- The first of four Jersey shooting squads have been announced ahead of Jersey 2015.
- Reigning champion Chapman out to defend 3P title.
- Island archers to have electronic timing system in place for this summer’s Island Games.
JERSEY Smallbore Rifle Association have announced a team of eight marksmen for June’s NatWest Island Games in Jersey.
Andy Chapman will defend the gold medal he won in Bermuda two years ago in the three-positional shoot and will be joined in the same section by the vastly experienced and current 3P Island champion Peter Le Marinel.
Chapman, who also competed in Aland in 2009, Island champion Steve Bouchard and Nick Le Masurier will contest the medals in the prone shoots at 50 metres and 100 yards, while in the ladies air rifle prone shoots Sue de Gruchy and Sarah Campion will be aiming for top spot.
Le Marinel and David Turner, the latter who will be competing at his sixth Games, shoot individually and as a pair in the ten-metre air rifle, while newcomer Ashleigh Taylor is the Island’s sole representative in the ladies’ smallbore section.
Team manager Jonathan Bouchard said: ‘We’ve had numerous trial shoots to help select our team and the top shooters have been selected and confirmed by the Jersey Smallbore Shooting Association’s selection committee.
‘It’s a strong team and I believe we have a good chance to win medals in every section.’
Jersey’s smallbore and air rifle team – one of four alongside the clay, fullbore and pistol squads – won two medals in Bermuda.
MEANWHILE, Jersey’s archery clubs have taken ownership of their first official timing system as the Island prepares to welcome competitors from around the world for the NatWest Island Games.
A timing system is used to control the order of shooting and timings for international competitions but, despite being essential for world record status archery events, Jersey has never possessed one.
Aland 2009
- Single FITA men’s recurve silver – Michael Coward
Isle of Wight 2011
- Single FITA women’s compound silver – Lucy O’Sullivan
- Women’s head to head knockout compound gold – Lucy O’Sullivan
- Women’s 720 compound silver – Lucy O’Sullivan
- Single FITA team compound bronze
- Head to head knockout recurve silver
Recognising the legacy benefit to the two clubs – Archers of Jersey and Jersey Archery Society – a system was purchased from Danage; the same manufacturer used for many world championship events.
Liz Pomroy, archery co-ordinator for Jersey 2015, said: ‘Jersey is a wonderful place to visit but has struggled to attract archers from the UK and abroad as none of our competitions has been of official world record status up to this point.
‘We will soon be hosting the Euronations Competition. Although there won’t be the same number of competitors as we expect at Jersey 2015, there will be about 100 archers plus managers and supporters who will be boosting Jersey’s economy. There are also the Junior Euronations and European Commonwealth Games events in the calendar too, which the Island will now be in a position to bid for.
‘The timing unit will not sit in a store between major events; Jersey’s two archery clubs hold regular indoor and outdoor competitions, so the system will be put to good use.
‘By using the timing unit regularly, our archers will become accustomed to the rigors of shooting strictly to time. This will help improve their standards so that, when they go away to UK competitions, they will be relaxed knowing that their form is in tune with the rhythm and timing needed for the event.’
