Take Dave Chapman, for example, making his debut at the age of 77 or Steve Le Couilliard (58) who has been to six Commonwealth Games but is only making his competitive Island Games debut this month.
Hoping to convert years of experience into medal success a total of nine shooters will go in these three disciplines including regular podium placers Mary Norman, David Turner, Steve Bouchard and Kevin de Gruchy.
The team
Mary Norman (59): Housewife. 50m and 100 yards .22 prone rifle (plus pistol shooting). Going to her third Games having won six medals including three gold, one of which was in the .22 50m prone rifle in Aland 2009.
Did you know? Mary enjoys patchwork and quilting and volunteers as a shooting coach at Victoria College.
Sporting idol: Steve Redgrave.
Sarah Pallot (31): Civil servant. Ladies’ individual and pairs 50m and 100 yards prone .22 shooter going to her first Games. Finished third in the Channel Islands Championships 2010 and competed
against Guernsey in this year’s
inter-insular.
Did you know? Sarah competed in the European Dog Show 1997 and is a qualified veterinary nurse.
Sporting idol: My dad, Jack, who encouraged me to take up .22 rifle shooting and has coached me since the age of 12.
Richard Bouchard (50): Plumbing and heating company director. Smallbore team manager, going to his fourth Games with a personal best of pairs silver in Rhodes
2007. Made the final of the British Championship from a field of 800 shooters to come 16th.
Did you know? Richard was shooting team manager at last year’s Commonwealth Games in India.
Sporting Idol: Gagan Narang the top Indian shooter, who he watched at the Commonwealth Games.
Nick Le Masurier (42): Projects Engineer. 300m fullbore prone shooting team manager. Making his Games debut and is a fifth generation shooter.
Did you know? Nick is a team member of the smallbore division I winning Vinchelez Sports club which last won the title 54 years ago when his great-grandfather was president.
Sporting idol: Nigel Mansell.
Kevin De Gruchy (46): Works at AA Langlois. 300m fullbore prone rifle individual and pairs. Going to his third Games after Gibraltar 1995, where the team won bronze, and Jersey 1997 plus twice Commonwealth representative. Aiming for a medal.
Did you know? Kevin fractured his neck in a diving accident
Sporting idol: Ian Botham.
Steve Le Couilliard (58): Director of a local window and conservatory installations company. 100 yards .22 smallbore prone rifle individual and pairs; 300m fullbore prone rifle individual and pairs. Has been to six Commonwealth Games, first competitive Island Games having managed the smallbore team in Jersey 1997. Runner up in last year’s 50m British Championships and 300m Great Britain Club Championship.
Did you know? Steve is a gold and bronze medallist in various Commonwealth Shooting Federation European Division events and a four times GB team member.
Sporting idols: Malcolm Cooper and Nigel Mansell.
Dave Chapman (77 going on 78): Retired. Trained in surveillance radar in the Royal Air Force. Going in the .22 smallbore 100 yards prone rifle individual and pairs. Making his Games debut. Island outdoor and indoor champion in the 80s.
Did you know? Dave and his wife Jean were on honeymoon in Jersey in 1963 and loved it so much they decided to stay. Dave got a job at the Airport after going for an interview there while still on honeymoon.
Steve Bouchard (53): Self-employed plumbing and heating engineer. 50m individual and pairs .22 smallbore prone rifle shooter. Won pairs silver and individual bronze in his first Games in Aland two years ago. The current Channel Islands indoor champion and outdoor Island
champion.
Did you know? Steve was a paramedic for 26 years. He has also designed 11 Prix D’Honneur Battle of Flowers floats for the Optimists Club.
Sporting idol: Thierry Henry… or anyone in an Arsenal shirt come to think of it!
Richard Fountaine (36): Taxi driver. 50m smallbore rifle individual and pairs. Making his Games debut and hoping to do his best and not let himself down. He achieved promotion to Class B at the British Championships.
Did you know? Richard placed fourth in the Class B British Championship final last year.
Sporting idol: Bill Werbeniuk.
Johnathan Bouchard (24): Client bookkeeper at Nautilus Trust Company. Individual and team 10m air rifle events. Going to his first Games. Finished second in the air rifle Island and Channel Islands Championships 2010 and has represented Jersey in the inter-insular for the past ten years.
Did you know? Johnathan has an A-Level in art.
Sporting idols: My dad (Richard Bouchard) and team-mate (David Turner) between them they have taught me everything I know about shooting.
David Turner (37): IT production management analyst. 10m air rifle individual and team. Going to his seventh Games having won eight medals. Scored a personal best score of 587 out of 600 in February. Aims to shoot his best, help team-mate Johnathan have a good first Games
and keep Dave Chapman out of
trouble!
Did you know? David had heart surgery in 2006 to replace a heart valve with a metal one and says that he now ticks! Also plays softball and pool for Jersey.
Sporting idol: Bruce Lee. So much
achieved, so well done, in such little time. Outstanding!
SCHEDULE
Venues: Haseley Manor Air Range, Arreton. Downend Range, Arreton. Newtown Full Bore Range, Porchfield.
Sunday 26 June: Air rifle men’s team (Haseley). 300m rifle men’s team (Newtown).
Monday 27 June: 50m rifle team (Downend). 300m rifle men’s individual.
Tuesday 28 June: 50m rifle individual (D).
Wednesday 29 June: Air rifle men’s individual (H). 100 yard rifle women’s team and individual (D).
Thursday 30 June: 100 yard rifle men’s team and individual (D).
