30 June & 1 July: Final training weekend
GBRT Canada 2018’s diary begins where our preparation ends: with the last of our Bisley training weekends, in specially booked “Canada-lite” weather conditions – thank you NRA!
We shot two America Match courses of fire, with some technique training on Saturday followed by Sunday’s under full match conditions. This match will be one of the key team matches on the tour in August and consists of 2 sighters & 15 shots to count at each of 300, 600, 900 and 1000 yards.
Temperatures remained in the high twenties all weekend, with little cloud cover or respite and there was a gusty, right to left breeze, which proved a stern test for shooters and coaches alike and excellent preparation for the conditions we are likely to encounter in Canada. A little cooling from thin cloud cover on Sunday afternoon gave us that extra bit of humidity we hadn’t been looking for.
Saturday night saw the first of many team BBQ’s, excellently cooked by Stu and Liam, with the Captain’s family providing the food, including copious salads and coleslaws. A barrel of beer made its way to the British Commonwealth Rifle Club, which assisted the rehydration process. At the end of the evening, GB team ties/cravat and shoulder flashes were awarded to the six new caps in the 20-strong touring team: Lauren, David Y, Martin L, Oli R, Liam and Simon.
Next stop for many will be the BCRC meeting next weekend and then the Imperial Meeting, also at Bisley later in July. After a brief 10-day gap for family time and a little work, the team departs for Ottawa on 8 August to compete first in the Ontario Rifle Association provincial championship and then the DCRA’s Canadian Fullbore Rifle Championships, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the DCRA.
Readers can also follow us on Facebook where more updates will be posted before and during the tour. In the coming days, we will have video interviews providing perspective from the old, the new, the management and some wind coaches.
