Branch beats elements to mark his 21st in style

Monday 16th August 2010, 2:29PM BST.

NICK BRANCH (pictured) celebrated his 21st birthday with a third island shooting title in four years and a house party with friends.

Whether the party was drier than Saturday’s unseasonable conditions at Fort Le Marchant, especially at 500 yards where the climax of this year’s championship event started in torrential rain, is unknown.

Not that the weather seemed to bother the OE, who finished the third and final stage with 74 ex 75 with 8 v bulls thrown in to hold off Rob Waters, who could not have done much more to take his first title, finishing with 75 ex 75 and 6 v bulls.

Ultimately just 1.09 separated the top two in the overall standings after three Saturday afternoons of shooting.

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