Shooting: Linton corporal named top marksman

Linton-based Corporal Tim Bryce has been named the New Zealand Army's top marksman, after winning the annual Queen's Medal shooting competition at Waiouru with his final shot in a fiercely-contested match.

Cpl Bryce, from 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, beat 59 of the Army's other top shooters over the two-day competition, which was broken into four elimination matches and saw shooters whittled down to 10 for the final match up.

During a 45-minute final shootout, the marksmen had to fire on targets ranging from 50m to 300m, using standard Steyr rifles.

The Chief of Army, Major General Rhys Jones, attended the final match and presented the Queens Medal to Cpl Bryce at the prize-giving last night.

"Shooting is a core skill within the army and the standard shown during the Queen's Medal competition has been impressive,'' said Major General Jones.

The ability of soldiers to apply good marksmanship was important to their capacity to be effective on operations.

"It was a tough competition and for Cpl Bryce to win by only one shot showed how close many of the competitors were in their skill levels,'' said Major Eugene Whakahoehoe, the Army Combat School chief instructor .

Cpl Bryce will hold the title of champion army shot until the next Queen's Medal competition.

Previously known as the King's Medal, the competition was started in New Zealand by King George V in 1923. It is open to all branches of the Army, and contested only in daylight, using the current in-service rifle.