MORE than 150 school students from across Gippsland are expected to descend on Morwell for the Alpine Country Gippsland Schools Clay Target Championship on Wednesday
This will be Morwell Australia Clay Target Association’s third time hosting the event, which event organiser Greg Sartori said had attracted “phenomenal” interest.
“This year we have some new schools onboard including St Paul’s Anglican Grammar and Flinders College, and we have also picked up schools from Mallacoota and Wonthaggi,” Sartori, of the Morwell Gun Club, said.
“It’s a big commitment for the schools that have to travel so I’d like to think that we are gaining a lot of interest.”
Gippsland Grammar won the event last year and Sartori said they would be the school to beat again.
“They have the best ones so far, so we will see who can step up to the challenge,” he said.
“They have been a leader in clay target shooting for a long time.”
Sartori said the competition would be entirely single shot and conducted over two grounds with 10 targets shot at each ground for a total of 20 targets.
He said the competition provided a competitive progression for students between the Howard and Schuback Sporting Clays event and the SE Zone Down The Line Championships at Frankston Australia Gun Club on 1 August, culminating with the Victorian Inter School DTL Championships to be held at Bendigo on Monday, 2 September.
Fourteen awards will be handed out on the day, including overall high gun, overall boys, overall girls, first to third senior boys and girls and first to third junior boys and girls.
“We have had fantastic talent here in the past. One of the kids, from Gippsland, a few years ago ended up shooting in the world championships – Andrew Brady,” Sartori said.
“I think he eventually got to the top 15 in Australia.
“I would like to think that we would one day produce another Russell Mark or Michael Diamond.”
