Having competed at the European Air Championships in Norway, I'm fresh back in the training mode after Easter. The .22 season has begun, so Sport Pistol training is in gear!

Very excitingly I've have two training sessions at Bisley with my .22. The first GBR training sessions at Bisley since the ban in 1997! But it really should have only been one. I was one of the 3.6 million people affected by the ASH cloud! A training week in Switzerland was planned, but with the weather conditions as they were, at the very last minute I was grounded!

The ASH cloud could have been a lot more detrimental to my training, if British Pistol Shooting was still in the situation we were in this time last year. April 2009 my Sport Pistol was being stored in a safe in Zurich, Switzerland. Therefore I would have had no training opportunities, (or even time to hold my gun) before a competition I'm attending at the end of this week in Hannover, Germany. But thankfully being part of the 2012 Squad since January 2010 I've my .22 at home. I'm also able to train with it at Bisley and Bedford. Bisley didn't quite have the views of the Swiss mountains, but I did get to train dispite the "no flying" thing!

Plans are getting back on track as I get my self ready for a 5am Stanstead Airport arrival meeting time, for our departure to Hannover! At this competition I will be shooting both Sport and Air Pistol.

Shooting to the top (an article in The Independent)

Have you got what it takes to be the best? Top pistol shooter Georgina Geikie has and she’s determined to be on the podium at the London 2012 Olympic Games

The Independent (April 2010)   

European Airgun Championships 2010, Norway

What a difference 10 days make!

After returning safely back to Devon from India, I washed my clothes and re packed (but the thermals!) for Norway. A brief fly in, train and compete visit to Meraker was in order. The local area was Winter Sports orientated, with 7 gold medals won in Vancouver from a 100km radius of the shooting venue.

The range was erected on an Indoor Football Stadium, with the flooring being very good imitation grass! The whole competition was very well run, with 47 countries contesting for the team and individual gold medals available. Amusingly, our hotel was in Sweeden, therefore everytime we crossed the boarder our mobiles updated with "welcome to........!" But the transport from the hotels to the range were a minor hick-up on the morning of my competition, (not effecting me) but forcing a 30min delay to the start of my match.

With preparations all in place the match started. Recovering from a poor start, my form wasn't as consistent as it could have been and I finished in the middle of the field. I was obviously disappointed with my score, but on average all the competitiors scores were lower than anticipated. Annoyingly 381/400, a very achieveable shot off for the final! But despite this, I have taken the many positives forward and these will stand me in good stead for the forthcoming World Cups / Championships of 2010 and beyond.

There is always tomorrow..................but there is no doubt I wanted to win today!

Gorgs is shooting today (Friday 12th March 2010) in the 10 Metre European Championship in Meraker Norway, results will be available from the Suis Website

Videos and photos are available from the European Championships Website 

Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships 2010, India.

My fellow English Shooting team mates and I, all safely returned from Delhi on Sunday evening. A very successful time was spent in India, with a strong medal tally recorded and personal goals being achieved all round.

The Indians looked after us brilliantly, with security levels to a very high standard not only at the range but around the Hotels as well. It was impressed upon us whilst there and before leaving, that the main goal of this two week competition was to learn how to live in the environment. How to adapt your everyday lifestyle to enable you to be fit and ready to stand on your firing point for your events so be able to compete at your best. At first it was hard to resist temptation, but as the days went by and stories were heard of the odd victims of ‘Delhi Belly’, it became evident it was worth it! I for one now feel prepared for the Commonwealth Games in October if I am selected.

These Championships were a true ‘practise event’ for the Games themselves, with Indian officials etc. learning their roles. This first came to light at the Opening Ceremony where Okehampton had to ‘fly the flag’. The Indians were not organised with each Nations flags to fly at the ceremony, so my Okehampton bought St.Georges flag saved the day!

The newly built ranges where we competed on were truly ‘World Class’ across all the disciplines. But serious finishing touches are needed around the grounds before October. This, I’ve no doubt, will be a problem.

Shooting in India is a very high profile sport, up amongst cricket and hockey. The press and television coverage was fantastic, something that a British Shooter is just not used to.

Although a couple of my major rivals didn’t attend the competition, it was still personally a very successful event. My partner for both the Air and Sport Pistol competitions was Julia Lydall. We won a Bronze and Silver medals in the Sport and Air Pistol respectfully. Individually I won two Bronze medals in the Badge matches and 4^th in my main Air Pistol Individual.

Team spirit was high. We all got on brilliantly, supporting each other and especially at our daily team meetings when reporting back about the days activities.

Security was very tight making it difficult to see any of Delhi. I knew this trip would be eye opening and broaden my horizons, and it didn’t let me down! Delhi and Devon; they may begin with the same letter, but that is about all they have in common!

Gorgs has won another 2 Medals in the Commonwealth Championships in Dehli, this time in the 10 Metre Air Pistol event.

10M Women Air Pistol Pairs - Silver

England : Georgina Geikie 379, Julia Lydall 364 Total (743)

10M Women Air Pistol Badge - Bronze

England : Georgina Geikie 379

The Final event is the 10 Metre individual on the 27th February 2010. 

Information is quite sparse but it appears that Gorgs has won a Bronze in the 25M Pairs...

"India's second gold medal came in the 25m pistol team event when Anisa Sayyed and Annuraj Singh notched up the top spot with a score of 1147 points. Linda Ryan and Elena Galiabovtech of Australia bagged the silver medal with 1138 points. The bronze medal went to England's Georgina Geikie and Judia Lydall, who shot 1129 points." 

More information from News Item 1

More information also available :  News Item 2