Sunday was the first time in three years that the Junior Indoor Championships took place, Covid restrictions having prevented the previous two. Sadly, the field was not large with only three Juniors taking part, a fourth having to pull out at the last moment having tested positive for Covid. The Championships were based on the Portsmouth round – the three-spot for the experienced and the larger single face for the novices.
Nathan Kinrade found himself unopposed in the Junior Gents Recurve, his usual sparring partner Jacob Brookes devoting his time to his favoured sport of swimming. Nathan shot well from beginning to end and posted a score that most of the Senior Gents would be jealous of. Nathan is also entered for the Senior Championships and stands a very good chance of doing the double.
Two newbies went head-to-head in the u12 Junior Ladies Recurve: Eloise Kinrade and Erin Hainge were both shooting the Indoor Championships for the first time. Eloise, reigning u12’s Outdoor Champion, had more experience but didn’t find her range until the last dozen by which time it was too late. Erin had only shot the full distance (20 yards) once before but got into her stride immediately and added a blistering 92 points to her pb to take the title. Eloise had the consolation of winning the Novice Trophy which is awarded on handicap.
As the Junior Championships were held in the afternoon, the morning session was free for the adults to get in a bit of last-minute practice of the WA18 (triple or single face according to bow type and /or inclination) round ahead of the Senior Champs on the 20th. There was an excellent turnout across the bow types with Traditional, Barebow, Recurve and Compound archers in action.
John Angiolini, Pete Mumford and Rhys Moore took to the shooting line in the Gents Compound with win going as usual to Rhys. Pete shot averagely well but struggled to find the middle of the target, recording a raft of 9’s before finally hitting a 10 with his seventh arrow. Pete did enough to come a comfortable second, but it was not vintage Mumford. John Angiolini, who shoots off his fingers rather then using a release aid as is more usual amongst Compounders, opened with a perfect 10 and then had to wait another 20 arrows before he did it again. His score sheet was peppered with 8’s and 7’s and he did himself no favours when he accidently put two arrows into one target face and had to lose the higher of the two arrows. John did seem to be slightly distracted by the scent of the hot Cornish pasty the Records Officer was having for breakfast between ends.
The Ladies Compound was a much closer affair between Rose Sandilands and Joy Gough. Joy hit more 10’s then Rose but Rose was just a bit more consistent. She turned her initial 3 point lead into a 6 point one by the end of the second dozen. Joy fought back to cut the deficit to 3 points again going into the final dozen. With six arrows to go Rose had eased a point further ahead but Joy pulled off a couple of perfect shots just as Rose strayed out into the 8 ring. With one arrow to go Joy was just 1 point behind. Rose hit another 8. A 10 would give Joy outright victory but even a 9 would be good enough as she had the greater number of 10’s. Out of nowhere Joy hit a 6 and handed the win to Rose.
Peter Howland and Ralf Mitchell continued their good-natured rivalry. Ralf who had claimed the week before to just be a social archer, contested every line-cutter of Peter’s while claiming his own were ‘obviously in’ and gleefully noted every miss Peter had. As it was Peter won by a clear margin and Ralf was so stung by the loss that he decided to enter the Senior Championships. Bod Boland had flashes of his old self but faded in the last dozen to come third.
Barbara Harris outshot her male counterparts as usual. She took the win over Sarah Kennedy who bravely had a go at the three-spot. Kristan Joughin settled for the larger single face that she will be shooting in the Club Champs.
Chris Crompton thrashed Pete Mumford in the Gents Barebow, while Stan Gorry did the same to Colin Moore in the Gents Tradbow division. Thanks to all the adults who stayed in the afternoon to act as scorers for the Juniors and to put away the equipment.
Results: Junior Gents Championships- N.Kinrade 60/539/15. U12’s Junior Ladies- 1.E.Hainge 59/395/6pb, 2.E.Kinrade 57/313/2. WA18 3/s: Gents Compound- 1.R.Moore 60/563/24, 2.P.Mumford 60/552/18, 3.J.Angiolini 59/511/6. Ladies Compound- 1.R.Sandilands 60/537/6, 2.J.Gough 60/534/10. Gents Recurve- 1.P.Howland 57/463/4, 2.R.Mitchell 56/434/4pb, 3.B.Boland 45/348/6. Ladies Recurve- 1.B.Harris 59/506/10, 2.S.Kennedy 48/365/6. WA18: Gents Barebow- 1.C.Crompton 60/456/5, 2.P.Mumford 58/367/2. Gents Tradbow- 1.S.Gorry 54/292/1, 2.C.Moore 51/238/1. Ladies Recurve-K.Joughin 60/386/5.
Isle of Man Archery Club 