Mitchell holds shooting form

Press, 26 November 1979, Page 34

Mitchell holds shooting form

One of the country’s leading smallbore rifle shooters, Ray Mitchell, of Christchurch, continued his recent run of good form by topping the field in the first South Island trial at McLeans Island at the week-end. Mitchell, the Canterbury champion, had led the field in the elimination trials which left 24 marksmen to contest the first of two South Island trials. Scoring was low at the week-end, the shooters having to contend with a variable north-easterly wind on Saturday and a fluctuating south-westerly yesterday. Mitchell finished six points ahead of John Fleming (Ashburton) with Leon Griebel (Blenheim), a member of the New Zealand world championship team last year, five points behind in third place. The triple Olympic Games representative, lan Ballinger (Christchurch), was fourth, one point ahead of the national champion over

50m and 50 and 100 yd, Rex Davies (Christchurch). The trials are being held to select a four-man New Zealand team to compete in the South Pacific regional championships in Christchurch in March. An invitation team and a national under-25 side will also be chosen. Three matches of 60 shots were fired and Fleming had the best individual match of 594. Mitchell had one fine match of 593. Scores were:-— £

Mitchell 1762, Fleming 1756, Griebel 1751, Ballinger 1750, Davies 1748, W, Sterritt 1742, M. Barth 1739, J. A. Scott 1738, V. Wadsworth 1737, R. Hobbs 1734, J. McAra 1731, S. Townshend 1728, C. Tubb 1726, V. Hume 1724, Mrs J. McKenzie 1719. J. A. Neale 1718, D. H. Thomson 1717. I. Pottinger 1716, C. Stonehouse 1715, J. Clausen 1711, Miss R. Peattie 1699, A. Ross 1696, R. Fleming 1682, C. Cormack 1672.

Those selected to continue In the second trial in a fortnight are: Mitchell, Fleming, Griebel, Ballinger, Davies. Sterritt, Barth, Scott, Hobbs, McAra, Townshend, Thomson and Pottinger. Barth, Wadsworth, Clausen, Miss Peattie, Ross and Fleming will continue in the junior trial.