Normally there is no shooting on Sundays at the South African Championships and as a result the day is given up for rest, recovery and recharging batteries. However, this year any hope of a lie-in or leisurely breakfast was thwarted with the next major difference for this World Championship year – shooting on Sundays.
The SABU Grand Aggregate started today, and with temperatures forecast to rise up to 38 degrees, the last few days of acclimatisation both to the range and to the weather will prove vital.
After hearing a Bible reading and prayer from our CRO General Mac Alexander (see our brochure for more of General Mac’s amazing history), shooting started at 0800 at 300m. This was the first of two shoots comprising the Free State Cup, 2&10 at this range, followed by 2&11 later this morning at 600m. At 300m the wind was relatively steady compared to what we had been seeing for the last few days, but the temperatures were already rising up to the high twenties by the time we finished at 0940. David Armstrong’s 50.9v topped the 16 50s posted by the team. A strong start!
As we fell back to 600, it seemed as though the pace had picked up with shooters quicker to finish on the point and quicker to fall back, so we completed the 600m shoot in good time. You may be wondering why the 600m scores are out of 55 (from an 11 shot shoot), but in the SABU championships short range competitions such as today’s Free State Cup are often out of 105 points, to mirror a Kings 1 score. At 600m, Matthew Ensor’s 55.10v was the top of six perfect 55s, but Hannah Cook continued her form to place top in the morning for a second day in a row with a 105.10v. Jon Kent and Theo Dodds (both with 105.9v) were the only other clean sheets for the morning.
After a much-needed lunch break and chance to rehydrate, we fell back to 800m for the first of two shoots in the Presidents Cup. A 2&10 in 36+ degrees made for hard work, with two of the team sitting out the shoot to avoid the heat. This sensible decision was found to be the preferred route for hydration management above another team member’s accidental drinking of (not their own) neck towel run off. Turns out there can be too much sharing in a team. Gazebos were up, and shade was sought at every possible opportunity. The first detail had even longer on the point with a pause before Message 1. The range staff popped forward to move some tape which was blowing in the now quite strong right wind, blocking the sight picture of those on Victor range (In Bloemfontein, the butts are given letters, from Lima to Zulu). The heat, combined with some tricky winds moving quickly, significantly spread out the scores. Only two of the team managed a 50, very impressive given the extreme conditions, with Jon Kent continuing his clean sheet for today with 50.4v, two vee bulls ahead of Glyn Barnett.
For the final shoot of the day, it was back to 900m for the second half of the President Cup. The worst of the heat was over, with very occasional cloud cover very much welcomed. The wind moved through zero, and magpies and outers were not uncommon. Glyn Barnett managed a 50.8 ahead of Matthew Ensor, Parag Patel and Graham Nelson, also on 50s. This left Glyn with 100.10v. It was a very impressive afternoon’s shooting and enough to win the competition as the only 100 on the range. Jon Kent came in second with 99.7.
With the first day of the SA Open Grand Aggregate complete, Glyn Barnett heads the pack with 204.21v. Jon Kent is hot on his heels with 204.16v with Jim Bailey from Australia in 3rd with 203 and Matthew Ensor the best of the 202s in 4th. Yesterday’s results have now been officially published, with our top shot Hannah Cook placing in 7th overall (104.7v) with FWA Coetzee winning the Scottish Sword with 105.12
After a long hot day, we tried to rehydrate, pack up and get back to the hotel for a quiet evening. Back at the hotel, as Zoe lead the team stretches, several cooled down in the pool, and at least two of the team were spotted in the gym. Given that this diarist’s watch suggested she had earnt 163 active minutes today, who knows where they found the energy to exercise more. Hopefully a relatively early evening will allow us all to recharge before tomorrow morning’s State Presidents 1st Stage (the South African equivalent to the King’s Prize for those familiar with the UK Imperial meeting).
