The main focus of attention was off island last weekend as Ering Hainge travelled to Lilleshall for the Junior National Championships. The competition runs over two days, the first day comprising of a WA 1440 (metric) and the second day a National round (yards). Erin was competing in the u15’s Ladies category and was one of a field of 17.
Day 1 – with such a large number of entrants across all the age groups, the assembly time was abnormally early to allow the equipment inspections and shooting got underway in brutal conditions. While the wind was fairly light, it was changeable and heavy showers of rain interspersed with dryer spells, tested the metal of the youngsters on the shooting line. Happily rain doesn’t bother Erin and settled in well at the first distance (50m) in spite of an equipment failure and a couple of misses. She followed this up a decent 40m which left her in 4th place at the halfway stage. Unfortunately, a below par 30 and 20m as the day dragged on (they didn’t finish until 7pm) saw Erin drop a place to finish in 5th place.
Day 2 – hot and sunny to begin with conditions gradually worsened with torrential rain by the end of the morning session which comprised of 72 arrows at 50 yards. Erin started the day in an up-beat mood and confident following the previous day’s showing. Problems with the clicker (an aid used by Recurve archers to produce a consistent draw length) over the first three ends put a dent in the Manx youngster’s score. From the fourth end Erin abandoned the clicker all together; her scores improved. At the lunchbreak she was in 12th place and playing catch up.
The afternoon session comprised two further distances – four dozen arrows at 40 yards and two dozen at 30. Erin came back strongly and battled her way back up the field to finish exhausted but happy in 7th place. A terrific display of talent and tenacity from the 14-year-old!
Back on home soil it was sunny but with a cold breeze. Rhys Moore turned up late and contented himself with practicing a metric round. With several archers out through injury, numbers were low and those who did show up elected to shoot National rounds of one sort or another. Pete Mumford and David Craine shot the next round in the Morecombe Masters Postal shoot – a St Nicholas: 4 dozen arrows at 40 yards and 3 dozen at 30 yards.
Stan Gorry, Colin Moore and Johnathan Gordon battled it out in a Gents Barebow National 50 yards round. Colin Moore was in good form taking the win 70 points ahead of Stan. Johnathan had a bad day at the office finishing a further 55 points behind Stan and winding up in third.
Peter Howland (Recurve) joined Marie Hainge (Compound) in a National round, with newcomer Marie putting in an excellent total for one so inexperienced.
Lula Brown was the only junior to show up for the afternoon session but at least she brought good weather with as conditions became near perfect. Lula a go at a Warwick – 2 dozen arrows at each of two distances, 40 and 30 yards. Never having shot it before Lula earned herself a pb.
Results Greeba: St Nicholas – Gents Compound-P.Mumford 84/746/79. Gents Recurve-D.Craine 84/590/30. National 50 – Gents Barebow- 1.C.Moore 72/494/21, 2.S.Gorry 71/425/12, 3.J.Gordon 70/370/6. National – Gents Recurve-P.Howland 68/348/10. Ladies Compound-M.Hainge 72/560/36. Warwick- Junior Ladies-L.Brown 48/344/15pb.
Isle of Man Archery Club 