National Indoor Champs

[steve58]

I have been thinking about the National Indoor Championships... I shot a PB so I was very happy with my day, but I was puzzled to see such a small field in the Gents Longbow class and wondering why this was? Having looked back at the results on the GNAS site I see that this is not unusual. Are longbow archers not competitive souls? Do we just not like shooting indoors? Would there have been a better turnout for a Portsmouth rather than a FITA 18? Hi to everyone on Saturday session B and thanks for the good company and chat.

[Schme1440]

Maybe if the Longbow boys shot a portsmouth along side the recurve and compounders then maybe there would be a bigger turnout. Dont know how easy it would be to run 2 different rounds in one venue at the same time but mite help attendants.

[steve58]

I reckon it could be done, the distance is the same, near enough, with 60cm Portsmouth faces there could be two archers per face so no need for any extra bosses for a given number of archers. Using the FITA signals for shooting is no big deal, in fact at the junior National Indoor the round was a Portsmouth, shot to the FITA signals, Sherwood used the same system for their double Portsmouth as I remember, don't see a problem with it. It's not as if Longbowers are in it to go to the Olympics or anything like that, so we're not looking for FITA qualifying scores. What am I overlooking? Should we start a petition to GNAS?

[Old Bloke]

Dear Steve58,

As I sponsored the Longbow Championship with trophies (man and woman), I'm also dissapointed at the turnout for the GNAS championship considering that there are a lot of longbow archers out there. The unofficial championships seems to be the BLBA champs which if I recall is very well attended. The BLBA (Brtish Longbow Association)is associated to the GNAS. I have thought for sometime that the GNAS and BLB ought to talk to each other and at least for the GNAS to have a link in their Archery U.K. to the BLB. Maybe even for the GNAS to have a separate championships on a different date? I'm sure more would be interested in attending if this was the case. Maybe I should organise it as I'm sponsor of it?

[Old Bloke]

......and as far as shooting a FITA18 (on a triple face?), christ it is hard enough trying to hit that with a recurve let alone a longbow..and yes a 60cm face (portsmouth) is the ideal vehicle for a londbow/flatbow shoot.

[Dante]

Personally I shoot for the fun of it I will shoot in competitions, when my social secretary ruthmc , reminds me about them but to be frank I still shoot for the fun of it even at a competition.

As far as the FITA 18 I suspect a 0 score could be slightly embarrassing but a Portsmouth would be good.

As a final word a York is more fun that a Portsmouth so yes I prefer outdoor shooting

[steve58]

Originally Posted by Old Bloke

......and as far as shooting a FITA18 (on a triple face?), christ it is hard enough trying to hit that with a recurve let alone a longbow..and yes a 60cm face (portsmouth) is the ideal vehicle for a londbow/flatbow shoot.

I entirely agree with you about the Portsmouth as the ideal L/B or AFB indoor round. That said, I have shot the Bowmen of Rutland combined FITA 18/25 on 3 spots and it was hard work!

Sorry if I am being dim, but is there a British Long Bow Association as well as the British Long Bow Society? I know BLBS and am a member (well technically I need to send them a cheque...) I think the BLBS hold a double two way Worcester as their indoor champs? And that is a small face... or am I wrong?

[steve58]

Originally Posted by Dante

Personally I shoot for the fun of it I will shoot in competitions, when my social secretary ruthmc , reminds me about them but to be frank I still shoot for the fun of it even at a competition.

As far as the FITA 18 I suspect a 0 score could be slightly embarrassing but a Portsmouth would be good.

As a final word a York is more fun that a Portsmouth so yes I prefer outdoor shooting

Entirely agree with you Dante, I always feel that my mother is somewhere in the background about to say"you'll have someone's eye out with that" when I am shooting indoors. On the other hand indoor shooting is better than nothing through the winter and a well attended champs would be a good thing, felt a bit outnumbered by the compounders on Saturday!

BTW, the unanimous opinion of my 12 female colleagues is that if a man speaks he is wrong! Even if there is no woman to hear and his voice is drowned by the noise of that famous tree falling!