We’re gearing up for the Palma which starts tomorrow,’ Bruce Horwood said this morning.’We had this morning off, then we meet up with our Guernsey team mates later to select the Channel Islands team for tomorrow.’The Palma is a two-day competition with 15 shots to count over 800, 900 and 1,000 yards.The team will consist of 16 shooters and eight coaches but with a slightly limited number of CI shooters at Bisley to choose from the plan is to double up on coaches and shooters so while some of the team are shooting their team mates will coach, then they will swap roles.’Coaches can win or lose vital points at long range.
Their job is to watch the flags and adjust the shooters’ sights, while the shooters act a bit like a machine and just shoot when they are told.’The GB team are favourites to win and are defending champions shooting on home soil.’They are expected to win and they have a very good team,’ Horwood said.
‘But Australia will give them a run for their money and although both the USA and South Africa have done nothing special so far, their form is improving now.’A good gauge as to how well the CI team is doing is to compare them with the team from Canada.’We usually beat the European and Caribbean team, and if we beat Canada we know we are doing well.’The scores at Bisley have been posted late all week, so the Jersey shooters were having to wait this morning to find out the overall final scores from the individual long range championships.’We know that Cliff and Colin Mallett and Peter Stock were doing well yesterday and are expected to finish in the top 100.
‘Cliff shot 146 ex 150 at 1,000 yards and Charles Simon was shooting well again and got 143 ex 150, but the top CI shooter is probably Nick Mace from Guernsey.’The conditions were even trickier to read than in the previous two days and at one stage there were deer wandering across the range, which was interesting.
They’re in a protected zone here, believe it or not!’
