SHOOTING: Umpleby excels at Bisley

Inspired by the success of British Olympians in Rio, Kent shooters achieved outstanding successes at this year’s National Smallbore Rifle Championships at Bisley.

In the week-long event attended by some 600 competitors from across the country, Neil Umpleby, of Faversham Rifle Club, won three competitions in Class B and was runner-up in the Class B Grand Aggregate, closely followed in third place by Graham Freeman, of Ramsgate & Dover Rifle Club, who also won the W Mccloud Memorial Trophy in Class B.

Diane Russell, of Ashford & District Rifle Club, won the Pethard Memorial Challenge Bowl in class A.

She was runner-up in the Class A Grand Aggregate and finished 20th in the Earl Roberts British Championship final.

Russell was also runner-up in the Women’s Open Meeting Championship and earned selection for the GB ladies’ team in the Randle postal match against America, as well as featuring in the victorious England ladies’ team in the Home Countries International.

Steve Wight, of Ashford & District RC, won a competition in the Class C Weekend Aggregate , while the Kent ladies’ team of Russell, Sue Kirk (Tunbridge Wells & St Peters) and Sue Adair (Ashford & District) finished third in the Inter- Counties competition.