Darren Burtenshaw had the highest score in all four rounds of the Olympic trap competition. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0431387)

WITH the Natwest Island Games barely a year away, the preparations of the Clay Target Shooting fraternity are well under way.

The second rounds of selection shoots have been held in the Olympic disciplines at the Portinfer range. The selection shoots consist of 100 target competitions, each comprising four separate rounds of 25 targets, the results of which are added to the ranking lists to help the selectors with their decision making processes.

The Olympic trap event was held in perfect conditions, with 11 hopefuls competing. Darren Burtenshaw stamped his mark on the competition from the outset by returning a perfect score of 25 broken targets, two ahead of nearest rivals Dean Wilson and Nick Dewe of Sark.

In the second round Burtenshaw again posted the highest score but Wilson matched him target for target with both scoring 22. Dewe slipped from joint second to third place with a score of 20 which was equalled by veteran shooter Francis Quin. Thereafter the leader-board was unchanged with Burtenshaw scoring 23 and 24 on the remaining rounds to give an overall score of 94 ex 100 and the honour of the highest score on each round of the competition.