The first recorded rifle-shooting match between the two largest Channel Islands took place in 1873 at L’Ancresse range, which is now a golf course.
In 1926, the islands’ respective Lieutenant-Governors provided a trophy for the contest which commemorated King George V’s and Queen Mary’s visit to the islands in 1921.
The trophy has been awarded every year since, other than during the Second World War, with the islands taking turns to host the match on their home ranges.
This year’s match took place last Saturday morning at Jersey’s Crabbe range, where gin-clear skies and a gentle breeze promised a high-scoring contest.
The Guernsey team started well at 300 yards, with their eight firers dropping just nine of their 80 shots outside the bullseye for a score of 391 ‘ex’ 400, with 47 central V-bulls.
The visitors’ top score at the distance came from 20-year-old marksman Alexander Stewart, who placed all 10 of his shots into the V for a perfect score of 50.10v ex 50.10v.
Jersey, though, went one better, scoring 392 at the shortest distance to lead by just one point – despite having a lower V-bull tally of 44.
At 500 yards, both teams scored 391 points, but Jersey recorded 46 V-bulls to Guernsey’s 40 to maintain their one-point lead and pull three Vs ahead.
The top score at the distance came once again from Stewart, who added a superlative 50.9v to his previous score for a running individual total of 100.19v ex 100.20v.
Jersey were the first to finish at 600 yards, their final range total of 392.40v leaving them with an overall score of 1,175.130v – a score good enough to win in most years.
Guernsey, though, dropped just four points for a remarkable final range total of 396.39v and an overall score of 1,178.126v to steal victory by three points.
Six of the visitors’ eight firers scored 50s at the final distance, the best once again coming from Stewart as he added a 50.7v to finish with a remarkable 150.26v ex 150.30v.
The only other 150 on the range came from Guernsey’s Adam Norman, with 18 Vs, while Jersey’s top scorer was Richard Benest on 149.18v.
The match was one of the highest-scoring in many years – but also one of the closest, with the teams separated by less than half a point per firer over the three distances.
Jersey’s reserve pair secured some consolation for the hosts, scoring 290.26v ex 300.60v to beat James Nippers and Phoebe Davis’ combined score of 283.26v.
The Channel Islands Championship began on Saturday afternoon with the second stage – the first stage having served as a ‘qualifier’ to whittle down each island’s best eight firers.
After 10 shots to count at 300, 500 and 600 yards, Guernsey’s Nick Branch and Jersey’s Barry Le Cheminant top scored with 149.21v. Branch, though, took the second-stage honours by virtue of his higher score at the longest distance, 50.7v to Le Cheminant’s 50.5v.
Norman sat in third, one V-bull back on 149.20v, while Jersey’s David Le Quesne occupied fourth spot with the only other score of 149, his with 16 Vs.
The final took place on Sunday morning, which this year comprised two sighters and 15 shots to count at 900 yards and – as a workaround for some last-minute target issues – at 900 yards again, but with a smaller target face to simulate shooting at 1,000 yards.
Branch, Le Cheminant and Le Quesne all scored 74 ex 75 at 900 yards to give each a running total of 223. However, Branch’s tally of 31 Vs gave him a narrow lead over his Jersey rivals, who sat on 29 and 23 Vs, respectively.
Guernsey captain Mike Creber and Jersey’s Dom Neal both scored 75.9v to top score at the distance, but neither looked likely to close the gap to the leaders with one range to go.
At ‘1,000 yards’, the leading trio of Branch, Le Cheminant and Le Quesne all scored 72, but again it was Branch who had the better V count (8, to the others’ 6 and 5, respectively).
Branch therefore finished with a championship-winning total of 295.39v ex 300.60v, four Vs ahead of second-placed Le Cheminant and a further 7 Vs ahead of Le Quesne in third.
It is Branch’s second Channel Islands title, and the first for a Guernseyman since he secured his maiden title some eight years ago, in 2018.
The local season continues tomorrow with the OE Randall.
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