Shooter hits big time

Press, 11 April 1977, Page 22

Shooter hits big time

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Since Boh Travers was first picked for I the North Island smallbore shooting team in 1971, he has been a consistently high I place-getter al the New Zealand outdoor championships without managing to top the field.

But he put the record (right at the Burnett range. McLeans Island. ye<terda\ with an impressive 394 from ia possible 400 to win the (New Zealand 50 and 100 'yards championship by a point. The Wanganui dairy farmer. a 1974 Commonwealth Games tnalist, was one of seven marksmen to shoot 199 over 20 shots at 50 yards and. while many (of those leading scorers (faded over the longer range, (Travers kept a tight grouping. He dropped five points l (but had a vital point to (spare over Bill Sterritt ((Christchurch) and Leon, Griebel (Blenheim) at the, I finish. . Travers, who was fifth in. the same championship at the range two years, ago. has i been competing in indoor smallbore competitions for (20 years. He won the North ■ Island championship in 1968. Ability to read the wind is an important attribute for’ (any shooter and Travers ( judged it expertly for most ’ (shots. His only mistake over, 50 yards was one high shot ■ (which he knew was out of’ 'the bull before looking ‘through the telescope. “It! (was a physical error and I( (made no alteration.” His remaining shots were in the' bull. ■ On his third card of five] (shots, Travers was a little! (astray with two shots and! thought he would lose them ( both, but they had just per-' ( forated the bull line and i were counted in after close

scrutiny. Travers, aged 38, found that he did not have so much time to devote to practice this year but he shot well enough to hold his place in the North Island

team. Towards the end of the 100 yard range he knew he was heading for a good score. “I had to hold my concentration and not botch lit; my last shot was the hardest — three times I felt I was on the target but (didn’t fire it. At this stage it (was psychological, I was trying not to feel tight but I pressure was there.” , However, Travers placed (his last shot in the bull and, las the scores were to show, (it was necessary for him to do that to claim the title. Sterritt, one of 11 final trialists for the 1976 Olympic Games team, had his best national placing. He dropped three points over 50 yards, but had a fine 196, including 14 central bulls, over 100 yards — the equal best score at that distance.

After dropping three points in his first 10 shots over 100 yards, Sterritt had a tremendous finish. Nine of his final 10 shots were in

I the bull, nine in the utn<" . ring, and the other shot wa "just over the top.” The Blenheim shoot*!. Griebel. capped off a memm 1 able championship bv fitishing third (he had six fewer inner bulls than Sterritt). On Saturday he had «<>n the national 50 metre title from lan Ballinger (Christ(church) and his trigger finger was just as steady yesterdav as he scored 198 over >0 ; yards and 195 over 100 yards Nan Barlow (Hutt Vallex 1 ’another marksman to figuie prominently in all events, was fourth on a count-back i from John Neale (Christ - (church) and Lawrence Moodie (Wanganui). The experienced Neale opened promisingly with 199 i (over 50 yards, but he had a’ bad patch over 100 sards when he grouped five or six shots to the left. “I knew I .was doing it but did not .have the confidence to make (alterations.” he said. Moodie, a promising young shooter who was beaten (<>i ithe title by one inner hull two years ago. fired consis ' tently well at the champion ships. He had 199 over 50 'yards but slipped to 193 over i 100 yards. June Watson (Hutt Calles i dominated the B grade chain pionships. She won the national 50 metre title with 'the good score of 587—just two below Griebel’s winning ]A grade score—and yesterdav she recorded 387 to share the 50 and 100 yards title. Top scores were:— A grade.—R. Tracers (Wanganui), 394.19, 1; W. Sterritt (Christchurch), 393.22. 2; L. Ghe bel (Blenheim), 393.16, 3; Mrs N. 'Barlow (Hutt Valley), 392,27, 4; J. A. Neale (Christchurch), 1392.24, 5: L. Moodie (Wanganui', 392.18, 6, K. Smith (Timarui, 1391.22. 7; W. J. Drayton (Christ

church), 391.19, 8; D. J. Withers (Rotorua), 391.18, 9; 1. V Newton ‘Wellington). 391.17, 10. I. R Ballinger (Christchurch), 390.20. II; J. A. Scott (Timaru), 389 20, 12; C. Bates ‘Hutt Valiev i. 389.16, 13: R E. Tavlor (Christ church). 389.14. 14. B grade.—Mrs .1 Watson ‘Hutt Valiev) and R Nlxey (Nelson >. 387.17, equal 1; L. E. Smith (Timaru). 385.11. 3; E Baihnv (Hutt Valleyi. 384 11. 4 C grade.--!. W. Lake (Temuka*. 386.17, 1: Miss J. Beattie <Hutt Valley), 380.12, 2; J Cden (Tan ranga), 373.10. .3. D grade.—l) Stephenson (Christchurch). 374.7, 1. G. Hud son (Christchurch). 372.7. 2. R. Fleming (Ashburton), 370.6, 3.