EAST MIDLANDS OLYMPIC TRAP CHAMPIONSHIP

HELD AT EAST YORKSHIRE CLAY SHOOTING GROUND

ON SUNDAY 9^TH APRIL

L-R : William Gilbert (Junior champion), Janet Stennett (Ladies champion), Aaron Heading (East Midlands overall champion), Gary Thatcher (Veteran champion

 

We were promised the warmest day of the year so far, so what happened there then?  Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a bad day at 13 degrees but a tad short of the forecast 18 degrees.  An entry of 29 was also not bad but a clash with an ABT selection shoot at Nuthampstead had an adverse effect on the numbers but, nevertheless, amongst the competitors we had some top-class shooters.  Visiting Aussie, James Willetts was top scorer of the day with a superb score of 97 but our very own Olympian, Lincolnshire’s Aaron Heading, matched him shot for shot right up until the last round to finish on a 95 to take the East Midlands title for the third consecutive year. 

 

We have come to expect big scores from Norfolk junior, William Gilbert, and he did not disappoint as his score of 90 was well clear of the rest of the field to take the junior gold medal.  Having said that, Notts shooter, Oliver Sampson recovered well from a disappointing 12 on his first round to finish on a very creditable 73.

 

The Cambridgeshire contingent made the long trip North to participate and whilst some of them had some OT experience it was Gary Thatcher, who has no registered scores at this discipline, who walked away with the veteran’s gold medal with a score of 78.

 

The ladies title went to Jan Stennett who put in a very steady 66 to earn that category medal.

 

Congratulations to all those who took part.  East Yorkshire Clay Shooting Ground is a superb ground but it is not just up the road for East Midlands shooters so it was gratifying to have such a good representation from the East Midlands. 

 

Thanks to Rob Hall and the team at East Yorkshire CSG.  As always, they put on a good show.  The targets were spot on and all ran like clockwork.  Thanks also to Lucy Hall, who having recently scooped the gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Larnaca, joined Janet Stennett, East Midlands Chairman in presenting the medals to our winners.