This Is Guernsey

Top coach Iain Macgregor, right, passes on a few tips to Noel Duquemin. (0606555)

IAIN MACGREGOR has once again been in Guernsey providing coaching to trap and skeet shooters hoping for future success in the Island and/or Commonwealth Games.

Macgregor is one of the most experienced shotgun tutors in the UK and one of only a few International Shooting Sports Federation ‘A-level’ coaches. He trains a number of international shooters and is discipline performance manager for the Scottish team.

Coaching usually requires a trip off-island and therefore the members of the Guernsey Clay Target Shooting Club are lucky to have benefited from a total of three weekends coaching with a further one booked during September.

Macgregor has been concentrating on the international competition disciplines with a view to building on the medal successes of 2007. With the competition season well under way, the club has been a hive of activity with monthly, club championships and international competition selection shoots taking place most Sundays at the Portinfer clay range.

In addition, several induction courses have been held to give potential new members a grounding in gun and range safety, shooting etiquette and the basics of shotgun shooting.

The English skeet monthly competition round was contested by 13 members, of whom 10 shot 20 out of 25 targets or better.

Top scores for the day went to Dean Wilson, Martin Domaille and veteran Francis Quin, who all attained the maximum possible score of 25.

The international Olympic skeet discipline is not as popular as the English version, but is seeing an increasing number of competitors locally.

The June monthly competition was the exception, however, with only four members able to attend.

Noel Duquemin shot a very creditable 23 ex 25, followed by Graeme Corbin with 21.

With limited range space, the sporting disciplines are condensed into a sport-trap version with a variety of simulated game targets being presented to the competitors.

Wilson was on form with a score of 21 ex 25 and Domaille was second on 18 with a number of competitors closely trailing him.

The domestic down-the-line trap discipline has seen a recent lack of support to the extent that the June round of the competition was not shot.

Down the line has historically been very popular and is a good training ground for novice shooters. With a number of new members joining the club, it is hoped that the event will be reinvigorated.

The Olympic trap and automatic ball trap competitions have been well supported.

The OT event saw good scores returned, with Wilson, Mick Le Pelley and Darren Burtenshaw all finishing with 22 ex 25, closely followed by Peter Fletcher and Brian Carre.

Wilson’s good form in sport trap and OT continued as he took the honours in ABT with 23 ex 25 followed by Carre and Burtenshaw both with 21.

Article posted on 17th July, 2008 - 2.29pm