2009 Skeet WA State Titles
24 May 2009

Ross Porter - the 2009 SSAA State Skeet Champion. The 2009 SSAA WA Skeet State Titles was held on Sunday, May 24, at the Jarrahdale Shooting Complex in WA. Although numbers were slightly down on previous years, shooters from all over the south-west attended.

Skeet differs slightly from Trap shooting; in Skeet, the clays come flying out from the side, whereas in Trap, they go more or less down the line in front of the shooter. Skeet event is shot over 50 targets in two rounds of 25 and shooters are graded into AA, A, B, and C classes, as well as junior and ladies classes.

The morning started off cold, but with no wind and the sun shining, it was perfect shooting weather. This was reflected in the scores, with one shooter from the Bussleton Club shooting a perfect 25/25 in his first round - the first time it has been done at the Jarrahdale range in this event! Shooting a perfect score in the first round does not guarantee that you’re going to do it in the second, but it sure does help. He was four targets clear of his closest rival, Nigel Youens of the Jarrahdale Club, who was on 21/25, and another Bussleton shooter, John Overton, who was on 19/25.

Nigel was the first to shoot his second round and shot a 19/25, giving him a total score of 40/50 over the two rounds. How would the two Bussleton competitors go in their second round? John shot a 21/25, bringing him level with Nigel, ensuring a shoot-off for second place, which Nigel won, after John missed his third target.

As is often the case, nerves got the better of Ross Porter and he dropped a whopping seven targets to finish on 18/25, to give him a total of 43/50, but this was enough to take out the title of SSAA State Skeet Champion for 2009. Congratulations Ross!