AN engaged couple have shown they are a perfect match on the rifle range – they have world championship medals to prove it!
Laura Foy and her fiancé Ben Wood have shot to the top of the sport in rapid-fire fashion, leading to them both helping Great Britain teams achieve top-three placings in the inaugural Precision Rifle 22LR World Championships staged in Piancardato, Italy.
A bronze medal was secured by Laura, 28, from Weaverham, with the GB women’s team, while Ben, 30, from Tattenhall, bagged silver with the men – and they had lots of time to reflect on the success as they drove home with son Louis, aged one, in tow.
They faced competition from teams that had travelled from USA, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Sweden, Luxembourg, Spain, among others, as well as hosts Italy.
Laura, who studied at Weaverham Forest Primary School and then Weaverham High School, booked her ticket through her performances in two of the three qualifying matches put on by the Great Britain Precision Rifle Association.
“This was actually only my third match in the sport,” said Laura, a director in caravan letting business, Four Seasons Leisure Limited.
“I started out watching my fiancé Ben at matches, while taking care of our baby boy Louis.
“After a while, I decided to give it a go and just got hooked.
“Ben has shot since he was a child, but started PRS (precision rifle series) one year ago.”
The event featured a set number of stages, shooting at steel targets of varying sizes at various distances.
Competitors shoot from different barricades, whether they be stable or wobbly, from a random number of positions, all of which is under a set amount of time to get as many ‘impacts’ as possible.
Wind conditions, speed of shooter, experience, and time restrictions all play a key part.
Laura said: “I got off to a rocky start with the pressure I’d put on myself to perform well, but after lunch on the first day and a good talking to myself, I pulled it back and managed to have a good second day’s shooting too.
“I came away with an individual placing of 13th lady in the world, and as a team GB took third place lady team, coming away with bronze.
“Ben shot brilliantly, placing sixth ‘open men’ shooter in the world, and taking second place as a team, so silver for Team GB men.”
They have other sporting interests too.
Laura plays football for Ellesmere Rangers Women Football Club, based in Ellesmere, Shropshire, while Ben, a director of Midway Truckstop, Whitchurch, loves big-game sea fishing.
But the pair, who now live near Shrewsbury, are keen to give the Precision Rifle 22LR World Championships another shot.
“We plan to participate in practise matches and look to qualify for the World Championships again in 2025,” said Laura.
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