5-Stand National Championships
16-17 August 2008
SSAA Ripley Branch

The 2008 5-Stand National Championships were hosted by Queensland at the SSAA Ripley Branch at Ipswich on August 16 and 17. State Chairman Peter Tobin and others had established two excellent 5-Stand layouts that presented a good variety of challenging targets worthy of a National Championships. With competitors facing 200 targets over the two-day Championships, local and visiting competitors from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland set about the task of breaking clay targets in fine, but sometimes windy conditions.

With an excellent array of targets that included many crossers, incoming midis, a very deceptive springing teal and some rabbits that looked easy but proved difficult to hit, all competitors enjoyed the various challenges. At the conclusion of the Championships, local competitor Damien Birgan from Queensland emerged as National Champion with a score of 184/200.

State teams from NSW and Queensland contested the SSAA National 5-Stand Shield with the NSW team of Kevin Raymond, Frank Scambellone, Dean Delaney, Stephen Newcombe and Greg Allen successful with a score of 990 to Queensland’s 910. With no New Zealanders present to contest the Trans Tasman Trophy, Australia retained the trophy. It will be re-contested in 2009 at the New Zealand National Championships.

The Championships were generously sponsored by EXPRESS Cartridges, Casella Wines, Griffith and SSAA who provided national medallions. A special thanks to SSAA Merchandise who donated a swag for a lucky entrant prize. This was won by Bradley Schmidt of Queensland.

Results
AA Grade: Peter Tobin (171), Mike Birgan (160), Kevin Raymond (152)
A Grade: Anthony Panetta (173), Craig Brown (167), Frank Scambellone (165)
B Grade: Jim Johnson (159), Greg Allen (150), James McIver (140)
C Grade: Ben Robinson (150), David Evans (135), Kerry Bryant (120)
Veterans: David Brenton (136), Kerrod Kay (135), Warren Brown (110)
Juniors: Paul Adams (153)
Ladies: Maree Birgan (139)

Special mention: Anthony Panetta of Victoria was the only competitor to achieve a 25 break.