IG07 Sports

Formal target shoots involving the bow and arrow and the spear were first used as military training activities.

However, history shows that the Greeks were in fact some of the first to hold archery contests to shoot pigeons on top of tall poles in honour of the Gods.

By the 10th century, marksmanship evolved into a social and recreational sport.

The first shooting clubs were formed by German speaking peoples in the 13th and 14th centuries. Membership was limited to men only. At first, bows and wheel-lock muskets were shot from the standing position, but by the 16th century, firearms with rifled barrels were used in public matches.

The first World Shooting Championships were in 1897 in Lyon. Women's events were first instituted at the 1958 Championships, and today World Championships for men and women in all disciplines are held every four years.

Air Guns

The art of successful air pistol and air rifle shooting, relies on a combination of hand/eye co-ordination and a good stance. The sport requires minimum physical exertion, so males and females of all ages can compete equally on all levels.

Clay Target

Also known as Trapshooting, Clay Bird Shooting and Clay Pigeon Shooting, shooters use double-barrelled shotguns, usually 12-gauge, to shoot clay discs launched form a mechanical device called the 'trap'.

Originating in England in the late 18th Century, trapshooting was designed to improve hunting skills but quickly became a competitive sport in its own right. The first targets were live birds which were released from cages.

However, this practice had virtually died out by the end of the 19th Century when saucer-shaped clay discs were introduced, similar to those used today.

English Sporting

The most popular form of clay shooting today. In its early form, English sporting usually presented the shooter with two different targets.

An average competition may comprise of around five stands used to shoot around 30 targets. These targets can be launched as singles or pairs.

The pair consists either of one target then the other being launched the instant a shot is fired, or both targets being fired at the same time.

Full Bore Rifle

This is an outdoor sport, with competitions held at ranges from 300 to 1000 yards, at paper targets. Firing is done in the prone position with the aid of a sling to support the rifle and a telescope is permitted to spot the fall of shot.

Competitions are held in all weathers and most matches have teams of 8, with two coaches to read the wind.

In Rhodes

Whilst athletes from the island compete at National and International events there is no official shooting facility on Rhodes.

The organisers have promised newly constructed facilities for the disciplines being held.

Clay Target, Air Guns and Pistols are included in the competition schedule but not Full Bore Rifle and English Sporting.

Games Records before the 2007 Games

Event - Record - Holder(s) - Island - Year

Pistol ISSF Air Pistol - Individual 671.60 Peter Nordgren Gotland 2001
ISSF Air Pistol - Pairs 1120.00 Kevin Gray and David Lewis Shetland 1997

Air Rifle Men Individual 676.30 Scott Douglas Jersey 2005
ISSF Air Rifle - Pairs 1156 Lilf Hjerthen Gotland and Mattias Magnusson 1997
ISSF Centre Fire - Individual 580.00 Peter Nordgren Gotland 2003
ISSF Centre Fire - Pairs 1134.00 Derek Bernard and David Ward Jersey 1997
ISSF Free Pistol - Individual 534.00 Mattias Steffenburg Gotland 1999
ISSF Free Pistol - Pairs 1041.00 Peter Nordgren and Bengt Hyytiainen Gotland 2001

MLIAC Mariette Percussion Revolver - Individual 96 Mick Radcliffe Jersey 2003
MLIAC Mariette Percussion Revolver - Pairs 183 Bob Blake and Mick Radcliffe Jersey 2003

NPA Police Pistol 1 - Individual 298 Andrew Torode Guernsey 1997 =1999
NPA Police Pistol 1 - Pairs 583 Bob Blake and Martin Cardy Jersey 1997
NPA Police Pistol 2 - Individual 577 Bob Blake Jersey 1997
NPA Police Pistol 2 - Pairs 1149 Bob Blake and Terry Underwood Jersey 1997

IPSC Practical Target - Individual 100 Shane MacDonald Jersey 1997
IPSC Practical Target - Pairs 193.22 Shane MacDonald and Terry Underwood Jersey 1997

Rapid Fire Pistol - Individual 563 Peter Nordgren Gotland 1999
Rapid Fire Pistol - Pairs 1097 Peter Nordgren and Fredrik Stenstrom Gotland 1999

NPA Service Pistol B - Individual 115 Andrew Torode Guernsey 2003
NPA Service Pistol B - Pairs 214 Andrew Torode and Chris Parkin Guernsey 2003

ISSF Sport Pistol - Individual 572 Peter Nordgren Gotland 2001
ISSF Sport Pistol - Pairs 1124 Bengt Hyytiainen and Peter Nordgren Gotland 1997
ISSF Standard Pistol - Individual 567 Peter Nordgren Gotland 1999
ISSF Standard Pistol - Pairs 1122 Peter Nordgren and Fredrik Stenstrom Gotland 1999

NRAA 1500 PPC - Individual 1455 Terry Underwood Jersey 1997
NRAA 1500 PPC - Pairs 2891 Bob Blake and Terry Underwood Jersey 1999

ISSF Ladies Sport Pistol Individual 526 Emily Furzer Jersey 2001
ISSF Ladies Air Pistol Individual 449.8 Teresa Rowland Guernsey 2001

Black Powder Rifle

Breech Loaded Blackpowder Rifle 100m Prone, Individual 86 Noel Dunquemin Guernsey 1999
Breech Loaded Blackpowder Rifle 100m Prone, Pairs 177 Tommy Olofsson, Rune Thomsson and Bo Pettersson Gotland 1999

MLIAC Whitworth Rifle 100m Prone, Individual 85 Graham Didlick Falkland Is 1999
MLIAC Whitworth Rifle 100m Prone, Pairs 164 George Arnold and Gerry Weir Jersey 1999

Smallbore Rifle

50m Prone Free Rifle -Individual 588 John Renouf Jnr Jersey 1997
50m Prone Free Rifle - Pairs 1162 Gotland 1999
100 Yards Prone 581 John Renouf Jnr Jersey 1997
50m 3 Position Free Rifle -Individual 546 Mattias Magnusson Gotland 1999
50m 3 Position Free Rifle - Pairs 1057 Gotland 1999

Fullbore Rifle

300m Prone Free Rifle - Individual 596 Bruce Horwood Jersey 1997
300m Prone Free Rifle - Pairs 1160 David Le Quesne Jersey 1997
Clifford Mallett Jnr 300m 3 Position Rifle - Individual 562 Tommy Olsson Gotland 1999
TR 7.62mm-Queen's Prize 93.56 Ian Jones Jersey 1997
TR 7.62mm-Queen's Prize-Pairs 788 Andrew Le Cheminant and Colin Mallett Jersey 1997
Queens 1, Queens 11 and Queen 399 Peter Stock Jersey 2003

Clay Target

Skeet (Individual) 137 Andre Carre Guernsey 2003
Skeet Pairs 186 Nigel Kelly and David Clague Isle of Man 2001
Ball Trap (Individual) 139 Peter Kelly Isle of Man 2003
Trap Pairs 188 Gary Cooper and Harry Murphy Gibraltar 1997
Sporting-Individual 85 Tom Thomas Ynys Mon 1997
Sporting-Team 159 Jose Canidio, Andrew de la Cour and Robert Whitworth Jersey 1997
Double Trap (Individual) 101 Mark Andrews Jersey 1997
Double Trap Pairs 143 William Pearce and Adrian Williams Isle of Wight 1997
Olympic Trap Individual 134+3 Kevin Cowles Gibraltar 2003
Olympic Trap Team 175 Keith Wilkins and Trevor Bowles Isle of Man 2003
English Sporting Individual - Ladies 55 Sheila Davy Jersey 2003
English Sporting Team - Ladies 86 Sheila Davy and Laura Deards Jersey 2003