Maces fly the gale-strewn flag
NICK MACE was the only member of the Guernsey rifle-shooting squad to win a place in the final 100 of the Queen’s Prize at Bisley on Saturday.
But he did have a familiar face competing alongside him in the traditional showdown to end the annual Imperial Meeting, in the form of his wife Lucy, who shoots very successfully for Hampshire.
It was the third time in their shooting careers that they’ve competed alongside each other in this, the most prestigious collection of rifle-shooting finalists in the Commonwealth, but neither challenged for the honours which Guernsey have won twice in more than a century, the last time Charles Trotter in the Seventies.
For the final the searing and almost unbearable heat of the previous week had been replaced by equally challenging weather – force 7 to 8 gusting wind with clouds of dust, brought about by several rainless weeks, blown across the competitors as they fired.
Not one of the Queen’s Hundred remained unaffected, expertise and luck sorting out both winners and losers. Nick and Lucy Mace themselves had to be content with final placings more than halfway down the list.
Meanwhile, the Queen’s Prize winner was the GB Commonwealth gold medallist, David Luckman.
Nevertheless, in the long range international Mackinnon match, the Guernsey team of 12 cleverly mastered the conditions to the extent that after 900 yards they lay in second place behind Great Britain, Peter Jory, the Guernsey captain, scoring the only 50 ex 50 of the entire match and the highest individual aggregate score of the day.
England, Wales and Ireland were all more skilled at 1,000 yards though and eventually pushed Guernsey into fourth place but creditably ahead of Canada, Australia, Scotland, Kenya and Jersey.
In the short range international, the Kolapore, at 300, 500 and 600 yards, it had been a similar story on Friday with Guernsey second behind Canada but a point ahead of Great Britain at 300 yards. The islanders then lost ground at the longer distances.
