F-Class World Championships 2023

[bartman007]

Great to hear all the gear got through, that's a load off everyone's minds.

Now the fun begins! Enjoy the sights and sounds of SA as you travel around.

[Redhawk]

Team FTR heading to Sydney today, for flight out to Johannesburg tomorrow (Wednesday). FOpen team cleared the path, and looking forward for the 2 teams to catch up later this week in Bloemfontein. We are staying at the same accommodation.

[John T]

GO ROD and RAZOR and you 30 CAL lads.

[RDavies]

Today , Tuesday the Open team drove to Bloemfontein to the accommodation where we will be staying for the duration of the competition. We unpacked boxed and gun cases and settled into our accommodation at Bains Lodge over dinner. The weather has been similar to home for most of us including a downpour over dinner.

Tomorrow we go shopping for toiletries and odds and sods and then continue assembling our gear. We are all keen to have a bit of a look around Bloemfontein while we do our shopping

[BATattack]

Congratulations on making it there with all your gear! No stopping you now!

Fingers crossed the FTR team enjoys the same success!

[Redhawk]

Team FTR made it to Johannesburg, with all members and gear intact. Will be traveling to Bloem today:)

[superx10]

Thanks Redhawk some pics and info on equipment would be much appreciated.

[RDavies]

Sorry for no pictures yet but there are pictures going up on the team instagram page. I will try to scrape some pics together at some stage if I can get those with far better photography prowess than myself to send me pics. Otherwise, go to the instagram page.

Not a huge amount of news since my last update but I will give a brief account.
We took a day to unpack boxes, assembling rifles, rests, spotting scope stands, range carts , chairs etc etc.
On the next day we went shopping for all sort of supplies, wet weather gear, plastic sheets, range bags, plotting folders and pens, sox, jocks, toiletries etc.

Around this time team members started dropping off with the flu. I have had my first win in being patient zero it seems and now the rest of the team has been getting crook, but it is better we get our flus out of the way now before the main event.

Whoever hasn't been sick has been out to a 100m indoor shooting range getting all of our zeroes after assembling rifles, fitting scopes and barrels etc. Some of the other team members also went to the main range for an unofficial practice at 500 and 600m. (though our competition will be at 700, 800, 900m of course).

Yesterday I had my first drive to the range for a look, and while there was no one else there and no shooting, it was an opportunity for me to at least see the range where we will spend the next 2 weeks. Seeing a 100+ target range from the 900m line was certainly a reminder that I was not at my local range.

While the countryside and scenery looks exactly like central NSW or QLD, the wildlife reminded me that I was not just on a drive to any old rifle range in Australia, seeing weasals, jackal, black mamba, a family of warthogs, zebra, oryx, giraffe, hartbeast and jumpy uppy antelope things, but apparently this name might not be accurate.

Other countries are shooting at the state championships today but we are having a rest day and staying in accommodation due to some possible unrest around the country but things are quiet where we are and we are pretty secure.

Tomorrow we will be off to the main range for our first real official shooting session at the main range for the start of the National Championships. I hope to have more news and pics in my next report.

[Chopper]

Its been a Long Hard road for you blokes
But your Aussies
Have fun and Happy shooting
Chopper

[RAVEN]

Thanx Rocket for the update.
I agree Chopper this campaign will be the toughest!
Nothing the Aussie boys & girls can’t handle, I’m sure.
Looking on with great interest.

[Chopper]

Bad weather holding up the start it looks like

[RDavies]

Bad weather holding up the start it looks like

Bad weather held up then postponed the 900m stage when a storm with hail and lots of lightning can through.
Range report to follow later in the night when I stop for a 5 minute breather

[superx10]

This link should take you to the results so fare .

https://sabisley.com/sa-champs/

[Dave_P]

Another link will some good write ups and pics
https://www.facebook.com/USARIFLETEAM2021

[BATattack]

Looking at some of the photos and video the range looks very very similar to lower light. Flat, open, fairly arid with dry grass and a good number of flags. One video shows a nice blustery frontal fishtail. Stewy should feel pretty familiar with those conditions and Jason coached really well in the WA chop during the state teams so should be interesting after the whole team has a chance to settle in.