TO ALL FAMILY FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS STOP

OUR GB TEAM PALMA MATCH SUCCESS IS YOUR SUCCESS STOP

THIS COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT STOP

THANK YOU AND VERY BEST WISHES FROM ALL THE TEAM END

The main tasks of the day are going to be packing, eating and quite possibly trying to drink the vast amounts of alcohol that the houses seem to have left over; can’t leave that for the cleaners after we depart!

The team baggage legends supervised by Matty, have begun the tireless task of trying to squeeze large amounts of team kit into a finite amount of team baggage. The on-tour purchasing by team members of shooting jackets, scope stands, range stools and a multitude of other items is taxing the “champions” to the limit and as room in the Team bags runs out, extra bags have had to be purchased to enable all the goodies to be carried home.

Team members were seen heading off in various directions for either breakfast, brunch or lunch depending on how late they arose from their slumbers and whether or not a vehicle was available to convey hungry mouths to the required eatery.

The more organised of us have begun packing our personal bags, though I am sure there will be some who will leave it until late tonight or early in the morning, remembering that we have to be out of Waters Edge by 10 AM in the morning to proceed to Detroit to get on the big bird to take us home.

Tonight we have the end of tour Team Dinner to look forward to. Brandy’s Restaurant is booked, the orders are placed and the alcohol level may well get topped up. Tomorrow’s drivers will need to be careful.

Has it really been nearly three weeks that we have been here? Time has passed so fast, with early starts and long days on the range. Meals out with friends old and new, the beautiful sunrises, sunsets and memories of a fantastic tour. Given the addiction of GB Palma Touring, thoughts might even turn to New Zealand in four years time (don’t tell our other halves).

Goodbye Waters Edge, goodbye Port Clinton and Camp Perry. It’s been lots of fun. I am sure some of us will return.

We came, we competed, we won.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!

One more day to come, but for now – Thanks for reading – from your diary Team: Ed Jeens, Steve East, David Calvert and Jeremy Langley.

Love to Tour.

Last night our team broke out to dine in ‘target teams’ (each coach with their four firers) as a bonding activity to keep in the groove for the match. Some steam was let off, healthy food eaten and a cheeky glass of wine had as a group tightener. Many went to bed weary from the busy day, conscious that much was still to be done in this monster match.

Arriving at the range, the wind was indeed coming from over the left shoulder and looking about at the assembled international shooters, there were some determined game faces set ready for the match. Their minds focussed, conscious of the hard work to be done, either for GB to hold and build their lead, or for the chasing teams to claw back every point and vee possible. Our warm up was just as the day before, an expert mix of meticulous physiological preparation and horseplay. But it was what was needed and with minds steeled, GB set up for 800 yards.

After yesterday’s very close 800 yard shoot, the team was keen to put down a top score and make their mark on the second day. 1200 points was what we were after and 1200 points was certainly a score that our opponents were capable of. GB ran like clockwork, with shot after shot gracing the vee or bull, though we were not the only ones; further up the range the Aussies and USA were making good work of it. More and more vees thundered in at a confident pace and eventually, relieved, we withdrew from the firing point with a full 1200 points, a feat only matched by Australia (who were only three vees off our score). New Zealand had lost only two, South Africa three, and the USA seven, so nobody is too far off the pace. Four ranges down and four ranges won; GB were on target but the fat lady hadn’t sung yet… Indeed as our vice-captain said, “she was barely out of bed yet”.

Moving back to 900yards, we headed further right on the range, giving us a slightly greater wind as it flowed over the range (this principal is generally true of ranges across the world that have trees along the side, the lee of the trees has weaker wind but little warning of change, further downwind it has a stronger effect but with greater warning of change as it passes along the flags). This range position was potentially harder work for our coaches, any fickle changes in the wind would need disciplined deployment of fire to not be caught out. Our key opponents made a strong score out of their positions nearer the lee of the trees, particularly the USA (9 down), SA (15 down) and Australia (12 down) – a generally better job than their results the previous day. GB made careful use of shot deployment (not letting firers shoot when the wind was tricky) and managed to leave the range remarkably unscathed at 9 off. Again, GB clinched range victory through vee bulls alone (9 more than the USA). Five down, five won… one to go.

Heading into the last range of a match is a nerve-racking time for any team. Shooters need calming and focussing, coaches need to strategise (and have their lunch) and physios become inundated with requests for ‘a quick rub’ by hypochondriacs. This is the time for a great team talk. GB had just such a team talk from both the captain and the vice-captain. I won’t divulge the highly confidential nature of the talk but the result was a driven and focussed team stirred with a sense of pride in their achievement and duty for the last range combined with a comment from the vice-captain that had us roaring with laughter. My lips are sealed…

No doubt other teams had similar chats as even at this late point in the match, the fat lady was not out of her dressing room. GB were only 40 points in the lead – it would only take a few points per man to catch us up in the tricky winds still coming over our left shoulder. Your scribe is but a mere shooter in this team so the events that led to the result at 1000 yards may miss some of the finer technical points of team shooting in its description. I know only the following things. The sixteen firers deployed shot after shot of great shooting – after two days of tense contest, the odd high and low shot from the occasional firer is acceptable, particularly when the rest of the group holds so tight (great ammo). The adjutant and reserves performed brilliantly – the firing point was slick, supplies and messages relayed well and Henry Day supported Reg’s target superbly by plotting and relieving the target of workload. The supporters (GBU25s, Veterans, general passers by) were fantastic – the web page showing virtually live scoreboard information was alive with followers globally and was being kept up to date by a plethora of enthusiastic runners. Now in the tricky conditions, quite what the coaches were up to is beyond me. Elsewhere on the range, inners and magpies were cropping up so all I can say is that witchcraft must have been occurring in our locality. An awesome demonstration of GB shooting and coaching was made – superb use of the wind and the firers to not just hold our lead, but to win the range by a stonking 33 points. Credit to South Africa for being the only team to make more vee bulls than us at 1000 yards today. Records fell. The USA beat the previous team score record (from 2011) by 8 points. David Luckman beat the individual record score (of 446.44) for about 35 minutes when he posted a 446.57 as first man down. This was not to last though as Toby – our glorious tour loving adjutant – followed up his thus far clean score with a mighty 74 (we won’t say where that shot went but it doesn’t matter) to finish 449.59 with a new record score, indeed one that will unlikely be broken for a while. With records falling like narcoleptics at a free-climbing contest, it seems easiest if we list them.

• Match record beaten by 79 points – 7106.827 (176 v-bulls more than last time)
• Individual record beaten by 3 points – 449.59 (Toby Raincock)
• Highest 900 yard aggregate score – 2384.276
• Most consecutive Palma matches won – fourth in a row
• First team ever to win all six ranges
• First female Palma Captain – certainly first victorious Female Captain

It was a glorious day for GB and more statistical analysis would tell you more of the depth of our victory but I shan’t bore you with that here. We won big and we were justly proud of years of hard work. The celebrations immediately after the match were wonderful and full of the beauty of our sport. All the teams gathered and shook hands. The runners up USA and South Africa were valiant fighters and all teams showed their appreciation for not only a great match but also a great win. Prize giving was well attended and all the teams were deservedly applauded for their efforts. Toby collected the Fulton trophy for his high score and Colin Cheshire presented the Arthur Clarke memorial prize to Matthew Ensor as top coach. It is sadly beyond the remit of this diary, and indeed in contravention of the first and second rules of touring, to confide in you the events that followed us from the range that evening, but let me just say that it involved a ferry, a pool party, very little sleep for some and the assistance of four police cars, most of the aforementioned involved our glorious leader! As the Americans would say, “Go figure”.

NRA GB writeup

It is worth reminding ourselves that the finalising of the “order of fire” for the 2-day match was not a team selection; the Palma team was selected several months ago. Every member of the touring team continues to have an important part to play over the coming 2 days. Just 16 of the advertised team of 26 (28 with our 2 physios) will be “firing shots”, but all are fully involved, and indeed have been over the past 3 years of training and preparation. Furthermore, the team would be much the poorer without the participation and dedication of the whole Palma squad from the beginning, and the support of so many of our family and friends “back home”; we want to perform well for you, for our fellow team members and for our Country. All should share in any success we may be fortunate enough to enjoy (and perhaps sympathise with any unexpected shortcomings!). We are well prepared, confident but not complacent, and ready to do battle.

On to the business in hand….

It is 0750. The mood is quiet. The tension is palpable. At 0800 the team assembles for 15 minutes communal team exercises and some light-hearted banter to help ease the tension. As the warm up is brought to a close, target allocation for the first range is announced. The team moves rifles, equipment, scopes, chairs, bags etc. behind the allocated targets towards the right hand side of the range; of the 8 target group allocations we start second from the right. During the 2 days each team will fire on 6 of the allocated target groups, and never more than once on any one group.

A final team brief during which the Captain reminds us all that the World is watching and expects a performance deserving of the current holders of the Palma trophy – no pressure there then! The first firers move forward to find as good a position on the firing point, which is badly worn and pitted. The match referee is called to adjudicate on options of exactly where we can position both ourselves and our kit; a compromise is reached, not ideal, but workable. “Colours” take place at 0855; the countdown begins…10, 9, 8….2, 1…. All are standing to face the cannon half a mile away. A large plume of white smoke is followed nearly a second later by the report of the cannon. Servicemen and women and some USA Veterans salute, others place right hand over left breast in the USA style; the remaining 200 odd competitors and officials remain respectfully still. As the last bars of the USA anthem die away “Carry on” is broadcast and we are back into the “zone”. Things now happen at a faster pace. The 5 minute “blow off” period commences without delay and the air is filled for the first time today with the crackle of several hundred shots in a couple of minutes, before relative silence once more descends. Team members go about their well-rehearsed preparations, in part to keep occupied and not dwell overly on the task ahead. Even the more experienced team members have to work to relax and stay focused; it is surprising how mentally tiring this can be! Muted conversations, a few light hearted jokes; some read, some revisit the physios, others listen to music through private earphones. Some use mental visualisation techniques to rehearse the action to come. Your scribe writes the diary for today…

Every team member wants to do their best for the team; no one wants to let the side down – especially as the coming 2 days are the culmination of so much effort by so many. In the back of the firer’s minds will be the need for care in every one of the 90+ shots each has to release. A cross-fire is a real danger here at Camp Perry, with the targets so close together and the number boards difficult to read. The penalty of 5 points lost could cost the match. Even though the total maximum team score is a possible 7200 points, the crucial figure for each team is the number of “points dropped” and an unnecessary loss of 5 points may be critical. It is worth recalling that over the last few days the Australians had a cross-fire in the America Match, as did our GB Veterans team in their World Championship match.

Also playing on the firers minds (though hopefully pushed into the sub-conscious on the firing point) is the knowledge that one poor sideways shot may not only lose one or more points in itself, but can mislead the 5 coaches and result in the other 3 firers losing points following ill-advised corrections. Then there are the direct physiological effects of the psychological tension. The “fight or flight” response kicks in; small surges of adrenalin enter the bloodstream and within 2 seconds the heart rate increases to pump more oxygen to the muscles to prepare for action. Fine for a sprinter on the athletics track, but seriously counter-productive for the rifleman. That steady sight picture can deteriorate into a rapid dance of the front sight across the target, further increasing anxiety, and a vicious circle ensues. It has to be said that competing in our sport at the highest International level is not for the faint hearted or those of a nervous disposition!

The wind coaches are certainly not exempt from the pressure of expectation or the weight of responsibility. Failure to detect even subtle changes in wind strength or direction can lead, in the worst case, to all 4 firer’s shots moving out towards the edge of the target, leading to the potential loss of many points. On the other hand, they must avoid freezing with indecision or unduly upsetting their firer’s rhythm with too many stops and waits. Every one of the hundreds of decisions has to be as considered and accurate as possible.

After only a few moments we are called to the firing line for the 3 minute preparation period. The first 4 firers move forward, joined shortly afterwards by the 2^nd firers positioned on the other side of their respective coaches. When the targets appear we get the first indication of today’s sight picture. With some light cloud cover the aiming circles on the targets are visible, so the option is there to use either a small foresight aperture or to open wider to frame the target. The concave shape of the targets, perhaps exacerbated by a recent soaking, results in the left of the target being significantly brighter than the right hand side, as the sun moves just past the 3 o’clock position looking down range. The moderate to fresh wind comes over the left shoulder from between 7.30 and 8 o’clock, a direction hoped for by our coaches in the expectation that the terrain to the left will provide more varied and challenging conditions, to make the most of our well practised coaching drills. The temperature is a pleasant 20 Deg. C, the air dry and the moderate to fresh breeze ensures comfort even in sweatshirt and heavy shooting jacket. Overall, as pleasant a day as we have experienced over the past 3 weeks on the southern shores of Lake Erie.

The match commences at 0915, once again a little later than the advertised time of 0900. Our firers double up as plotters, clearing the point after completing their string of 15 shots, then returning to plot for their coaches and fellow firers. As the first firers finish, having proved to themselves that they have not lost their skills overnight, and that the pressure of the occasion has not been detrimental to their performance, there is a noticeable easing of tension.

As the last of the 16 firers are about to commence, the tannoy bursts into life again, “Cease-fire, cease-fire, boat in the danger area”, followed 6 minutes later by, “we have been placed back in a hot status – you may load and fire when your target appears”. An additional non-convertible sighter is made available to those that wish it. The USA terminology on the firing point is also a little different; while our coaches instruct our firers to “go on”, they call “knock it down” or “send it”. The former presumably recognising that the target “falls when hit” when the target puller detects the shot; the latter may conjure up a bizarre vision of the bullet being put in an envelope and posted to the butts? I digress…..

So, after an hour at 800 yards and with 40 minutes to spare the last shot goes down range for GB. We have a marginal and insignificant lead of one V bull over the USA; however the psychological benefit of winning the first range is significant. Three teams, GB, USA and Australia are just one point off (1199 ex 1200), followed by South Africa, Canada and New Zealand on 6, 8, and 12 off respectively. The final 2 teams are Germany and West Indies on 26 and 43 off respectively.

We commence again at 900 yards at 1105. This time the wind coaches are being more cautious. There are significantly more waits and stops, and the firers struggle more to find a steady rhythm; altogether a more tiring range for all concerned. The wind is also up, from a moderate breeze at 800 yards to a fresh, gusting strong wind at 900 yards. Subtle changes in angle are also present but the mean direction is unchanged. An examination of the wind plots indicate a total wind spread in the order of just over 2 minutes of angle, i.e. the width of the Bulls-eye; Camp Perry is living up to its reputation for deceptively steady winds – so far. At the end of this range, GB has a marginally increased lead with 8 off, with the Aussies 13 off, USA 20 off, South Africa 33 off (possibly credited with a miss), Canada 39 off, New Zealand 43 off, Germany 112 off and West Indies 118 off. The field is spreading out.

As we start the final range of the day the wind has freshened further, the sky is clear and the temperature on the firing point has risen to the high 20’s in the shade (not that there is any shade on the mound!). The conditions are among the most challenging experienced over the past 2 weeks, with the wind bracket varying between 5 and 9 minutes of angle (greater than the distance from centre to edge of the 6ft square targets. More stops and waits and a slower shoot than at 900 yards. After 70 of the allocated 90 minutes have passed, our final firers have just started. The tannoy bursts into life….”Cease fire, cease fire, Eagle in the danger area, unload….”. The presence of a protected American Bald Eagle is a compulsory stop – another “first” in your scribe’s 50 odd years of full-bore shooting! Twenty minutes later we are off again, only to stop once more for a boat in the danger area. This time it is only a brief interruption and the final 10 minutes of the match are soon completed. The 5 coaches and final firers retire looking suitably fatigued. The strain of the past 8 hours also tells on the captain and support team; it is additionally frustrating to watch without any direct control over events.

As the results come in, and subject to confirmation, GB has increased its lead to 30 points with 49 points off. Points dropped by the other teams are: USA -79, South Africa -88 (with, I understand, a miss at both 900 and 1000 yards), Australia -91, New Zealand -115, Canada -174, West Indies -302, Germany -305.

We have enjoyed the generous support of members of the GB Under-21, Under-25 and Veteran’s teams; this has been invaluable in allowing our team to concentrate on the main task and has contributed significantly to today’s sound performance.

It has been a good day, confidence is high, and your scribe looks forward to handing over reporting duties tomorrow, to enjoy some light reading, rather than writing, between 3 relaxing and enjoyable ranges on this second and final day.

The scene is set…

During the course of the match you can follow the progress of all the teams using the following link: Live Scoreboard

Some target teams were well prepared with plot sheets filled in whilst some targets (no names, no pack drill) were not quite so well prepared! With various degrees of order and disorder target teams performed and many V Bulls were scored.

With zeros checked and spare rifles fouled, we departed the ranges for the last time before match day. Two intrepid firers (and their long suffering coach) remained behind for a shoot at 1000 yards. During discussions with Team West Indies they were informed that, the West Indies ‘are are going to give us a damn close match and we should be prepared for a beating” – Looking forward to it!

The majority of the team spent the rest of the day foraging for food. Various burgers and steaks were demolished whilst the entire chicken population of Port Clinton is now wingless! ‘Team wing’ then to retired to bed (each to their own) and to a man all had a two-hour siesta.

Jackie and Zoe remained at home treating the sick and injured (10 people fixed so far today) – Many thanks to both.

And so to this evening, a team meeting followed by a BBQ. ‘Team wing’ are not that hungry, but Bill and Tom D are holding up honours by being first in the queue for steak, sausage and guess what – yes, more chicken! At least there is something green on the plate for this meal.

The mood in camp is quiet and calm, we all know our roles and responsibilities, the plot sheets are filled out, sights are set and the ammo team have finally hung up the presses and scales. Many thanks to Tom Rylands and his ‘press gang’ for their efforts over the last few weeks.

Sleep well all, tomorrow awaits. We are ready and looking forward to it.

21:15: It’s all too much for the youngest team member; thanks for all your hard work Zoe

Early shooters at 900 yards took a generally left wind that varied as the angle moved around, though the angle soon swung through a headwind to be right wind. This then curled back to roughly a head wind to settle back to 11 o’clock left wind. Not easy, but not impossible to keep on top of and put a good score in. Today’s ripples of gunfire are punctuated by the boom of heavier fire from the artillery range to our west.

Going into 1000yards, Ben Emms was still leading clean with a spattering of shooters close (Trudy Faye one off) – giving him a strong chance facing the now tricky left wind. The wind over the following details was not straightforward and not forgiving. Strength and angle shifted regularly and settled spells to shoot on were never too long. Several of our team GB heroes fell foul of the tricky wind but Jon U and Jon T held fast to finish 5 down overall. Nigel Ball shot a mighty 74.7 to finish 5 down also – this was the same range score as Emms to put him an astounding 1 down after eight ranges.

The top 10 was set, though there was a clustering of esteemed GB shots at 8 off (Luckman, Calvert, Jeens, Rylands)

Top ten going into the final:

Emms -1

Underwood -5

Tapster

Pozzebon -6

Ball

Whitaker

White

Bruwer

Steketee -7

Kovalchick

The wind remained tricky and fickle from the left for the final and quite a crowd had gathered behind them on the bleachers or climbing on barriers, buggies and chairs to get a view. Early in the shoot, it was clear some nervy shots were going down from some shooters, as one would expect in a final. Ball, Pozzebon and Emms had notably steady starts though increasingly more of the ten finalists dipped into the inner and magpie as the conditions flicked about. Ball was pounding the middle at some pace – with some careful waits – when Emms fired a shocking low magpie. This of course prompted a prolonged wait by him while he thought about things. A light loaded charge? A premature shot release? Ball carried on and continued to hit the middle. Emms returned to form and plugged in a vee but then promptly got caught for a screaming left handed outer. Shock! With the rest of the field a few points down now, Nigel was level on points with Emms, prompting a frantic calculation of vee count by the crowd. Nigel put in a line cutting five and then sadly a four the other side before the maths could be done and Emms was back clear. Nigel quickly finished with a striking 74.4 to finish 7 down overall with the shoot of his life. Emms had the points but also had to turn the remaining three rounds in his box into at least 14 points. A slow and steady series of shots followed. All the other finalists had finished and Emms was last to fire. Two Bulls fired… The last round was in the chamber. He had already spent more time on the point than the Australian cricket team had spent in bat… The last shot was a bull. Victory and a new World champion was crowned. Commendable shoots were made by the other finalists, mostly in the 70s region so Ball’s score was truly stellar. Ben Emms was chaired from the range in the traditional manner (using the chair brought down from Canada).

World Champion EMMS, BEN, AUS 669 – 77

2^nd BALL, NIGEL J, GBR 668 – 75

3^rd POZZEBON, MATTHEW, AUS 666 – 78

4^th TAPSTER, JON, GBR 666 – 70

10^th UNDERWOOD, JON C, GBR 663 – 72

15^th LUCKMAN, DAVID C, GBR 592 – 77

16^th CALVERT, DAVID P, GBR 592 – 71

17^th JEENS, ED R, GBR 592 – 69

20^th RYLANDS, TOM G, GBR 592 – 55

24^th WILDE, ANDREW R, GBR 591 – 61 : Very well done to Andrew (non- GB Team).

Now, this means, we think, that the 800 yard Aggregate is complete with just the two shoots in this World Championships. There is some uncertainty over the final result, though we currently believe that Lucky is “tied” for first place, with a count out likely to be applied rather than a tie shoot (this is the briefed policy, presumably for administrative and/or logistical reasons).

There are no Daily Aggregates as such, but 3 composite Aggregates, each composed of an 800, 900 & 1000 yard shoot. Thus, the first such Aggregate will consist of the 1st day’s single shoot (800 yards), added to the 900 and 1000 yard shoots fired on day 2; however, the 1000 yard shoot on day 2 was of course aborted and re-scheduled for this afternoon, so the first composite 3-range Aggregate should consist of 3 ranges shot one on each of the first 3 days. The third such Aggregate will, one assumes, consist of just the 2 shoots tomorrow morning (the final day), following cancellation of this morning’s 800 yard shoot. The second such Aggregate will, we assume, be as originally planned, consisting of the 2nd day’s 800 yard shoot and the 900 and 1000 yard shoots shot this morning vice the originally planned 800 and 900 yard shoots. Confused? I sincerely hope so as we are and we are here competing!

There will also be an Aggregate for the 3 shoots at each distance, except, of course, that there are now to be only 2 such shoots for 800 yards; this should be reasonably straight forward with respect to stats.

There has been, it has to be said, some further confusion among the competitors regarding revised squadding arrangements following yesterday’s heavy shower and the subsequent “postponement” of the final match of the day at 1000 yards. I say “postponement” as scores shot before the rain have been cancelled (good news for some, if not for others) and the match is now planned to be shot this afternoon, after lunch and following the morning 1000 yard shoot (but subject to weather radar predictions of thunderstorm activity). There was much speculation overnight as to which firing point target number individual competitors should report to for the 900 yard shoot today as the complex squadding system was not designed for the inconvenience of a rescheduled programme. The final advice, at the 0730 roll call this morning, was to attend the target number you were programmed for at 900 yards, rather than that planned for the first shoot of the day (originally at 800 yards). Yes, I know, it has taxed the 450 or so competitors!

Well, it is 1330, and after some conflicting announcements – “there will be no lunch break”, followed 30 mins later by “there will be a break” (but no mention of for how long), and then “there will be a 20 min break immediately following the final shot of the morning shoot at 1000 yards during which all competitors will be issued with fresh cards for the 1000 yard reshoot from yesterday’s match”. It was also announced that we should remain on our targets and fire in the same order as the previous late morning shoot; this deviation from the “fair squadding system was “to prevent additional confusion amongst the competitors”.

Well, the storms held off or passed by and the 2nd 1000 yard shoot of the day was completed, leaving tomorrow’s programme “as advertised”, at least for the time being.

Speaking of which (ie thunderstorms), it is now 1830 and our local area has just recovered from a one hour power outage, presumably due to a lightening strike.

In the absence of wifi for results, highlights of today include an exceptional 75.15 by coach Bill to win the 900 yard range shoot this morning; there was also a 75.13 from Lucky and a 75.12 from Captain Jane. On the 1000 yard morning shoot Parag came 14th with a 75.8.

As we head into the final day, the latest placings have Ben Emms from Australia leading on zero points dropped! Trudie Faye and Tom Whitaker (both USA) are 1 off and 2 off respectively. GB currently has Ed, Jons (Underwood & Tapster) and David Calvert on 3 off, Matty on 4 off and Parag, David A, Nigel & Tom R all on 5 off.

900 & 1000 yards to go tomorrow, before the top ten shoot off for the title of ‘World Individual Long Range Champion’.

Today is day 2 of the individual long range, starting at 800 yds. After the compulsory warm up led by our two physios, shooting began almost on time. With next to no wind for the first details, scores were very high with 12 or 13 V bulls being the norm for most shooters. Unfortunately some shooter’s rhythms were disrupted by ‘cease fire’ as boats appeared in the danger area and the odd point was dropped. At present, as I look along the range all targets are showing either V Bulls or Bulls, not a single inner in sight.
As the later details shot, the wind increased from the right with a bracket of 1 to 3 minutes of wind and the shooter who took their eye off the wind or mirage could be rewarded with an inner. Keep it tight folks.

At 900 yds with humidity rising the wind started to take its toll with inners making regular appearances.  The wind bracket on the right hand side of the range increased from 2 to 4 minutes right. Just to confound things, we have all been given a new squadding for the 1000 yards that will start after lunch.

With looming rain clouds to our left, the 1000 yard detail got under way. With a steady wind scores were going to be high but the weather gods were going to have fun with us. At about 1600 the heavens opened and those on the firing point got very wet very quickly. Soon shooting was cancelled for initially 30 minutes but this dragged on as the rain got heavier. The markers were then pulled out of the pits. Would shooting continue as there were four details to go?

At 1645 the markers returned to the pits to re-rig and the somewhat damp shooters prepared to carry on, fresh targets were sent to the pits as the old soggy cardboard targets were unceremoniously removed on the back of a tractor.

And then of course, the decision was made to cancel the 1000yd shoot. Those that had shot and scored 75 would have their scores nullified and all would shoot or reshoot tomorrow afternoon. It looks like the weather gods have won the day. We will shoot 900 and 1000 (twice) tomorrow, instead of the allotted 800 yards. We believe the 800-yard shooting is now complete and that the 800-yard aggregate has probably been won by our own David Luckman.

Damp and bedraggled shooters then made their way home to dry out kit for tomorrow and have few well-earned beers.

Normally on any given day this tour, Toby is never too far away from his treasured GoPro camera. Today unfortunately was an exception – we all wondered how he could cope without taking selfies at the drop of a hat. Where could it be? Perhaps it was back in the house with his watches and sunglasses? Nope… It was 12,000 feet above the range attached to Sherri Gallagher’s helmet in an aircraft full of the US Army’s Golden Knights parachute display team.

High above us as we sat on the rickety set of bleachers, we saw a tiny black dot coming out of the aircraft (this is not a comment on Sherri’s size, she was just a long way up). Trailing smoke from her feet, she performed an excellent jump and landed bang on the aiming mark. Vee bull! Quickly out of her jump gear, she took to the microphone to commentate on the formation jump being made by her teammates above.  The Golden Knights put on an entertaining and highly professional display; a fantastic and spectacular opening to our championships.

Next up was the raising of the flags. Henry and Tom D had been chosen as our flag team and we were confident that they wouldn’t let us down having attended the briefing the previous day. Highlights of that briefing included “The flags will be in alphabetical order, so the United States goes first then Australia…”. Henry and Tom didn’t disappoint and even managed to get our flag the correct way up, better than can be said for a certain international governing body – let’s hope it’s not a sign of distress. The anthems provided a great moment for nations to show their reverence, respect and pride in their nation. Japan touchingly sung to their anthem and we Brits were stirred by the sight of our nation’s flag billowing in the wind.

This afternoon we tackled the now quite fiery winds on the range as we fired the first of the nine world long-range championship shoots, starting with 800 yards. That said, the 800 yards target is more forgiving than those at 900 and 1000 on account of it being the same size (though different subtended angles between scoring rings) so hopefully any tricky wind would get you in the bull rather than drop you points. Come the day’s end it was apparent that high vees were needed to be at the top with John Whidden taking 75.14 ahead of David Luckman on 75.13.

Tonight we dine on camp for the official Palma Dinner – may there be good food, good drinks and good friends old and new.