Shooters eye off national title success

More than 100 competitors will take aim at the 2018 National Lever Action Rifle Championships, which will be held in Albany this weekend for the first time since 1991.

Albany Lever Action Rifle Club will host the prestigious championships at its Mutton Bird range starting on Saturday, with close to 120 shooters taking part across the three days of competition.

Albany’s Joel Evans will defend his national three-gun title, which he won in Adelaide last year, and comes into the event in winning form after recently taking out the Queensland championships.

Shooters will contest the rimfire championships on Saturday, the centrefire championships on Sunday and classic calibre on Monday.

Saturday and Sunday’s scores will be combined to determine the two-gun winner and all three scores will decide who wins the highly sought after three-gun title.

On Monday afternoon, the State teams shoot will also take place, wrapping up the championships.

ALARC captain David Sobik said final preparations had been completed and some terrific competition was expected over the three days. “It’s a big coup for the club,” Sobik said.

“We had the State titles here this year as well but we’ve got a great club with a lot of people that do lots of work. Over the three days, there will be about 120 competitors — some shoot the whole lot and some don’t. The range is looking fantastic — credit to our team.”

Sobik, who is the defending two-gun champion, is one of the leading contenders to win the three-gun title along with Evans and fellow Albany member and multiple national champion Steve Hurley, who is chasing his 10th title.

That trio will make three of the four members of the WA State team and Sobik said Albany was expected to fare well as a club.

“We’ve got a good, strong local group but there is a strong contingent coming from the east,” he said. “Albany has some of the best shooters in the country and I strongly believe our club can win it.”

Albany’s Sue Knapp is the hot favourite to take out the women’s title and Richard Colmer is another local that is predicted to shoot well.

Shooting begins at 10am each day.