waterson qualified fourth in the Junior Women’s Air Pistol, improving to bronze medal position in the final, whilst Oliver Hill qualified as the youngest finallist in the Junior Men’s Air Rifle, improving from seventh to fifth place.

Olivia Beech took bronze in the Women’s Air Rifle and silver in the University Championship. Megan Bamsey also qualified for the Women’s Final, finishing fifth.

In the Seniors, Paul Watkiss qualified for the Men’s Air Pistol final in 6th position, unluckily finishing just out of the medals in fourth place after a strong final.

Paul Barker won the SH1 Air Rifle, and placed third in the SH1 Prone Rifle.

Three young women stand smiling on a shooting range. They are holding match air rifles and wear the specialised jackets and trousers used in ISSF style target shooting.
Olivia Beech wins Bronze in Women’s Air Rifle
An empty shooting range stands ready. In the foreground, a row of boxes stretch off into the distance, each bearing a computer monitor that shows the outcome of shots. The row of targets is visible in the background.
The range awaits
Three young people stand smiling on a podium clutching medals. The one in the middle is holding a trophy.
Abbi takes Bronze in Jr Women’s Air Pistol
Two men stand in front of a podium, the one on the left is presenting a trophy to the man on the right who wears a top bearing the British Shooting logo.
Paul Barker wins SH1 WSPS Air Rifle
Three young women stand smiling on a podium clutching medals
Pippa Waterson takes Bronze in Jr Women’s Air Pistol

All photos courtesy Eleanor Shorey, nsratheshorey.com

Gold and Silver for Izzy and Bill at Aldersley

by RichHin Competitions

Izzy Ward and Bill Clark competed at Aldersley this weekend in the NSRA West Midlands Airgun Open. In the B-Class Air Rifle Championship, Izzy took Gold and Bill Silver. Bill shot two days and also claimed Gold in the B-Class Aggregate.

Richard defends Welsh title in Tondu

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooter Richard Hemingway defended his 2023 title at the Welsh 50M Championship this weekend. Shooting at Tondu Target Shooting Club near Bridgend, Rich again saw off strong competition from GB & Commonwealth shooters.

Qualifying at the top of the table on Saturday in good conditions with a robust 618.9, Sunday saw a drizzly, flat outlook and steady start for Richard, but outdone by the stronge start of Sian Corish. A blustery middle section saw Richard close the gap, and he held his nerve in the last 15 shots to overtake Sian and retain his Welsh Championship title with a score of 617.5. Sian Corish was runner up on 615.0, and Liam Webster – formerly of Rugeley and friend of the club – narrowly placed third with 614.1.

Full Results

Gold for Abbigael at Schools Air Championship

by RichHin Competitions1 Comment on Gold for Abbigael at Schools Air Championship

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.

A sports hall built of red brick is configured for target shooting. Electronic targets for air rifles and air pistols are visible in the background. In the foreground, a blue banner identifies the event as the British Shooting Schools Rifle and Pistol Championships.
Young people shoot air pistols during a practice session at the British Shooting Schools Rifle & Pistol Championships. The range is located in a brick sports hall set up for the event. Electronic targets are visible in the background with monitors on tables at the firing point.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.