JERSEY shooters have beaten the old enemy on their own ground for the first time since 1967 with a complete whitewash in the inter-insular smallbore and air rifle matches.

Competing for the Grasset-Neame and Le Riche trophies, the matches each comprise of eight air rifle and eight smallbore rifle shooters with the combined scores determining the winners.

Jersey have for many years been stronger in the .22 rifle event but Guernsey have always been considerably ahead in air rifle, but last year on Jersey soil the home team managed a surprise win due to some keen shooters starting a winter air gun league some five years ago which has boosted the skill and match sharpness of many Jersey competitors.

The Grasett-Neame is the top smallbore match and Craig Marett led the assault on 195 closely followed by all his teammates to a earn a nine point win but the air rifle crew led by David Turner on 384 gave Guernsey a thorough hiding winning by 39 points to give Jersey an overall margin of 47 points.

In the Le Riche, Peter Quimby was the top shot for Jersey with an impressive 194 to lead the team to a superb 117 point lead and with the air rifle shooters, headed by junior Jonathon Bouchard on 329, all in good form Jersey won the match by 61 points.

To compound the misery of the Guersey shooters, Jersey won both the Channel Islands championship finals in superb style.

Steve Bouchard shot a very steady match and his coolness paid off with a clear two point win over teammate Richard Benest.

Meanwhile at the Cobo range junior Scott Douglas was strutting his stuff with an exhibition of coolness and undoubted ability to win by a massive 15 points from team mate Tony Edwards who is a relative newcomer to air rifle.

Said air rifle shooter David Turner: ‘We started that winter league several years ago and it has been invaluable in giving people regular match practice, without it I am sure the nerves would have been greater going into the inter-insular.

Guernsey used to have the better top shooters and greater strength-in-depth but the tide has definitely turned Jersey’s way.’