In his first time back to Camp Perry in seven years, Specialist George Norton of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) won the 2008 NRA Smallbore 3-Position Championship. Norton posted a score of 2374-151X, which beat his nearest competitor Kyle Smith with tie-breaking hits in the X-ring. Smith, a sophomore for the West Virginia University Mountaineers rifle team, finished with a score of 2374-122X.
"This was an experience that I've been looking forward to for a long time," said Norton. As the event champion, Norton received the Frank Parsons Memorial trophy plaque, a gold-plated National Championship Medallion, a $500 Visa gift card and a Walther Model KK300 .22 caliber match target rifle. The value of the Walther rifle is well over $3,000.
Kyle Smith, a native of DuBois, Pennsylvania, took second place and was the recipient of a silver-plated National Championship Medallion, a $300 Visa gift card, and an Anschutz Model 64 .22 caliber rifle.
Michelle Bohren from Taylor, Michigan, finished in third place after posting a score of 2373-140X. Bohren received a bronze-plated National Championship Medallion, a $200 Visa gift card, and an Anschutz Model 64 .22 caliber rifle. All three rifles were donated by the NRA.
The NRA Smallbore 3-Position Championship is a 2400-point aggregate of the Metallic Sight championship and the Any Sight championship. The Any Sight category includes both metallic sights and telescopic sights. Each sub-aggregate consists of three matches fired with .22 caliber rifles. In each of the three matches (prone, standing, and kneeling positions), 40 shots are fired at a distance of 50 meters.
The smallbore 3-position championship wasn't the only accomplishment that George Norton achieved at Camp Perry, which has played home to the NRA National Rifle and Pistol Championships for 101 years. Norton also won third place in the Individual Metallic Sight Competition and was named as the Service Champion. Norton and his rifle team (the Blue Team of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit) were the National Metallic Sight Team Champions and the National Any Sight Team Champions.
Second-place winner Kyle Smith was selected to represent the United States in the William Drew Cup International Postal Match. Smith and the Pennsylvania Rifle and Pistol Association of DuBois were the High Junior Metallic Sight Team Champions and the High Junior Any Sight Team Champions. They also won second place in the Metallic Sight Team Competition and third place in the Any Sight Team Competition. Individually, Smith captured the Civilian Champion and the Junior Champion titles, and also won the high expert open award.
Third-place winner Michelle Bohren took home the Woman Metallic Sight Champion and the Woman 3-Position Champion titles, and also captured the Second Place Civilian award. In addition, she won second place in the Individual Metallic Sight Competition and third place in the Woman Any Sight Competition.
A summary of the results of the 2008 NRA Smallbore 3-Position Championship follows.
2008 NRA Smallbore Rifle 3-Position Championship
National Champion:
Specialist George Norton, Fort Benning, Georgia, 2374-151X
Second Place:
Kyle Smith, DuBois, Pennsylvania, 2374-122X
Third Place:
Michelle Bohren, Taylor, Michigan, 2373-140X
SPECIAL CATEGORIES:
Civilian Champion:
Kyle Smith, DuBois, Pennsylvania, 2374-122X
Woman Champion:
Michelle Bohren, Taylor, Michigan, 2373-140X
Senior Champion:
Leonard Remaly, Monson, Massachusetts, 2292-102X
Intermediate Senior Champion:
Steven Kern, West Bloomfield, Michigan, 2356-128X
Collegiate Champion:
Erin Lorenzen, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 2357-109X
Junior Champion:
Kyle Smith, DuBois, Pennsylvania, 2374-122X
Intermediate Junior Champion:
Katie Fretts, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, 2355-103X
Sub-Junior Champion:
Jennifer Smith, Mentor, Ohio, 2293-82X
Service Champion:
Specialist George Norton, Fort Benning, Georgia, 2374-151X
Any Sight Only Champion:
Joel Dutra, Grampian, Pennsylvania, 2343-107X