Clean sweep at NSW championships for on-target Albany star Steve Hurley

Multiple national and State champion Steve Hurley made a successful return to the competitive arena as he clinched yet another NSW two-gun title earlier this month.

Hurley was booked to fly to NSW and compete in the NSW Championships on May 1 and 2 when a COVID-19 outbreak in WA that had the Perth and Peel regions in lockdown cast doubt on whether he would get on the plane.

But as the WA Government lifted lockdown restrictions, Hurley took his seat on the plane to the east coast and he went on to take a clean sweep of the event in Coonabarabran.

Hurley won the classic calibre title on the opening day and then prevailed in the open division on day two, which led him to a dominant overall two-gun title triumph.

The 50-year-old was the sole Albany competitor at the shoot and said it was wonderful to be back testing himself against rivals from around the country.

“It has been 18 months since we shot a major title,” he said.

“It was just good to go there and get shooting again.

“I think I’ve won it eight times now but I only just got there, I was waiting at home for the Perth-Peel lockdown lifted so I could go.”

Hurley was up against a field in the mid-40s at the NSW titles and said he expected numbers to be strong for the upcoming WA State Lever Action Rifle Championships in Albany on June 5-7 and at the national championships in Alice Springs later in the year.

“Hopefully we will have good numbers in a couple of weeks,” Hurley said. “We haven’t had the States for three or four years so it’s good for our club.

“It is good for every sporting group, cycling or shooting or whatever just to have some competitions.

“Our Albany club is keen to have a good title and we have a lot of members working hard to make it all happen. The nationals are in Alice Springs in September, October and we have about 13 members of our club going and that’s what every-one is working towards.”