Six will vie for title in close rifle final

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34046, 9 January 1976, Page 16

Six will vie for title in close rifle final

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON. X Hastings teacher, ill Bayne, will lead the iueen’s Fifty into the inal, all-important 900 yard match at the National Rifle Championships today by a single point.

Behind him, with 488 from a possible 500 after a further series of Ballinger Belt matches were fired at 500, 600, 800 and 900yds at Trentham yesterday was Gerald Fuller, of Gisborne. One point further back, ensuring the finest finish in years to the world-famous belt series, are the Commonwealth Games representative Frank Godfrey, of Upper Hutt, John Dodson, of Blenheim, and the Cheltenham man, Ray Barrow. Close enough to threaten those five, with an aggregate of 486 and a record as one of New Zealand’s most dependable shooters when the going is tough, is Ron Gurney, of Whangarei. While Trentham has proved the “graveyard” of many of the world’s best shots, it is difficult to see anyone in the rest of the field coming through to win the trophy.

The weather held again, yesterday and it was delightfully warm. But at the long ranges the air was still and proved the undoing of some. After the 500 yd and 600 yd shoots in the morning an Australian, Bill Smith, got to within two points of the leader, holding fifth place on the leaders’ board.

He did well enough at 800 with a 48. But as so many of the Australian contingent had done earlier, he found the winds at 900 a little too tricky and finished with a 44, and six points off the lead.

Tony Halberg, of Napier, who went into the final last year in fourth position and finished eleventh, was another who had trouble on the long ranges and plummeted to a 43 at 900. From

two points behind the lead after the morning’s short ranges, he ended the day eight points behind Bayne. For Bayne and Fuller, who led the field at the start of the day, it was a trying day, but both gave nothing away. Both are comparatively young in big shooting — Fuller is 36. Bayne 38. But

they handled the conditions like veterans. A lot of attention was on Bayne. Many expected him tc crack as the pressure grew But there was never a hint of it as he shot 48 at 800, then a brilliant 49 at 900. Fuller was no less impressive in scoring a precision 50 at 800, and 48.2 in tough conditions at 900. The top 20 going into tomorrow’s final at 900 yd will be:— 489, Bayne; 488, Fuller; 487, Barrow, Dodson, Godfrey; 486, Gurney; 485, Don Whiteman (Upper Hutt); 484, Chester Burt (Cheltenham), Brian Whiteman (Upper Hutt), Morrie Gordon (Hastings).

483, Morrie Callaghan (Westport), Bill Smith (Australia), Barry Price (Upper Hutt), Merve Hoberg (Australia), Bill Boreham (Whangarei). 482, John Harris (Karori). Martin Catley (Dannevirke), Tony Loughnan (Napier), Allen Owens (Army), Norman Smith (Upper Hutt). The official Queen’s Fifty was not available tonight. But it seemed that the cut-off point would be about 475 — perhaps a poir' or two lower. Last year a couple of 467 s made the fifty — an indication of the generally better scoring this year. Results:— Wellington match. 500 vards.— A grade: F. W. Wass (t’etone), 50.7: H. V. Donald (MastertonOpaki) 50.7, R. Grimsey (Australia) 50.7, R. E. Taylor (Christchurch) 50.7, I. Chalklen (Napier) 50.6. Hawke's Bay match, 600 yards. —A grade: A. L. Frame (Gisborne) 50.5, J. F. Dodson (Blenheim) 50.4. A. W. Warren (Hastings) 50.4, M. T. McCarthy (Auckland) 50.4, D. H. Arnold (Australia) 50.4. Mrs M. Taylor (Christchurch). 49.2, was fourth rn the B grade. Southland match, 800 yards.— A grade: B. K. Whiteman (Upper Hutt) 50.6, I. R. Ballinger (Sydenham) 50.6. W. S Loveday (Cheltenham) 50.4, J. Scobie (Taumarunui) 50.3, A. Hobbs (Australia) 50.3. G. Fuller (Gisborne) 50.3.