The Opening Shot

Yesterday morning was the Opening Shot match. This is the match that traditionally kicks off the Imperial Meeting. It's held at 900 and 1000 yds and is 2 sighters and 15 shots for record. It's a quintessentially British match with many of the best young shooters and club teams vying for the title. I was dumbfounded that Canada never entered a team (four people and a coach), so I approached four friends to form an adhoc team and challenge for the prize.

One key requirementfor the team is that there may be no more than 2 "X" class and 2 "A" class shooters in the group of 4. If you're X you finished recently in the top 100 shooters in a recent Imperial, A means you finished in the 2nd 100. We had one X (Irish shooter Martin Miller), two As (Andrew Wilde and Tom Laing-Baker), myself (an O for ordinary) and a top Scottish coach, Matthew Charlton.

I personally had a tough time at 900, pulling three shots low right (a bit wobbly still and trying to get used to my heavier trigger weight). That cost us 4pts we needn't have lost. My teammates performed superbly and we went to 1000 yds, I'm quite sure thinking that I had cost us any chance of a medal.

Our Canadian team picture was at 11:30 and it was already 10:15 so we were a bit pressed for time. Matt had to have Mark shoot through some pretty tough winds (a 15 minute spread flipping across zero) and Mark tooK a 67. This was, I later learned, an effort to get me back to Canada House in time for my picture. Martin was 2nd up and then it was my turn. I shot quite well, calming down as I shot and came away with a 70-7. Not bad, given the conditions.

Tom and Andrew had, I believe the highest scores on the range (out of 16 4-man teams) which is a testament to both their shooting and Matt's coaching.

I ran back for the team match arriving at 11:20 for a scheduled 11:30 picture. They were just breaking down the set, as the management of the team had decided to take it early! The photog stood me on a chair and said he would Photoshop me in. Fortunately he has me in full dress from last year which should make it easier.

I'll just say the Commandant wasn't pleased (I have to give up every dessert for the next week!).

Bill Richards, a senior coach for the GB team walked over to congratulate us after the match was over. He thought we had beaten every other team in the match. However, no one had thought to check the Australian national team scores). Their team of 2 Xs and 2 As had been us with a score of 575 to our 571.

For a few brief moments, we thought we had the Gold. That said, it was still a special moment to win the Silver and beat 16 other very high calibre teams.