Tricky winds and overcast conditions forced the shooters on the back foot but defending champion Ransford Goodluck, who had a sizeable lead going into the final day Sunday, held on to win the National Rifle Shooting championships at the Timehri rifle ranges.
Goodluck amassed 338 points with 38 V-bulls to win the grand aggregate finishing the final day on 119 points with 9 V-bulls.
He scored 32 points with 4 V-bulls at 500 yards, 48 points with 5 V-bulls at 600 and 39 out of a possible 50 at 1000 yards.
The reigning champion told Stabroek Sport that the wind was very tough on the shooters for the entire day.
“It is the first time I have experienced that kind of wind condition at Timehri, and it seems that the conditions are getting extremely difficult,” the veteran shooter remarked.
He copped the Sigmund Douglas Grand aggregate trophy.
National captain Mahendra Persaud who was placed at eight after the first day, bounced back to finish second as all the shooters struggled at the 1000 yard range.
Persaud who finished with a grand total of 334 points and 26 V-bulls ended the final day and was Sunday’s winner with 125 points with 8 V-bulls. He shot 33 points with 2 V-bulls at 500 yards, 48 with 4 Vs at 600 and 44 with 2 at 1000 yards.
Dylan Fields also shot well to finish third with a grand total of 328 points with 25 V-bulls. He shot 32.4 at 500 yards, 44.2 at 600 and 46.4 at 1000 yards to end the day on 122.10.
Ryan Sampson was fourth with 326 points and 26 V-bulls scoring a total of 116.9 Sunday.
Dane Blair was fifth with 322 with 26 V-bulls followed by Richard Fields with 322 with 25 V-bulls and Claude Duguid seventh with 321 with 19 V-bulls.
Major Terry Stewart won the ‘O’ Class with a grand aggregate of 320 points with 11 V-bulls.
The ‘O’ class shooters were awarded a two points handicap and Stewart shot 34 points with 1 V-bull at 500 yards, 49.4 at 600 and 35.0 at 1000, followed by Colin Loncke with 302 points overall he shot 32.0 at 500, 43.1 at 600 and 40.2 at 1000 and Charles Deane was third also with 302 and 10 V-bulls losing on a count back to Loncke.
The presentation of prizes will take place next month and will form part of the Guyana National Rifle Association Awards ceremony where the top shooters in the small bore section of the Association will also be honoured.
