SMASHING DAY AT LAKO !!!!

The sixty mile journey to Lakenheath Clay Target Centre from home was full of thoughts of the rain that was chasing me across the region and was I going to be able to rattle off a quick ton before the weather closed in. Dark clouds gave the occasional downpour with the threat of more to come, but it was a pleasant surprise to venture into Suffolk to discover broken sunshine on the Air Base approach road. Turning into the driveway I was greeted by the sight of someone carefully parking his shiny Porsche Boxster, I waited patiently for his manoeuvres to cease before choosing my space and then proceeded. Sadly he had other ideas and when I moved off to pass him he decided that he would have another go and stuck it into the side of the trusty Pathfinder....not the best way to start a shoot, but that’s my excuse out of the way for finishing about half way from a field of 45 shooters.

Now to the business end of the day, Robbie Manning shooting early on in near perfect conditions rattled off the perfect score to stake an early claim on the title that he had previously won twice before. A few people got close but as the day drew on conditions worsened with the rain almost torrential at times and the exceptional effort required to match Rob was just about impossible and so it was as Robbie took the honours for the third time. A gaggle of shooters weighed in with scores of 98 and it was a full round shoot off to decide the minor placings. With conditions now worse than at any time of the day the squad of four did battle and it was a fellow county shooter Darren Parsons that took the honours with an exceptional straight, Fred Barker another Suffolk shooter completed the 1-2-3 by being the next best in the shoot off.

Pete Bloomfield from Suffolk who took part in the shoot off gained compensation by retaining his Vet’s title three clays clear of Brian Skipp from Norfolk who in turn was one clay in front of third place finisher Allan Wright from Camb’s who won the bronze medal by way of count back as both he and Brian Dumore had both left the shoot.

JAKE MOORE - JUNIOR SKEET CHAMPION

In Juniors young Jake Moore from Norfolk competing in his first Regional Championship scored a very worthy 91 to take the junior title four clays clear of Issac Crum from Nott’s who had made the long journey across the region.

Three shooters contested the Ladies title with Liz Green from Camb’s finishing top of the pile with a score of 90. Fellow Cambridgeshire team mate Janet Maguire finished in the silver medal position and Gill Whinnett from Bedfordshire completed the placings by winning the bronze medal.

As always our thanks go to Pete Usher and his team at Lakenheath CTC for hosting this event, also special thanks to the refs on the day who had to stand in the rain on more than one occasion.

PRIZE MONEY

 

AA – 1st	Robbie Manning
A  –  1st	Fred Barker
A  –  2nd	ME. Jennings
B  –  1st	S. Rowe
C  –  1st	Jake Moore