The Long View News from the GB F-Class Association By by Les Holgate
Our two Team GB F Class Captains have now been appointed by the GB F Class Association and the appointments have been ratified by the NRA. These appointments could have been the subject of an election if a number of candidates had put themselves forward but, in the end, we had just one each – for the Open and F/TR Teams.
It is important that the Captains also receive the approval and support of their Team members and in
expected range/wind conditions can be obtained. Really, this can only be had by actually shooting at Raton at the same time of the year as the Championships will be held.
David Kent – GB F Class Open Captain
Stuart Anselm – GB F Class F/TR Captain
the case of David Kent (Open) and Stuart Anselm (F/ TR) they are both popular, competent and committed shooters and I know all F Class shooters will applaud their appointment and give them full support. Some may question the significance of these roles but remember, the GB F Class Open Team won the 2009 World Championship and they will carry this title into the next Worlds in three years time when the shoot will be held at the Raton Range in New Mexico. It’s not just a question of doing well, David will want his Team to retain the title and Stuart’s F/TR team, who won the Silver medal at the Worlds, will be striving to go one better.
To achieve this goal will require some effort and planning. We are not just talking about the logistics of actually transporting a team, equipment, rifles and ammunition across the Atlantic to New Mexico but this time, we are not on home turf, so we will be at a severe disadvantage unless some reliable data on the
We can now start to appreciate the enormity of the task facing the Teams and in particular, the Captains, for at this stage we do not know who will be part of the Team. That information will only come to light over the next three seasons of F Class competition in the UK. Also, because this is an overseas event, the cost of competing will be much greater than a similar shoot on home-soil. Although the Captains will attempt to raise funds, the individual members will be required to put up a significant sum of their own money and this may well shape the Teams. Equipment will be another consideration. With a home shoot, obtaining a replacement trigger, scope or even a whole rifle would not be too difficult. In America however, equipment failures will be a different matter - it’s not too difficult to pack a spare trigger or scope, but there won’t be many spare rifles around. Who owns two top class F Class rifles? What are the logistics of taking two rifles? It’s bad enough travelling with one firearm, let alone two. Yes, it may be possible to borrow another Team member’s rifle but ‘may’ is not good enough – such an oversight could ruin the whole Team’s effort.
These are just some of the problems that our Captains will be pondering over in the coming months. It is not a responsibility to be taken lightly and I’m not surprised that there weren’t more volunteers. Our two Captains have bravely stepped up to the plate and yes, Raton is a few years away but we cannot start too soon to think about the task facing our Teams and get behind David and Stuart and assist them in every way we can, whatever the final Team selection.
Winning the F Class World Championship was one of the finest achievements in modern GB shooting and all British shooters should feel proud of their success. Victory was well deserved but certainly unexpected in the US. It was a major upset and you can bet the Amer- icans will do everything possible to prevent a repeat – especially on home-soil.
Target Shooter 101
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