2009 Celebrity SuperShot

24th October, Crabbé Ranges, Jersey

Celebrity SuperShot was started in 1990, to celebrate the Gold Medals won by Jersey and Guernsey in the Auckland Commonwealth Games. They were the first Commonwealth Games Gold Medals ever won by either island – and both were in shooting. The late Adrian Breton of Guernsey won Rapid Fire Pistol and Colin Mallett of Jersey won Fullbore Rifle (and Bronze in the Pairs Match with his father, Cliff Mallett). All the competitors shoot in 6 completely different events: Fullbore Rifle, Smallbore Rifle, Clay, Archery, Air Pistol and .22 Pistol.

The morning began with a painful decision because of the continuous rain – to replace Fullbore Rifle with Darts!

Then, promptly at 09.00, the roar of the 1781 Jersey Militia cannon started the competitions all over Crabbé.

By 10.00 all 15 Teams had completed their first competition and the Guernsey Legal Eagles from Carey Olsen were in the lead with 333, ahead of the all-girl team Clay Models and Barclays Top Shots, who had tied on 314.

But as Teams moved from their strong disciplines to their weak ones – and vice versa – the leadership positions were moving around rapidly, generating a large crowd around the huge, constantly-updated scoreboard.

At the end of the day the challenge to be the individual Celebrity SuperShot Champion was incredibly close, with just 4 points separating the top 4:

1. Chris Le Moeligou of the States of Jersey Police 439
2. Simon Garton of Barclays Top Shots 436
3. = John Payn of Churchill’s Men &
= Christian Busel of EFG   435

The top Celebrity SuperShot Ladies were:

1. Caroline De La Haye of the Clay Models 393
2. Ave Rees-Williams of the Minervans 374
3. Rachel Hart of the Minervans 358

Interestingly, Caroline had last competed in a SuperShot competition about 20 years ago, when she had also won the Ladies Gold medal.

Connetables dominated the Veteran table:

1. Connetable John Refault of St. Peter 300
2. Connetable Ken Vibert of St. Ouen 283
3. Wally Langley of the Guernsey Legal Eagles 266

In the Gladiators division, the top Teams were:

1. Churchill’s Men (Ian Gordon, John Payn, Sam Payn & Tom Lewington) 1505
2. The Clay Dusters (Chris Settle, Paul Cragg, Martin Shales & Wayne Shales) 1499

 In the Wizards Division, the leading Teams were also very close:

1. Barclays Top Shots (Simon Garton, Matt Haynes, Lloyd Pinel & Barbara Miles)  1464
2. Dexians (Nicholas Smyth, Peter Le Seeleur, Mark Able & Haley Snodgrass)  1458

While in the Jewels in the Crown Division, the Custodians, winners in 2008 and with overall 2008 Celebrity SuperShot Champion, Alan Kearney, as Mentor, showed that 2008 had not been a fluke:

1. The Custodians (Paul Johnson, Bill Millar, Nick Watkins & Miria Pike) 1463
2. States of Jersey Police (Chris Le Moeligou, Louise Journeaux, Andre Lozach & Richard Stent) 1307.

Top Ladies – Rachel Hart (3rd), Caroline De La Haye (1st) & Aebhanne Rees-Williams (2nd)