Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
West Indies Fullbore Rifle Shooting C/ships – Long Range Match Guyana retains Milex Cup on another testing day
By Franklin Wilson in Jamaica
Compliments of Queensway, Fazia’s Collection,
Crown Mining Supply and Fitness Express
On another testing day for the Region’s marksmen and women at the Twickinham Ranges, Jamaica, venue for the 2014 Caribbean Fullbore Rifle Shooting Championships, defending Long Range champions pulled out all the stops to bring off a commanding win after the final shot in the 900 and 1000 yards contest.
Going into the match, the Guyanese unit was confident of retaining the Milex Cup sponsored by Milex Security Firm, a Jamaican company. The combined efforts of the lads from the Land of Many Waters saw them amassing a total of 676 points with 29 V Bulls to emerge victorious by some 30 points.
West Indies Fullbore Rifle Shooting Champs Guyana, proudly display the Golden Arrowhead at the Twickinham Ranges, Jamaica yesterday after retaining the Milex Cup over 900 and 1000 yards.
They left the home team in their wake further back on 646 points and 23 V Bulls on another day where the conditions were tricky with winds changing left to right in a flash.
As the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going and that is what the Guyanese did in order to blow away their opponents. Trinidad and Tobago ended 3rd with 610 points and 17 V Bulls; Antigua and Barbuda placed 4th with 607 points and 15 V Bulls while Barbados brought up the rear on 565 points with 14 V Bulls.
Conditions were not going to be easy given the tricky nature of things in the Individual Championships which ended on Thursday at the same venue. That being the case, the Guyanese Coaching staff comprising of National Captain Mahendra Persaud, ACP Retired Paul Slowe, Ransford Goodluck, Caribbean Individual champion Lennox Braithwaite, National Vice Captain Dylan Fields and GPF Inspector Dane Blair, all experienced shooters in varying conditions, came up with a strategy to deal with the conditions.
It was hard work according to Persaud and while Guyana struggled, it was the same with the other competing countries.
Guyana won at both the 900 and 1000 yards ranges; at 900, the Guyanese tallied 344 points (16Vs) to Jamaica’s 340 (23Vs), Trinidad and Tobago 335 (16Vs), Antigua and Barbuda 317 (10Vs) and Barbados 312 (9Vs).
After a break for 30 minutes, attention then turned to the 1000 yards range. Despite tallying a lower total than the previous range, Guyana ended with 332 points hitting the V on 13 occasions, more than any other team.
Jamaica again was second best, with a combined score of 306 points and 9 Vs; followed by the ever improving Antigua and Barbuda 290 points 5Vs, Trinidad and Tobago 275 1V and Barbados with 253 points 5Vs.
The scores tell the story on another testing day. Attention will now turn to the Short range battle today where the shooters will compete at the 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges; Jamaica are the defending champions having snatched the trophy from Guyana last year in Barbados.
The Guyanese are certainly not happy with that situation and will be going all out to reclaim the trophy to take back the double which they have attained on many occasions and return to the pinnacle as the undisputed champions of the ranges in the Caribbean.
Captain Persaud in an invited comment told Kaieteur Sport that he does not foresee any changes to the team pointing out that USA based John Fraser would have been a certainty on the team yesterday and today but is still to recover fully from a left elbow injury which is hampering him from giving 100% to the team.
Persaud also revealed that they are very impressed with the way all the shooters applied themselves including debutant, Sherwin Felicien, who adapted well.
Jamaica will be gunning hard to retain the Short Range title but will be conscious that the Guyanese are coming all guns blazing to retake the cup. It’s going to be Reggae against Ring Bang.
So, the Range Officer has already given his instructions, mere hours to Message One! Let the firing begin.
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