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Day 21 – Palma Match Day 1
Featured Team Members
Nick Tremlett
GM SB
Nick started shooting before most of this team were born, and first competed at international level in 1976. Dabbling in both Target Rifle and Match Rifle, Nick has won the H.M. Queen’s Prize and the Hopton, and a few other trophies along the way. He was Captain of the undefeated GB team to South Africa in 2017, a tour during which he also won the State President prize for the 2nd time.
2024 will be Nick’s eighth visit to Bloemfontein, and he was a member of the last GB Palma team to compete there, in 1999, along with six other members of the current team.
He has a fascination in long range ballistics and has played an instrumental role in the development of the GB team’s ammunition for this Palma tour; creating a load to overcome the particular ballistic challenges presented by a combination of Bloemfontein’s altitude and high daytime temperatures.
Chris Mitchell
Chris began shooting at the Oratory School some 20 years ago to escape supervised homework sessions before continuing the theme at Exeter University. Chris has now shot with both England and GB both on home soil and abroad, is the Berkshire county captain and a member of the Cardinals Rifle Club. Chris is looking forward to returning to Bloemfontein having shot there with the GB U19s in 2009 and more recently in 2023 with GB. He’s excited to experience the challenge and intensity of the 2024 World Championships.
Outside of shooting, Chris works as an engineer for Transport for London. Having tried his hand at most other sports and convincing himself that shooting wasn’t taking up enough of his time, Chris can often be found running marathons, ultramarathons and the occasional triathlon.
Under 25s
Jemima Hince
Jemima began shooting in 2016 at Wellington College, under the tuition of Nigel Ball. Her love of touring started in 2017 with the UK Cadets tour to Jersey. In 2018 she visited South Africa and Canada with the GB U19s and Athelings and has now toured Canada three times, returning in 2019 with England and in 2022 with GB. As an individual, she has competed in Scotland, Jersey and Phoenix. In March 2023, Jemima travelled with the GB U25s to South Africa, where they won both international matches. She looks forward to returning in 2024 for the World Championships and hopefully securing more victories.
When not shooting, Jemima enjoys coaching cadets and in the rare occurrence she is away from the ranges, she is completing her final year of a Chemistry degree at Surrey University. When time permits, she can also be found sailing, skiing or walking her Labrador.
Under 21s
Thomas Craig-Fleming
Thomas started fullbore shooting in 2016 at Lancing College, where he also represented Sussex although he now shoots for Kent. His first tour was with the UK Cadet Rifle Team to Jersey in 2019. He was an Atheling in 2020, but never made it to Canada as the tour was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the postponed Imperial Meeting that year, he won the Conwey Fenton Memorial Challenge Cup.
Thomas graduated from the English Lions development pathway in 2023 before which he also had the opportunity to compete in the SA Open Championships as a member of the GB U25 team in March. He is very much looking forward to being a member of the GB U21 team competing in the 2024 World Long Range Championships in Bloemfontein.
Away from the range, Thomas is studying Psychology at Brunel University, London.
Veterans
Stephen Penrose
Having first discovered the delights of shooting in South Africa as part of the 1993 GB team, Stephen is looking forward to making his 10th return visit. He first started shooting at Rugby School, continuing at Cambridge University where he managed to change course enough times to ensure he got in plenty of practice. Over the years, he has shot in many teams matches, has captained the England team in the National Match and enjoyed the odd highlight individually too – winning the SA Long Range Agg in 1993 and State President prize in 1999.
Stephen is a veterinary surgeon by profession and was a partner in a small-animal practice in Colchester; now managing a small property business. He is a keen skier and, with all three children having flown the nest, he enjoys travelling with his wife Kate.
Richard Hirst
Richard is a retired Patternmaker, apprenticed in Halifax and then Bradford. Returning to Halifax, he started as a labourer, ending up as Foundry Manager. His other skills include engraver, french polisher, theatrical prop designer/builder, panel beater, engine builder and chauffeur. His hobbies are shooting, classic cars and motorcycles.
Richard started shooting smallbore at the age of 12, attained three Junior Badges at Bisley in 1972-74, a Mastershot Badge in 1975 and an Experts badge in 1977.
Richard’s expertise in shooting has come to the fore in recent years, including winning the Yorkshire Championship in 2017 and 2023 and the Daily Telegraph in 2020. He has toured with England to the West Indies and to South Africa with last year’s GB Veterans. He is very much looking forward to returning to South Africa for the World Championships.
Tour Information
Captain’s Foreword
