GUERNSEY rifle shooters returned from the annual Imperial meeting in Surrey cock-a-hoop with their collective performance. GRC captain Peter Jory had no doubt about the success of the trip and the reasons for it.

‘This really has been one of our best Bisley meetings for a number of years, both on an individual level and for the team matches where we have benefited from an influx of talented youth.’

As the event reached its climax with the Her Majesty’s Queen’s Prize, two Sarnians achieved a first by scoring maximum points at 900 yards.

By a remarkable coincidence Jory and Nick Mace were drawn to shoot on the same target and had the pleasure of watching each other pile in the bullseyes at this testing long range.

For Mace it had been an astonishing run.

In the Mackinnon international match which immediately preceded the final, he had had the distinction of making the highest score from any of the competing teams, the maximum possible total of 100.

Meanwhile, Mace’s wife Lucy also scored the highest possible score at 900 yards as she joined her husband in the Queen’s final.

As the 100 finalists went back to 1,000 yards, the names of the two Maces and Jory appeared on the leader board, just five points separating the top shots.

Nick Mace dropped only a single point at the longer range, a superb effort, while Jory dropped just two.

The aggregates of their second stage scores put the two shooting friends on level pegging, finishing in 11th and 16th place respectively. Lucy Mace finished 55th.

The long-range Mackinnon match saw Guernsey score another notable victory over Jersey and a number of other international and national teams.

Guernsey finished in third place overall, with England winning by two points behind Scotland.

In addition to Mace’s 100 over the two long ranges, Mike Martel and Nick Burton scored possibles at 900 yards.