The final day of the four-day 2018 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Position Championships decided the Metric and Grand Aggregate champions.
The battle between Elizabeth Gratz (pictured above), Richard Clark, and Will Marciniak boiled over into the final day with the trio in a close battle for the Overall Championship. Gratz took a slim lead into the any sight day of Metric and added to it, ending with a six-point lead: 2283-79X, to Clark’s 2277-73X. He also finished 11 points over Marciniak, who closed out Metric with a 2272-73X. In the process, the top three also garnered other honors; Gratz took the civilian, Clark the junior, and Marciniak the collegiate laurels.
Bill Beard, who seems to have the deed to the senior championship, shot a 2256-75X for a repeat win. Jeff Doerschler, a former U.S. position Champion, took home the Intermediate Senior laurels. Jaden Thompson held on to the intermediate junior title with a 2252-81X.
When the two position championship scores were combined, Gratz’s consistent performance gave her a 4666-220X to win the championship. Although often challenged by Clark, 4652-223X, and Marciniak, 4650-21X, she will return to West Virginia University to begin work on her doctorate in business as the overall and civilian National Smallbore Rifle Champion. Clark earned the silver medal, while bronze medalist Marciniak was also the collegiate champion.
Beard, to no one’s surprise, earned the senior title, while Paula Lambertz ended up as intermediate senior champion, the first women to do so. Jaden Thompson was the intermediate junior champion while Katrina DeMerle rolled over all for the sub junior crown.
Elise Collier traveled more than halfway around the world from Australia to end up as high visitor.
The NRA National Smallbore Rifle Position Championships will conclude on Tuesday with the start of the prone championships.
Detailed results may be found online at: competitor.nra.org/ChampionshipResultsSmallbore.aspx
