No-one took an overnight advantage ahead of today’s shoot from 500 and 600 yards as Jersey’s veteran Cliff Mallett jnr and Peter Stock matched the home pair’s score of 295.Their nearest challengers are Falklands Islands, who are the best of the rest with 284.The seven teams shot at 300, 500 and 600 yards yesterday in a light crosswind and Stock in particular scored heavily with maximums at the latter two targets.Earlier, Alex Langley warmed up for the individual competition by winning the Queen’s Badge shoot – the practice competition.
Stock finished second, ahead of Guernsey’s Peter Jory and Mallett.Meanwhile Mark Andrews and Shaun Roberts placed seventh in the automatic ball trap team event on the Portinfer Range yesterday afternoon.The Jersey pair scored 169 out of 200 to finish 15 targets off the medal positions, with Andrews, in his seventh Island Games, combining well with the rookie Roberts.Isle of Man won the gold medal, equalling the competition record with 188, ahead of Sark (187) and Gibraltar (184).Andrews shot consistently throughout the competition to score 92 ex 100 while Roberts improved quickly after a nervous start to finish with 77 ex 100.
‘I’ve never shot ball trap in competition before, but it’s been good,’ said Roberts.
‘The first two rounds were not so good for me but I improved after that and I’m enjoying it.’Andrews, who is the current Games record holder in the double trap, reckons that the standard this year is very high.
‘There’s some very good scores being put in,’ he said.
‘In previous Games there’s tended to be one guy shooting well and his partner not so good but this year both shooters have been shooting well.’It’s a great start to the week and it’s given us a good view of the range.
It’s also given Shaun an idea to what’s coming ahead for the individual events.’
