BA Postal League March 2008

A successful season in the BA Postal League was rounded off by a comprehensive victory in the Portsmouth League against March's opponents, Ayr Archery Club.

Arundown's score of 2648 against Ayr's 2470 has almost certainly secured first place in our division, so well done to everyone who has taken part over the last five months. Regardless of whether or not your scores have qualified for inclusion in the team total, it really has been a team effort (eight different archers featured in the team score over the five rounds) and has made one weekend each month a bit more competitive and a lot more enjoyable.

This month's score was made up by:

• Russell French 547
• Pip Tucknott 538
• Hamish Matheson 524
• Graham Brown 522
• Jon Stafford 517

We also finished the Frostbite League on a high note with a win against Thanet AC by 1353 - 1322. Contributing scores were:

• Hamish Matheson 298
• Russell French 287
• Jon Stafford 284
• Graham Brown 253
• John Nolan 231
  

But for the walkover conceded in November to Malden B, we would almost certainly have won this division as well. A hard lesson, but one learned for the future.

So a bright end to an indoor season that has seen more highs than lows. The Postal League has injected some much needed interest into the club's Winter calendar and there is now the Selby League to look forward to this Summer. The League starts in May and we have entered two recurve, one compound and one longbow team, so there is something there for just about everyone. Watch this space and check your e-mails for further information.

Alongside the Postal League, the club has once again run two successful indoor tournaments and played a major part in this season's Sussex Indoor Championships. As ever, Rod Brown has played a pivotal role in the organisation of all three shoots. All three tournaments have also seen Emily Cobden pick up medals and come to the fore as one the brightest prospects in Sussex archery. She can now look forward with confidence and justifiable pride to her first outing with the County team in the match with Hampshire on 20th April. Well done, Emily!

Another Arundown lady to collect a medal at the County Indoor was Liz Bowyer, who overcame a wretched run of form after Christmas to come good again at exactly the right moment. Second place at Worthing Leisure Centre followed by a personal best at the SCAS Indoor is a brilliant conclusion to the season. Congratulations, Liz!

Most of the male contingent also enjoyed some success this Winter. Graham Brown, John Stafford and Hamish Matheson spearheaded our efforts in the Postal League for most of the season, while Russell French rose like the phoenix from a trough of poor form to shoot some very useful scores in March. Almost last but never least, Rod Brown and John Nolan attended every fixture and chipped in with useful contributions when they were needed.

And, finally, mention must be made of two junior members of the male contingent, namely Will Martin and Pip Tucknott. Both started the indoor season with medals at the Meridian Junior Open in October, both have contributed to our success in the Postal League, both improved their Portsmouth round personal bests by considerable margins and both finished the indoor season in some style with second and third place medals at the SCAS Indoor yesterday.

Watching these two young men shoot almost shoulder to shoulder at HMS Collingwood was a compelling spectacle that really did have a bit of everything. Some very good scoring, lots of good sportsmanship and a few nerves - not to mention a final end that saw fortune stand on its head - added up to an exciting conclusion to Arundown's indoor season. Well done to both of you.

And now let's do it all again - but better - in the great outdoors.