THE Channel Islands rifle team in the Palma Long Range World Championships in Canada put on an astounding score at the 700 metres stage over the weekend, writes Bruce Parker.

Fourteen members of the 16-strong team registered highest possible scores of 150, the remaining two dropping just a point each for 149s.

It would have been a world record team score at that distance but for the fact that the Great Britain team in the match had already set a new world record themselves – by not dropping a single point at that distance.

Overall, with its aggregate score over two days of shooting at 700, 800 and 900 metres, the team was to occupy seventh place in the Palma.

Nevertheless, the 700 metres shoot represents a hugely impressive performance unequalled by any team of Channel Islanders in more than a century of team shooting by both Jersey and Guernsey.

The CI score at 700 yards was higher than the scores achieved by the national teams of the United States, Canada and New Zealand.