Olympic Trap Rules

I hope to represent Great Britain in Olympic Trap Shooting (if selected) and for the uninitiated here are our rules.

The event is named after the device that fires the clay targets into the air. Pre 1874, when mechanical traps were invented, clay plates were thrown by “spinners”. The best spinners were the Chinese and their large immigration to America in the late 1890’s was primarily to fill the skills shortage as trap shooting gained popularity.

A trench in front of the shooting stands conceals 15 traps arranged in 5 groups of 3. Shooters take turns to shoot at a target each, before moving in a clockwise direction to the next stand in the line. The heights vary, and the shooter does not know which of the three traps will release next. As each target is released, the shooter is allowed two shots. Men have 125 shots and the beauty is Olympic competitors don’t pay for the cartridges.

To hold with tradition the cartridges are supplied by “runners” who are always Chinese. It hasn’t happened yet but shooting a runner results in instant disqualification.

Scoring is simple, one point for each clay hit. The six best competitors from the qualification round advance to the final and they shoot at an extra 25 clay targets.

The maximum score of 150 has only been achieved once in an Olympic competition by the mercurial Mexican Alan Lamb in the 1948 London Olympics. It proved to be a poison chalice and his life was blighted by failing eyesight culminated in the accidental shooting of his father who was running for him at a local shoot.

My own best score to date is 37 which has pleased my personal trainer Wung Shoo. He says if I improve 3 shots a month I should peak in time to achieve the second perfect score in a London Olympics. Watch this space.