BATTLE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13053, 13 March 1911, Page 4

BATTLE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

NELSONIANS' DETERMINED STRUGGLE. _ Tli© final stages of the Dominion rifle championship, fired on Thursday at Trentham, provided a stem struggle for the coveted honour. In view of the splendid performance of Sergeants Frank and Sharland, the following extracts from the "Naw Zealand Times" report will be read with interest:— THE TRIAL BEGINS. The positions of tho first seven men at the commencement of firing wera: Rflmn. Roots, Kaponga 448 Sergt. Frank, Nelson 44G Rflmn. A. Henderson, Sounds 441 Sergt. Sharland, Stoke 441 Rflmn. Hay, Karon - 440 llflmra. Needham, Linton 439 Rflmn. Cuthbertson, Tuamarina 439 Henderson was. tho first to fire. His BJghtcir was an "inner," and he decided not to cross it out. thus making it his first "counter." Frank's siiihter also produced a 4, and, like Henderson, lie kept it. Roots had a different experience, the marking disc disclosing that his sighter had found tho magpie ring, and he promptly crossed out the 3. Sharland's sighter was an inner, and he crossed it out, going, apparently, for "all or nothing." Roots was not long in getting away his first business shot, and the answering disc from the dummy target in tlio trench showed that he had struck the bull's-eyo. Frank fared differently, his second counter going low a.'id rieochetting on to the target. It was a miss! The positions wore most interesting when three shots had gone, the leading boards showing:— 1. Roots, 5 4 4 461 2. Frank, 4 0 4 455 3. Sharland, 4 5 3 453 4. Henderson, 4 4 3 452 From this it will be seen that Roots had considerably improved his position, while Frank, who had started only two points to the bad, was still second, but the gap had widened to six points, while Sharland had dropped one. Tlie next two shots made; a considerable difference, Roots sco.rj.ng a magpie and an outer to Frank's central and inner and Henderson's two bull's-eyes. Frank was now only two points behind the loader, with Henderson two points below and Sharland t.liwe points. Hay, who had started with an aggregate only one point below Sharland. was out of the running, his first five shots (which included a miss) o.nly producing 15 points. HALF WAY THROUGH. The position was now :—- ---1. Roots, 5 4 4 3 2 466 2. Frank, 4 0 4 4 4 464 3. Henderson, 4 4 3 5 5 462 4. Sharland, 4 5 3 4 3 461 It was quite ©vidcftit that it was to bo a battle royal between these four men for the championship, a.nd they settled themsctlves to the task. The news soon spread round the range how matters stood, and the crowds behind each of the competitors named began to increase, and the far-distant targets woth eagerly watched for the result of each shot. The shooting of the quartet for tho next few minutes was brilliant. Roots, Frank and HenderKxn each scored two bull's-eyes, one of Frank's being a crmtral, while Sh.irlar.d got an inner and a bull. The positions had hardly changed. The next round, however," altered the outlook. Roots scored an outer, Frank an inner, Henderson a bull, and Sharland a central. Frank, despite hip misfortune in. getting a miss in the early part of the shoot, was now tying with Roots for first placo, with Hen--1 derson ono point away, tho score reading:— Roots 478 Frank 478 Henderson 477 Sharland - 475 There wore now only two shots to go, an'l Roots got both of his away before Frank had fired, finishing with two innoi's, which brought his grand aggregate up to 486. Henderson finished abrmt the same time, scoring a bull— his sixth in succession-—and a magpie, his aggregate being 485, or ono less than Roots'. Sharland finished with a bull and an inner, his total beinjr 484. FRANK BREAKS DOWN. All eyes were now on Frank, who had still two shots to go. His shooting at the finish was very slow. He wanted oiuht points to tie for the championshin, and nine to win, and it secnir-rl, judging by his previous shots, that he was likely to- come out on top. The crowd moved up the barrier to a position at the rear of Frn.uk, while his Excellency the Governor and other visitors wore grouped around close to the scoring board. The wind was a bit changeable at this stage, and Frank was a long time getting his shot away. Ho altered his wind jruiagn several times, and got out of his' sling once to rest his arm. The strain was evidently telling upon him. The shot was away at last, and the response from the trench was an outer— a2. His chances had vanished! He could not make up the deficiency, even with a bull, and Roots was the winner. Undaunted, however, Frank made the necessary alteration, and finished with a- bull's-eye, tyinn with Henderson for second place. The tie was decided by eac-Ji man firing another five shots. Henderson, won, his score being 19 to Frank's 17.