FITA Field Rule Changes

[360plus]

The new FITA rules now applies to any GNAS/FITA round or Arrowhead round shot in the UK. The GNAS rule updates were either in the process of being printed before the FITA ratification or those updating the rules had not checked FITA information.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Stylisht

The goalposts will change.

It is not just for compounds, but high scoring recurves and barebows as well.

In 6 months it won't matter.

It'll be interesting to see if the effect is the same as when SFAA/EFAA/WFAA field went from 5, 3 scoring to 5, 4, 3 (effectively the X became 5 and the rest of the old 5 became 4. That simple change sent recurve archers running for compound bows. There are very, very few recurve archers shooting in the SFAA now.

[Marcus26]

Well that article for the 6 ring was the dumbest crap I have read in a long time.
Using the example IGNORES the overwhelming majority of archers in the world.
Here is the results from the Australian Field Championships
http://www.dva.asn.au/field08.htm

Some compelling things here.

Top 6 Mens Compound
Coghlan: 716
Zarebski: 709
Lee: 708
Timms: 708
Malynn: 703
Park: 703

Now add the 6 ring
Coghlan: 816
Lee: 792
Timms: 791
Malynn: 787
Zarebski: 781
Park: 781

So what we have now is the old difference in scores
Coghlan:
Zarebski: -7
Lee: -1
Timms: 0
Malynn: -5
Park: 0

However ties are broken with X's

Now
Coghlan:
Lee: -24
Timms: -1
Malynn: -4
Zarebski: -6
Park: 0

So now there is a MASSIVE difference between 1st and 2nd. We also have a tie that can not be broken, while previously there was no unbroken tie.

Now a very very important point is the difference between 1st and 13th
With the 5 ring system the gap was 25 points. Now that is the gap between 1st and 3rd. I don't know about you, but if I am losing a tournament by 25 points, I don't expect to make that up at the next shoot. But 7 points, maybe I could.
Under the new system the difference between 1st and 13th is now 69 points! That's a absolute smashing.

In womens compound the Top 4 had a 9 point gap, now it's 31 points. Almost 2 whole targets!

So there is the proof that this new rule will just make the game far far less competitive.

[Fran C]

Originally Posted by 360plus

The GNAS rule updates were either in the process of being printed before the FITA ratification or those updating the rules had not checked FITA information.

How long does it take to do a print run of rule amendments? We knew four or five months ago that things were changing, and the date on which they would change. *Sigh*

[Eaglearcher]

Ehm...
May i just make an observation.
The whole point of archery is to hit what you aim at, and for most people that is the centre of the target.
The closer you get the more you score.
Its all relative.
If you get closer to the middle more often than someone else you will win.
END OF STORY.

As World Champion archer once told me.
"Shoot for the target and you will win. Shoot for the score and you wont."

[English Bowman]

Originally Posted by Fran C

How long does it take to do a print run of rule amendments? We knew four or five months ago that things were changing, and the date on which they would change. *Sigh*

That's my point. Are we going to have people turning up clutching their GNAS rules, amended April 08 arguing with the Judges? (OK I doubt that we will, but the GNAS rules are incorrect.) Would this have happened with Target Archery, or is field the poor relation?
Daniel

[Marcus26]

Originally Posted by Eaglearcher

Ehm...
May i just make an observation.
The whole point of archery is to hit what you aim at, and for most people that is the centre of the target.
The closer you get the more you score.
Its all relative.
If you get closer to the middle more often than someone else you will win.
END OF STORY.

As World Champion archer once told me.
"Shoot for the target and you will win. Shoot for the score and you wont."

Sounds like we need a 7 ring! Half the size again.

[Longbow_Gold]

Although I'm new to competitive archery and am very much interested in shooting some field archery and so the rule changes don't matter to me, as I'm happy to just go with the flow and accept the rules for what they are

I realise that my views may seem ignorant of the reasons of why some archers aren't too sure about the changes, but then again I'm new to competitive archery in general, and I'm here to learn

Willie

[Marcus26]

Shot a competition on the new scoring so some observations.

Shot on a target with a guy at a similar level so a good test.

I started off in front, then he blew past me thanks to a pair of 18's taking a 4 point lead.
Within a few targets I was back in front. Seems like a good system perhaps if large lead changes can happen.

However as the round went on it became obvious that if you build a good lead you can maintain it easier.
The course was a very tough one and one targets where I would have made ground, he could keep in front with an odd 6 here and there.
One target I shot 3 5's touching. He shot 6 5 4. Same score despite sending one way out.

With 4 targets to go he was up by 10. Not impossible to come back from, but we were tied on the old scoring. So what would have been a tense furious finish turned into a bit of a fizzer. He just had to maintain with me, instead of fighting for each point.

Also what this scoring will do is make top guys better. You simply have to aim better and go for X's now. They are not bonus points, but critical. The Inner 10 is what got compounders into the 1400 range, and this will have the same effect.

[Longbow_Gold]

If anything, it shows that this should only help to increase the standard of field archery in general, as it means that instead of there being the X and not really counting for anything else other than 5 points, the extra point seems to make the rounds alot more clear cut as to how each archer is shooting on the day, and also makes the sport that little bit more challenging

Thank you Marcus for posting this, as I hope to be able to shoot in a field event sometime later this year, although I'll need to increase to a heavier draw weight in order to shoot for the longer distance targets, but all in good time

Willie