Matthew Charlton, a new teacher at Wellington School, ended his three year stint as Captain of the Scottish Rifle Team with victory in the European Long Range Championships at Bisley on Sunday.
The recently appointed French and Maths teacher enjoyed previous victory captaining the Great Britain Rifle Team to success in Canada and the USA.
On Sunday, a team of 12 firers and 4 wind-masters started with a 7 point lead over Ireland at 800 yards on Saturday, before extending it slightly at 900 yards and then racing ahead at 1000 yards to finish the day with a commanding 53 point lead over an England team that contained some of the Great Britain team-mates with whom Mr. Charlton had won the last two World Long Range Championships.
After a long, fog induced delay on Sunday morning, the various teams resumed competition in lighter winds and some excellent English and Welsh shooting saw them narrow Scotland’s lead, but it was Scotland who ran out overall winners by 37 points, leading a home nations clean sweep of the medal podium.
Mr. Charlton commented, ‘it is very satisfying to be going out on a high. The team performed superbly and it is a fitting end to my Captaincy to have such a splendid victory.”