GPA Shooters Impress in Algarve and Bisley Competitions

The weekend of 21 February proved to be a busy one for the Gibraltar Pistol Association (GPA), with two teams competing abroad — one in Bisley, England, and another in the Algarve, Portugal.

The IPSC team travelled to Portugal to compete in the Algarve Cup Level 3 match, an 18-stage competition held over two days and featuring a number of highly technical stages. Representing Gibraltar were Stephen Borge, Rachael Viagas, John Holmes, Shane Athey, Adrian Dann, and juniors Ethan Hermida and Luke Hermida.

The team delivered an impressive set of results. Stephen Borge secured third place in Open Overall, while Rachael Viagas finished second in Open Ladies. John Holmes claimed second place in Open Senior, and Adrian Dann placed second in Production Super Senior.

The standout result of the weekend came from Shane Athey, who claimed first place in Open Super Senior — a victory described as well deserved after significant hard work and training.

Juniors Luke and Ethan Hermida also performed strongly, receiving certificates of excellence. As there were not enough junior competitors for dedicated medal placings, both competed in the overall match against older and more experienced athletes.

GPA President Mario Apap described the weekend as “a wonderful achievement for the GPA,” adding: “It is great to see the training paying off, and Gibraltar doing well as always in our shooting sports. The juniors are particularly good to see as they are the pioneers for Gibraltar in practical shooting, and our junior program has a number of athletes following in their footsteps.”

Team captain John Holmes expressed pride in the squad’s efforts. “I am very proud of the team. We work hard to perform at the highest levels for Gibraltar and have great facilities to assist us,” he said.

However, he also highlighted concerns over the potential loss of the Practical Shooting range at Willis’s Magazine, warning that it would significantly impact training, performance and the junior programme at a time when the sport is thriving.

Looking ahead, Holmes confirmed that the next major challenge will be the European Handgun Championships in Hungary in June. Gibraltar will field a team that includes a junior competitor for the first time ever at that level. He expressed hope that suitable facilities will be available to allow the team to prepare properly and continue to represent Gibraltar with pride.