This year the Welsh competition took on the format of Friday and Saturday having its own finals each day and then Sunday running as Grand Prix matches. This format is more like the Intershoot competition in the Hague. The other major difference this year to previous years is that matches and finals are all on electronic targets. So the competitors have no more counting of cards to make sure they have the correct amount at the start. It was to be a tiring weekend, with an early start every day for the family as we have both rifle and pistol athletes.
The competition starts with 10m air rifle woman match, Emily was shooting on firing point 12. She was shooting well until she got a flier and came off to see her Great Britain Junior Squad coach (John Saint). She still shot 397.0 and ended the qualifying match in 2nd place and into the final. The final for this match was being shot in the afternoon. It was a close final all the way through, but in the end Emily ended the final in 2nd.
Next to shoot was Jack in the 10m air rifle men's and Dean in the 10m air rifle junior men. Dean was on firing point 13 and his sighters we're not good and avoiding the 10. When the match started Dean had found the 10 and shot a new personal best of 610.7 and in first place for day 1 in the junior men's match and into the final. Jack was on firing point 9 and shooting around his average but this still put him into first place in the senior men 10m air rifle match with a 612.1 and into the final. With Jack and Deans final being run concurrently, it was a nail biting final to watch them both shoot. The junior final results were higher than the seniors and the commentator still compared Jack and Deans scores even though they were in two different finals. It was a great result with Jack and Dean both coming first and taking gold in their finals. In class A, Jack takes the 1st place with Dean close behind in 2nd place for Day 1.
Then there was a change in discipline over to Pistol and the start of Philippa’s 10m air pistol junior match. Philippa was on firing point 21; she shot a 354 which is only 4 points below her personal best. This was a good score because only the previous weekend she had work carried out on her pistol grip. The score placed Philippa into 3rd place in the junior 10m air pistol match for Friday and into 1st place for class C and into the final. Philippa shot well in the final and came out in 3rd place.
The first day for the Bale family went well with all four children getting into finals and coming away in a medal place.
Day two of the competition, was another early start. We got to the Welsh Institute of Sport Centre, at Sophia Gardens early on Saturday as there were concerns about parking at the centre owing to another event being held next door. We managed to get next to the building which was great because of all the kit bags we carry.
Philippa starts off the day of competitions for the Bale family at 10.35am with the second match of the days, 10m air pistol women match. She shot a 350 and again into the final in 6th place. She ended the final still in 6th place.
Next up was Jack and Dean in the 10m air rifle. Jack was unwell after yesterday's match so was not sure how this match was going to go or even if he could finish a full match. But in Jacks normal way he battled through and fought all the way, with his competitive nature he shot a 613.9, which was to put him into the final and 1st in class A. Jack had a good lead at the start of the final but with being unwell he was soon fighting to keep 1st place. On the very last shot Jack managed to keep his position by only 0.1 this was to be a very good result as Jack was very poorly and to be his last match of the Welsh Airgun Competition 2014. Dean had a reasonable 10m air rifle match and shot 603.7 but this was not up to his average, but still placed him first in the junior qualifier. Dean’s sighters for the final we're not good but soon as the match started Dean was on the target and finding the inner 10’s. Dean led the final for the junior men and won the final with a 6.6 lead and a final score of 204.6. Dean may have only had a reasonable qualifying match for him, but was to show how he can perform in the final with a finishing score 204.6, that’s and average of 10.2.
Emily was still trying her new position, which is to stand up straighter. She shot a fairly good qualifier match but Emily would have liked a higher score, she got a 398.1. Emily's final was not up to her normal standard and she went out in 5th place. This was because Emily had not prepared properly for her final as she had watched her brother’s finals. Emily had been worried about Jack being ill and wanted to make sure both Jack and Dean had won their finals. This was to be an expensive mistake; one Emily doesn’t want to repeat.
All in all, still a very good day for all of them. Both Jack and Dean taking gold in both junior men and senior men matches and both Philippa and Emily shooting finals. Saturday matches also were for the team entries, this used the first 40 shots of the match for the team entry. Jack, Dean and Emily were entered as a rifle team called “Team Bale”; Team Bale was to take first place.
On to Sunday, day three of the competition and another early start. Jack did not attend day three as he was too poorly. It was left to Dean, Philippa and Emily to shoot the Grand Prix matches. Grand Prix matches have no Olympic Finals; they are won on the qualifying matches.
First on at 8:45am was men’s and junior men’s rifle matches. So Dean was the first of the Bale family to shoot on day three. Dean had a good shoot, scoring 606.3 and taking gold in junior men. Next up was Emily at 10:50am; Emily was to have her best qualifying match of the weekend scoring 403.7. This score was to place Emily in second place in the junior women’s match.
Philippa was to be the last on at 14:35pm, which was the last match of the Welsh Airgun Competition 2014. Unfortunately, Philippa was also ill with a swollen face and toothache. This was not to stop Philippa and she scored 351 placing her tenth in the junior women’s pistol match.
A good competition again this year, this has always been a good event ever since we have been attending. This year has been made better for the spectator with the use of electronic targets, as the spectators can now see the progress of the matches real time. Well done to the Welsh Airgun Association, looking forward to next year’s event.
