WA Lever Action State Championships held under national rules for the first time in Albany this weekend

Albany will have a strong hand at the WA Lever Action State Championships, which for the first time will be held under national rules, at the Mutton Bird range this weekend. Close to 40 shooters from around WA will converge on the Albany Lever Action Rifle Club for the 2021 State titles. Multiple national and State champion Steve Hurley, fresh from a clean sweep at the NSW titles, heads up the strong list of local nominations. Albany captain Janos Racz said the event will be run in line with national rules for the first time. “This year is the first time the State title will be held under national rules,” he said. “It is a good opportunity for us to hold this event. There are only minor changes in the way medals are given out, according to the grading of the shooter. “In the past, medals have been given out in a different way but this is a good move and hopefully in years to come we can attract shooters from not just Perth, Albany or Kalgoorlie like the last 40 years.” Racz said club members had put a lot of work in to get the local range ready for the State event and he was confident they could perform well collectively. “Albany has got a very strong chance to deliver the top shooters at the event,” Racz said. “Joel Evans has a very good chance and Kim Knapp as well. “I would say we will have about 20 competitors from the Albany club and the rest from Perth and Kalgoorlie. “Last year for obvious reasons we couldn’t hold the championships and had to pass the opportunity to Perth. “We said this year we would like to hold the shoot, the club is ready and looking beautiful and people should enjoy it.” The classic calibre event will start at 9am on Saturday and the open division will be contested on Sunday from 9am and scores from those two events will go towards crowning the prestigious two-gun champion.