GBRT : Canada 2011

Our guests last night were not as thirsty as we had hoped. The team will be drinking 7Up and Sprite till we get back home, judging from the amount brought back to our hut.

JJ Jackson made up two more of his “blank round” pendants for awarding to those who forgot their ammo. Emma's new bling looks lovely and Kelvin (who thought he had got away with his ammo “problem” on the first day) just looks very um, noble.

Management have been giving out a charcoal “caricatures” depiction of the team. The Captain organised this earlier in the year and we brought out sufficient copies to give to friends and fellow shooters here in Canada. They have been received very well and have been an original alternative to the familiar “gizzit” badges and pins. I am sure you will see them around Bisley as they will probably find their way into picture frames on clubhouse walls.

Apologies for not updating the Grand Aggregate standings – some cards have gone “walkabout”. It has now been confirmed that David Dyson and Kent Reeve are tied on points, but that Reeve leads Dyson by 17 v's as of last night, though that lead has grown during today.

A weather front passed through last night. Before we left Connaught yesterday evening, the walls of the marquee were being moved by some quite strong gusts. There are new puddles where old ones were drying up yesterday and low scudding clouds were dispersing in fresh winds as we drove to the range this morning.

On our arrival, we were greeted with bad news. Alain Marion was taken ill last night and is now in hospital having had a heart attack from a blocked artery. He is in the team's thoughts and we send him all our wishes for a very speedy recovery.

The Gibson, last pre squadded shoot of the Grand was shot this morning. With relays at 300 and 600m. Winds have been fresh all day and pretty much from 9 o'clock, square across the range.

The tie shoot for the President's was shot at lunchtime. Warby v Des Vamplew. The Vice Captain won with 25.4 against Des' 24.3. This means that all the team management has won an individual match. The Adj. took the Qualifier, being the agg. for the Letson and the President's. The Vice Captain would like it mentioned that this continues the long established tradition of Queen's Lodge members winning tie shoots against the Vamplews.

We have just completed the 600x stage of the Outlander, 2/15 at 600 followed by 2/15 at 900m. “Sparky” Brooks was Andrew Wilde's coach for the match. We all drove to the firing point in our little red fun bus and unloaded the gear. Sparks was standing (unsighted) on the right hand side of the bus, I was at the rear and Andy W on the left. Time seemed to extend as Andy and I watched his rifle ever so gracefully fall over from where it had been leaning against the side. Andy merely said to Charles “Coach, my zero may have changed, do let me know if it has”. It hadn't, he scored 74.8.

What a glorious afternoon's weather we have had! GBRT Red won from GBRT Green 1179 to 1153. Emma put in a superb 150.22. Temperatures up to 27c with a fresh wind to cool things down a bit.

I have just heard that Jon Taylor did some washing for Sarah Jane and Jon Kent. Sarah has just commented that she hoped JK was having as much difficulty putting on her top as she was putting on his boxer shorts.

Most of the team are shooting in the 0934 detail of the Gatineau, 2/15 at 900m, so they are in the top 50 of the Grand as of this evening. We shoot the Commonwealth Match tomorrow afternoon and the Canada Match on Saturday morning. We await team selection as I write.

The weather gods look as if they will be kind to us tomorrow. The forecast predicts light winds, temperatures only up to 22c and very little chance of any precipitation.