The 20-year-old former Victoria College pupil who represented Great Britain in the U19 team two years ago scored a huge 778 with 84 centre bulls to take the title ahead of other top class competition at the Bisley 2003 World Championships – no mean feat when he took up shooting more or less by chance, after winning a year membership of a rifle club in the raffle at a parish fête in 1996.Also in the top three of the championship was Stock’s team mate Chris Cotillard who was placed third with a score of 776.76, and Charles Simon, another VC pupil, placed 12th with 764.68.These successes put Stock and Cotillard in 67th and 87th places in the overall World Championships in which Colin Mallett finished 11th overall, Bruce Horwood 65th and Ian Jones 83rd.Speaking this morning, Stock said that he was very pleased with his success.’It hasn’t really sunk in yet.
It was shot over the whole week and we’ve had loads of different weather to contend with – over 30 degrees heat on a couple of days, a few days of rain and strong winds.
I never, ever thought I’d win this and my team mates were very pleased for him, ‘ he said.
Stock paid tribute to Cotillard and Simon who, he said, had shot exceptionally well with Cotillard finishing just two points behind him after he had lost five points for shooting one of his shots at the wrong target.’It was pretty close, I beat the one who finished second by just one point.’Stock’s name, meanwhile, will be added to the Bisley Champions Roll of Honour.
