The two-day competition, shot at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards, is recognised as the most taxing of all competitions at the famous Surrey ranges.
The CI team, which included six former commonwealth Games representatives for Jersey or Guernsey, can now style themselves as ‘Champions of Europe’.
When the championships, delayed on Saturday morning by fog.
got under way, the CI took an early lead and ended the first day 16 points ahead.
The following morning, there were mixed fortunes at 900 and 1,000 yards with the CI lead cut, tantalisingly, to a single point.
Eagle-eyed shooting from the entire team at the final range of 800 yards (Andy Burton, Cliff Mallett, Bruce Horwood and Adam Jory returned perfect scores), confirmed the CI victory.
This magnificent win is a fillip for the team which is due to compete in the Palma World Championships at Ottawa in Canada next year.
Team coach and captain, Mike Martel, said, ‘It was a fantastic team effort with everybody working hard over the whole weekend.
All our preparations came right.
To beat England on their home ground is almost unbelievable.’ ‘It just shows little places can do big things,’ commented the captain of Germany’s team, Dieter Grummt.
CI individual scores (Max Poss 750 ( 75 v) – Andy Burton (G) 741 (28 v-bulls); Cliff Mallett (J) 736 (26v); Adam Jory (G) 734 (38v); Bruce Horwood (J) 730 (23v); Colin Mallett (J) 729 (24v); Nick Mace (G) 727 (30v); Peter Stock (J) 727 (18v); Wally Langley (J) 725 (20v); John Norman (J) 722 (19v); Daniel Richardson (J) 717 (22v); Mary Norman (J) 716 (19v); Alex Langley (J) 715 (16v).
