After 3 days of rest and preparation the squad were keen to get stuck into the shooting. An early start (with alarms before 6am) at the hotel the unwelcome consequence!
It was good to be back at the General De Wet range. The drive out from Bloemfontein is through large areas of wild grassland, with zebras, ostriches, and Wildebeests on the viewing menu as we went. Significant improvements have taken place over the last year at the range complex with the range being expanded by 30 or 40 more targets to accommodate the World Championships and work by the South African Military to the buildings was clear to be seen.
Today was a practice day for shooters, range staff and markers alike, with time allocated for shooting at 300m, 600m, 800m and 900m. The briefing for GB made the day before outlined that 300 and 600m in the morning were for individual preparation, and the afternoon at long range would be under target team conditions. Team members could do as they wished with this time. For some it was getting zeros (correct sight settings) for main and spare rifles, for others a chance to get back into the swing of South African conditions with scores taking very much a back seat to processes and equipment checks. However, of those posting scores, the captain showed his team how he wanted things done, with a very tidy 50.7.
Into the afternoon we were re-introduced to Bloemfontein’s famous heat. Short of the 38 degrees (in the shade) we are promised for later in the tour, the needle hit 34 as we shot at 800 and 900m, with the winds becoming more forceful and changeable – giving the coaches a good work out along with the firers. The long-range session was again a good opportunity for the team to test sights, ammo, comms and our new water bottles and hydration salts. With much being learnt (and in some cases, relearnt) through the afternoon. Chloë Evans led the team at 800m with a most impressive 50.8. At 900m there were no 50s scored, with a wind bracket of 1 minute to 9 minutes Right (that’s nearly 8ft of variation across a 20 inch wide bullseye) Matthew Button came top with a 49.6.
Arriving back at the hotel hot and dusty kit was packed away, lunch orders prepared for the next day and then Zoë lead several of team through a gentle stretching session to ease away the aches of the day.
