A beaming Shania Harrison-Lee is in her element during the second day of the TSMC open championships on Saturday. Photo Robyn HoodLocal shooting ace Shania Harrison-Lee has held off stiff competition to again rule the roost.

The 18-year-old national representative was the top gun at the Target Shooting Mid Canterbury (TSMC) Open Championship in Ashburton at the weekend, winning the top 10 open competition.

Her score of 199.15 edged strong challenges from Charlotte McKenzie (198.13), Nick Stewart (198.13) and Jesse Henriksen (198.12).

Both Stewart and McKenzie topped their respective grades earlier in the competition.

Coronation member Stewart won the A grade with 390.19, following two double target rounds of 195.11 and 195.08.

Fellow club member McKenzie secured the B grade spoils with 395.24, and then backed it up with a runner-up place in the top 10 open and a win in the B, C and D grade top 10 to seal a superb showing at the event.

Organisers were forced to wait until the last minute on Friday before deciding to go ahead with the two-day event, after an update was delivered by the Government around Covid Alert Levels.

“We were delighted to see some of our newer juniors taking the opportunity to experience open shoulder to shoulder competition,” TSMC president Nina McKenzie said.

“It was great to have shooters travel from other areas to compete, and in some cases win grades.”

Harrison-Lee was top shooter in the Master grade following a total score of 399.29 (200.15, 199.14) across the four target shoot.

The Cashmere club’s Jesse Henriksen recorded a score of 392.20, and Sandy Bennett placed third with 390.15.

Further down the grades saw Leonie Clayton score 385.15 to take out the C grade and Madison Tourle with 373.06 topped the D grade.

It was a big weekend of local shooting with the Phoenix Target Shooting Club’s open championships also held on Sunday.

Harrison-Lee followed her TSMC result with a top 10 open win at the Phoenix championships, while McKenzie completed a superb weekend of shooting with a top 10 BCD victory.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 20 August 2020