National Queens blog 2015

[RDavies]

The 2015 Nationals lead up event is due to kick off in around 1/2hr with rain all night and forecast to continue for most of today. Numbers are reported to be down this year as some have decided to wait for the teams event in August to make the trip to Belmont.
One change of not is that classes will be squadded this year, so all shooters will be shooting at the same time as others in their class.
I will report back from the coal face with more gossip at the end of the day.

[AlanF]

What, raining at Belmont? Its starting to get a Wimbledon reputation .

Thanks Rod. We'll be watching with interest, particularly the squadding. Do you know yet how the squadding will be organised?

[Brad Y]

Well it looks like Rod has made a mediocre start... 60.10

[bshrestha01]

Is there a live update on the scores somewhere? I could not find it in the NRAA website.

Well it looks like Rod has made a mediocre start... 60.10

Did he keep his sighters? If not, then I agree with you.

[Tim N]

Rod said he kept the sighters
Great start

[AlanF]

http://www.nraa.com.au/nraa-national-championships-2015-results/

Look who's shooting in C Grade !

[Tim N]

Hi All,
How about some info on who is shooting what
Rod was using his dasher

[Amac]

Hi All

Conditions got a little worse in terms of rain so the last 600 yards was called off and will be shot in the morning.

Some really good shooting today in relatively benign conditions. You dropped points today through failure behind the butt more than anything else. Some slight drop offs and pick ups towards the end of the 500 yard for the TR guys.

Some of the F Class shooters are going very well. Nick Williamson in FSTA 60.9 - only cause they kept his 6 as a first sighter. He is having a great shoot. Gary Hausler and Mr Mace are also not to drop a shot.

F Open similar story. A few clean sheets. Josh Reid trying his hand at the Open game but came unstuck on the 2nd 500 to fall a few back. Self analysis seems to suggest he misses his Standard Rifle at the moment.

Observations from the day - although Wild Dog is shooting TR - C he can't break the need to inspect anything with a scope on it!!

Clearer skies forecast for tomorrow - expect humidity to be up following the rain. Should be a good day for shooting.

Cheers

Andrew

[Norm]

Interesting results.
Some went from the bottom of the list at one distance, then ended up at the top of the list the next.
Close competition from the looks of it.
Looking on with interest.

[brent_86]

I'm sure Lowell and Rod ran Dashers all day with Craig running his 7 Shehane.

[DenisA]

How did the squadding work out? Flow smoothly?

Any body questioned on high energy cartridges or any system to be seen there yet?

Well done everybody. Amazing scores even for benign conditions if that was the case.

Congrats Rod on your 60.10. You probably threw that in the bag in the cupboard with the rest of them. You know they are hard for other people to shoot!!!

[RDavies]

Rod said he kept the sighters
Great start

I kept my sighters at 300, but realy wish I had cut them at 500, would have been another respectable score.
I used my old 6 Dasher for the 1st 2 ranges then brought out my 284 to try.
I will try to get a list of equipment tomorrow but a few more people have arrived tonight so there will be more numbers tomorrow.

BTW, the squadding system works something like this
F/TR down 1st at each range followed by F Open then F std, all following on from each other. So you are competing at the same time as all your enemies, oops I mean follow discipline competitors.
They then wait until all F Class shooters have finished shooting, repatch the targets with no X centres (while F classers have time to move their gear to their cars or run a quick patch through them) then TR A grade shoots followed by B and C grade. When TR are shooting their details, no targets are marked as Xs, (White spotter/orange score patch)only Vs

The next day TR will be 1st details and F classers will be reallocated to different targets and groups.

Everyone has been very happy with the way the squadding system has run here, it has been a very popular move, which according to the chief range officer was pushed by Wilddog.

[AlanF]

The squadding sounds like a good idea for major events, but I wouldn't want to see it at OPMs. For major events there's more at stake, including expensive travel etc. so fairness is particularly important. At lesser events you don't want to be bothered with pre-registration, and having everyone there first up. Also, its been a big plus for inter-Class relations to have mixed squadding on the ICFRA target. If we have separate squadding at every level its going to undo all the good work.

Do you know how much I think Dashers are worth Rod? 1 point! Because they give you more Xs . Regardless of my opinion about Dashers, well done today.

[Craig McGowan]

Alan,

You coming up to defend your title? I wanted to see your Bartlein "Creation" in full flight.........?


Really small field this year. I think the National Teams event is hurting numbers a little, with the National Teams & QRA Championships just over 6 weeks away. It is a lot to ask of people to make two trips to Belmont in a year.

[Jeffism]

When TR are shooting their details, no targets are marked as Xs, (White spotter/orange score patch)only Vs

Wonder why they decided on that, requires a change in mindset for the (some, already inexperienced) markers and requires ripping off a glued on super. Wondering if some TR shooters didn't like people noting and comparing super counts.

Everyone has been very happy with the way the squadding system has run here, it has been a very popular move, which according to the chief range officer was pushed by Wilddog.

Yeah Wilddog has been complaining about different F shooters (where wind reading needs to be twice as precise) shooting an hour or two apart and experiencing completely different conditions. He has been campaigning for this exact change for a while now. Glad it has finally been tried out so he can shut up about it... hah! Seriously though, it's a positive change but I don't want to see F-class feel a little too separated from TR.