Clay pigeon lead shared

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33448, 1 February 1974, Page 10

Clay pigeon lead shared

“It would be nice to for Canada,” the youngget four golds out of six est member of the Canadian shooting team, John Primose, remarked after the first day of the clay pigeon event at Yaldhurst yesterday. 'j And with 100 targets remaining, today the 31-year-jold physical education teacher from Edmonton was I j poised to win the gold I , medal and complete a tre-j mendously successful Games) for the Canadian shooting! team. After the first 100 targets, yesterday Primrose shared I ■ the lead with the Glamorgan Igarage proprietor, Phillip [ ! Lewis, aged 32. Both shot;gun specialists broke 96 ! i birds. i The previous five shooting competitions have produced [incredibly close finishes, the [ last few shots having decided the gold medals. Today should be no exception. N.Z. HOPE Set to capitalise on any mistakes by the two leaders is the 24-year-old New Zealand hope, Bruce Lassen, a member of the Waihora jdub from Banks Peninsula. [lt seemed that most of the small farming township of 'Waihora was at the range to give him their support. Lassen and the sft "in, chirpy Englishman, Brian I Bailey—a comedian off the. [range but a deadly earnest! (Competitor—are both on 95.| Well within striking distance on 94 are Ronald!

Bevan, the Welshman who impressed on the second day lof the skeet shoot, and an Australian, Warren Charlton. Charlton was in doubt after slipping a disc in the back earlier this week, but although it seemed to give him some discomfort when walking to the different stations, the injury did not affect his | performance. Primrose’s shoot was not without its difficulties. “I lhad trouble with visibility, [and I think the birds I [missed were ones which I didn’t see too well,” he said. -The first shots of each round [caused him concern.

He was eighth with 194 at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and seventh with 192 at Munich. Lewis, whose four series of 24, 25, 24, and 23, were jidentical to the scores of I Primrose, had more than jhis share of broken birds, -but he did not allow that to break his concentration. Lassen, a 24-year-old’ shearer, made a wonderful! start and completed the' first 25 without a miss. QUICK RISE His rise in international’ trap-shooting has been; meteoric. He was selected ini the New Zealand Mackintosh;

: international postal team in > 1972, won the Canterbury : title last year, and went to Melbourne recently for the ; world championships where : he finished thirtieth. The strong manner in i which Bailey finished, and , the consistency of Bevan and i Charlton further complicates the issue, and Joe Neville I'(England) the silver medallist I [in the skeet, and Douglas ' Smith (Australia) cannot be 'discounted.