Pilsen Grand Prix 2010 was a widely attended competition by shooting teams from all around the world, stretching round to Australia! Having won the second competition last year, I was back on familiar soil. In comparison to the 7pm match start times of last year, 11:30 was very civilised! 

Friday morning came in the cold, snow covered Czech Republic for my first match where I shot 377/400 and just missed out on the final. My fellow English team mates all shot well too for that match and the whole competition, with Mick Gault shooting off successfully for the final on the first day.

Pilsen was the beginning of the ‘Team England’ (in comparison to GB) build up for the Commonwealth Games at the end of the year in India. Along the way we have the Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships, also held in India in the middle of February, which I’m gearing up for!

But Pilsen wouldn’t have been possible without the kind help of Allan Balsdon at BVS (Balsdon Vehicle Services) and Sarah’s Self Drive, for their continued support of my transport out of Devon. Due to the poor weather and being completely snow bound for over a week, it came to departing and I still couldn’t move. I’d planned to travel to Gatwick by bus from Exeter, but this was getting increasingly less likely! So with the aid of the trusty LandRover I was just able to get to Okehampton where the Ford Fiesta Allan had so kindly sponsored me the use of for such trips, was awaiting my arrival! A hasty exit out of Devon the night before my departure was negotiated successfully in front of the second wave of snow. Waking up at Bisley the following morning to a snowed in car, my ‘Plan B’ continued successfully to Gatwick by Tom, my coach!

Thank you Allan.