UNIVERSAL TRENCH 2026 AND BEYOND.

Dear All

Please note, with immediate effect, Ed Barker will take on the role of the second BICTSF UT Director to work with Paul Ashley. In order to continue to work with FITASC, and thus allow BICTSF to operate the FITASC licence in the UK, they will follow all the required rules as laid down by FITASC Paris.

Ed says “I look forward to working with Paul and assisting with Universal Trench as a Director. We are excited to work through some of the challenging financial issues, create great events, grow participation and have some enjoyable times with the UT community. I look forward to seeing you at Beverley Shooting Ground on 19^th April at the first Selection Shoot”.

In addition, a sub-committee, selected by Paul and Ed, will be set up to provide practical assistance as well as ideas.

UT is not as popular as it used to be and has suffered in recent times due to the increased interest in OT. In 2025 we had a total of 321 entrants across four shoots – an average of 80 entrants per competition. Once ground fees and prize money had been deducted it left insufficient funds to cover the cost of sending teams abroad and we ended the year nearly £1000 in the red – similar to the last couple of years. Thus, the difficult decision was taken not to fund the teams going to this year’s European Championships which should return us to a positive end of year balance and put us in a good position for 2027 onwards.

Best Regards

Nick Woodward

Chairman

BICTSF

FITASC Sporting Selection Shoot – E J Churchill – 4th April – Cash Prize Results

FITASC Sporting GB Teams for the European – Vetralla – Italy 2026

FITASC Sporting Rankings for the European Team – Vetralla – Italy -30th April – 3rd May 2026

Compak Rankings for the European and World GB Teams 2026

Very Important Announcement re UT European Championships 2026

As you maybe aware UT has not been in a stable place financially for sometime now.
For the last two years and going into this year the discipline is in a deficit. As at 31/12/24 the loss was £1095.00 and as at 31/12/25 the loss increased to £1404.00. This is not sustainable.

With this in mind and the European Championships being in Valencia, Spain in July this year. I have decided the best thing to do is this.

ALL team members will have to pay their own entry fee direct to FITASC, the same as was done with the World Championships in February and as individual entrants do now.

The team entry fees will still be paid by the BICTSF.

It’s been a bit of a difficult time for UT as we know with the Worlds being early too.
It’s a decision that has not been taken lightly by myself but feel it is the best way forward to make UT in 2027 more financially stable.

I have to emphasise that if we don’t do this the discipline may well cease to survive in the very near future

Compak Sporting English Open – Orston SG – 28th March 2026 – Results

FITASC Sporting Rankings for the World Championships – Vale das Pedras – Portugal – 16th – 19th July 2026

2026 FITASC Sporting Director Election Result

Voting has now closed and the result is as follows:

Nick Woodward – 36 Votes

Catherine Smalley – 16 votes

Nick Woodward will therefore be confirmed as the FSP Director at the AGM on Tuesday 24th March 2026.”

FITASC Sporting British Masters – Ian Coley’s Shooting School – 20th – 21st March 2026 – Results