Single rise title to Keith Tucker

Press, 13 March 1986, Page 40

Single rise title to Keith Tucker

Keith Tucker, a Taumaranui marksman, displayed outstanding powers of concentration to win the single rise title at the New Zealand clay target shooting championships at the Yaldhurst range yesterday. Tucker was one of 47 competitors to score a possible 50 in the initial round of the contest. In the sudden-death shoot-off, as the rain tumbled down, Tucker eventually wore off all challengers, but needed to hit 134 consecutive targets to do so. His strongest rival for the title was the Brisbane shooter. Bill Stevens, who has performed consistently this week. Stevens, shooting after Tucker, missed his one hundred and thirty-fourth target and had to settle for first place in the A grade. Four marksmen managed to hit 100 targets in the shootoff, thus starting a fifth turn at the stations (25 targets in each round). Three competitors dropped out in the fourth round — Gavin Searle, the winner of the skeet title on Monday, dropped his ninetyeighth target, the Waitemata shooter, Laurie Coppins, missed his ninety-third and the Australian, Adrian Cousens, erred on his nine-

tieth shot. The field was chopped down to two, Tucker and Stevens, when Frank Kodl, from the United States, and Jim Cannan, shooting on his home range, missed their fourth and fifth shots respectively in the fifth round. Results. — SINGLE RISE CHAMPIONSHIP High over-all: K. Tucker (Taumarnui) 50 out of 50 (134 in shoot-off). A grade: B. Stevens (Brisbane) 50 (133) 1; J. Cannan (Christchurch) 50, (105) 2; F Kodl (United States) 50 (104) 3; G. Searle (Christchurch) 50 (97) 4; L. Coppins (Waitemata) 50 (93) 5. B grade: E. Williams (Waitemata) 50 (18) 1; B. Freeman (Christchurch) 50 2; M. Burden (Balfour) 49 3.

C grade: K. James (Christchurch) 48 1; B. Harris (North Canterbury) 48 2; J. McCombe (Waihora) 47 3. Women’s trophy and New Zealand trophy: J. Pickett (Nightcaps) 50. Junior: G. Foster (Queenstown) 49 1.

Veteran: E. Throckmorton (United States) 50 1. Husband and wife trophy: W. and Mrs J. Pickett (Nightcaps) 99 (out of 100).