Craig aim for higher ground

By KATH GANNAWAY
COLDSTREAM shooter Craig Henwood flies out of Melbourne on Thursday as a member of Australia’s Men’s Trap team competing in the World Cup in Brazil next week.
For the 26yearold clay target shooter who has his sights set on a place in the 2006 Commonwealth Games team, competing against, and with, some of the world’s best ahead of the Games qualifying rounds later this year is valuable experience.
Craig’s team members in Brazil are Olympic dual gold medalist Michael Diamond and Tom Turner who represented Australia in the Athens Olympics.
Diamond, Turner and another of Australia’s top shooters, Adam Valla, are ahead of him in the Australian Shooting Association’s nominated 10 shooters vying for two places on the Commonwealth Games Men’s Trap team.
The competition is tough but, looking very much at home on the range at the Melbourne Gun Club in Lilydale on the weekend, Craig said he will be doing his very best to make the final cut.
If any added incentive were needed, he has it. The Melbourne Gun Club will host the Commonwealth Games clay target trap, double trap and skeet events in March next year.
“I’m shooting as much as possible as the moment building up to the eliminations which will be held in September and October,” Craig said.
“We’re lucky so many of the events are being held here at the club, including mine, and it would be fantastic to be on the team.”
Marksmanship runs in the Henwood family. His father, Jack, held the Australian clay target record for 30 years and his grandfather was also involved in the sport as a shooter and coach.
But for a short while, his passion for shooting, something to which he devotes virtually every minute outside of work and sleep, looked like it might skip a generation.
“I remember as a kid I used to hate going to gun clubs with dad but when I was 11, I went to the National Titles in Echuca and I just got the bug,” he recalled.
“After that, I couldn’t wait until I was 12 to get a junior permit and wherever possible, I’ve shot every day since.”
Craig has represented Victoria and Australia and competed in countries including Peru, Brunei, Germany and America.
“I think there is a natural ability but, like golf, shooting is basically 10 per cent ability and 90 per cent mental; and training you have to get in the training,” he said.
Loading up his $8000 rifle Craig fires off another round. Getting enough training comes down to time and money and the sport can devour both in huge quantities.
Craig said he is grateful for the support of his employer, Lilydale road construction company Stabilime, who he said have been fantastic in allowing him time to compete, but said he is keen to get sponsors on board as he intensifies his training for a Commonwealth Games berth.
Any potential sponsors can contact Craig on 0403 508 046.