Sussex shooting ladies find range in nationals

Sussex Ladies have learned they are the winners of the national long range inter county competition for 2020.

The competition, comprising 20 shots at 50 metres and 20 shots at 100 yards for teams of five, saw Sussex win with a score of 1932 out of 2000, beating Devon into second place. Devon scored 1927, with Surrey ladies finishing third with a score of 1923.

Top score for Sussex was made by Fittleworth’s Sara Carr, who scored 392, with Eastbourne’s Linda Smallbone close behind on 390.

Chichester’s Nicky Smith scored 388, Hastings’ Sara Marshall, the team captain, 385 and East Grinstead’s Sheena Wilde 377.

The second placed Devon team contained two ex Sussex ladies who moved to the West Country many years ago with Lindsay Agates scoring 392 and Mog Thomson 387.

This win for the Sussex Ladies builds on the success of results in 2019 when, in the same competition, they finished second behind winners Surrey.

At the 2019 national meeting, they won the inter county ladies’ 50-metre match when all of the Sussex team, Marshall, Smallbone and Carr, also qualified for the winning Great Britain Ladies team in the prestigious Randle Trophy match against USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.

Team captain Marshall said she was proud of the success of the team and felt that the future looked bright for the county when things get back to normal.

Members of the winning Sussex team each receive embroidered badges.

by PETER TERRY