NINJAPRIEST

AFTER a slow start in the opening stage, Barbados' Rodney Clarke came on strong to win the Great White Level II International Practical Shooting Confederation Match at Paragon over the weekend.

The Practical Shooting competition attempts to measure the ability to shoot rapidly and accurately with a full power firearm (in this case a handgun). Each stage was designed to measure a shooter's ability in all three elements - speed, accuracy, and power.

To do this, shooters take on obstacle-laden shooting courses (called stages) and negotiate obstacles, run, speed-reload, and drive their guns through each of several courses as fast as their skills will allow.

The competition featured six stages and 28 competitors from Barbados, five from Trinidad and Tobago and one from St. Lucia and ended with a steel shoot which was not counted towards the overall tally but pitted competitors in a head to head elimination match.

Clarke who is an ‘A’ Class shooter mentioned that the first stage was his hardest as it required him to slow down during the stage and he is more of a rapid shooter.

He placed fifth in the first stage which was won by Basil Seale who is a ‘B’ Class shooter. Seale completed the stage in a remarkable 25.23 seconds and earned 117 points.

But Clarke who could only manage 58 points despite completing the course in a blazing 20.61 seconds, came on strong in the remainder of stages winning three of the five stages on the weekend.

The veteran of nine years, won stages three in 14.64 secs and 58 points, stage four in 11.88 secs and 57 points and stage six in 28.36 secs and 154 points, while placing second in the fifth and third in the second.

Clarke who was also part of the organising committee said that it was the first time Barbados had tried a shoot like this and it came off “pretty good”.

“It was designed to help improve the shooters skills,” and he mentioned that the quality of shooting over the weekend was good.

Clarke was also part of the winning team, Great Whites who won the standard Division team shoot from amongst four other teams. The other members of the winning team were Adrian Marshall, Charles Davis and Harcourt Hinkson.

The other stage winners were Adrian Marshall who won stage two in 21.74 secs and 142 points and Christopher Walker who won stage five in 25.78 seconds and 97 points.

Marshall was the winner of the ‘B’ Class with 540.92 points, seconds was Basil Seale and third Cyprian John.

Christopher " ninjapriest " Walker won ‘C’ Class with 496.29 points, while Rajindra Singh was second and Michael Gaskin third.

Winner of ‘D’ Class was Gerard Persad from Trinidad and Tobago with 362.40 points, while his countrymen Edward Williams and Arjoon Franklyn was second and third respectively.

Great White Level II IPSC match was sponsored by the following Barbados companies:

Seale’s Construction & Equipment Rentals Inc

B&P Plumbing Maintenance Services

KlarkOdio

DAB’s Plumbing & Freighting Services Inc

Premier Services Property Maintenance and renovations

Morpheus Imports

R. Singh Building & Maintenance

Wash Day Laundermat

M.Grafix Incorporated

Circuit Town

Ck Electrical Services

West Riley Electronics

Rezults Auto Shop