The 2014 National Smallbore Outdoor Championships
by Hap Rocketto
DISCLAIMERS: This report is based upon preliminary scores and challenge periods may still be open so and the results are believed to be accurate. However, they might change if disgruntled competitors line up at the challenge window with fists full of dead presidents and win challenges. We all know that if you can’t win a match on the firing line there is a chance you can do so at the challenge window.
This report will be updated to reflect any changes from preliminary to final match bulletin when the final bulletin becomes available.
No smallbore rifle shooters were harmed in the writing of this report.
The National Smallbore Rifle Outdoor Metric Three Position Championship
Day One The Metallic Sight Championship
2014-bristol-metric-3p-agg (PDF, 274KB)
With an overcast sky, light winds blowing across the range from left to right and a dry temperature in the 70s, the 2014 National Smallbore Rifle Outdoor Metric Three Position Championship was off to a hot start when Army Marksmanship Unit rifleman Hank Gray opened the tournament with a pair of 199s prone for a 398-26X win. Katie Bridges, a rising sophomore at Texas Christian University was second posting a 393-25X while third went to Senior Bill Beard, whose most recent claim to shooting fame is the fact that he is Sarah Beard’s father, with a 393-24X.
The Army’s Dan Lowe won a tight match standing with a 381, just a point ahead of former national position champion and teammate George Norton. Michael Dickinson took the bronze with a 379.
With the threat of thunderstorms looming the shooters bent themselves into kneeling for the final metallic sight event. The day ended well for Lowe who bested Bridges with a 389 to her 385. Last year’s intermediate junior metallic sight position champion Ginny Thrasher was third a mere two Xs behind Bridges.
Lowe capitalized on his two wins taking the metallic sight championship with an 1162-50 while a tight finish between Army teammates Gray and Norton, in perhaps the closest finish in tournament history, decided second and third. Gray’s 1151-46X just nipped Norton’s 1151-45X.
It was an Army sweep that set up a close contest for any sight and aggregate championship honors.
In team competition the eponymously named USAMU Norton, of Norton and Lowe, took metallic gold with a 2313-95X, ahead of USAMU Gray, Gray and Erin McNeil, 2297-88X, with third going to the Black Hawkettes, Bridges and Michelle Bohren who put together a 2279-90X
Thanks, Hap. Glad there are a few good men left.