TOP TEAM

NATIONAL CLOUT CHAMPION RECURVE TEAM

At only our second visit to the National Clout Championships in Yorkshire on Saturday, our recurve archers all put in strong performances and came out on top as the National Champion Team. Not only was it the first time a Sussex club had won, it was also the first time a Southern Counties team had done it, it's been the preserve of Yorks, Lancs and Cheshire for years. Liz, Jon and Russ made up the team - shown looking wind-blown above in the stiff breeze.
Liz also won a personal medal by coming third in the Ladies' Recurve Division.
This was the largest ever Clout Championship, and had to be moved from Harrogate to a larger field in Bradford, and is one of the few tournaments when there are as many Ladies as Gents taking part. Unlike last year when the weather was balmy and sunny, it was bleak and very windy, but all the recurvers put in substantially higher scores this time, and just five points separated the three gents at the finish. Only Graham, our hero last year when he achieved second place, saw his Longbow score reduced by the weather. All Longbow scores were lower than last year and Graham's 50 was in touch with the winner, but not quite good enough to get a placing.
Scores: Liz 201, Jon 169, Russ 168, Rod 164, Graham 50.
On Sunday the recurve archers shot the East Midlands FITA Clout at Rutland Archers ground, Stamford. Once again a strong wind, and once again everybody equalled or bettered their performances last year, and once again County records were broken. Jon equalled his current county record for the single round, and improved his double round score, but was pipped with the slimmest margin on both by Russ who increased the single record by 2 points, and his current double record by 38 points, which included a Six-Clout-End. Rod shot barebow and increased his current single record by 21 points and took the double and increased it by 42.
SCORES: Liz 289 - Russ 288 - Jon 287 - Rod 234
Positions: Liz 1st, Russ 3rd, Rod 3rd, Jon 4th.
Liz exactly equalled her existing record, and was the top Lady Recurve archer. The picture below shows her making her last shot of the day - well wrapped against the cold.
(more pictures below...)


KEEP ON RUTTLING

Blame Eric Idle perhaps, but there's something about Rutland...

RENE AWAY

The other Sussex archer at Stamford (and Bradford) was Rene Le Bouedec - of course. He was shooting his Recurve at the Compound distance of 185 metres (202 yards)

ESKIMO LIZ

Spotted at Bradford, a thin-blooded Southerner

GRAHAM & RUSS COMMISERATE

Russ wasn't happy about his morning score, but got the bit between his teeth PM.

Liz wins Herts Clout

As well as being the highest scoring Lady Visitor (204) using a Recurve (and over-all highest-scoring Recurve Lady), Liz also scored the greatest number of Clouts by any recurve archer, and is shown receiving her Trophy. Liz' aggregate score for her best three rounds is now over 600, which would have put her in second place in the ratings last year - looking good for this year!

Arrow Thief Apprehended

Captured on Film by Jon, that notorious archer Courtney Acte is up to his old tricks again

Sarum Clout

WE HAD TO WAIT for the thick fog to clear enough to see the flags, from then on a beautiful day, only a slight breeze, wonderful chance for big scores - but for most of the entrants it didn't quite come together, the arrows must have been mixing it with air currents up in the sky that didn't show at all at ground level (maybe the four buzzards soaring up on a thermal overhead should have given us a clue). BUT - Liz proved her 225 last weekend wasn't a flash in the pan, she totalled 195 which is her second best ever score, holding off Roz Smith (who is certainly no slouch) to win by 21 points. After an excellent start, Graham had a slightly bumpy ride, finally scoring 68 to be the clear winner of the Longbow group, the 75-point Red award just eluding him again. And Jon also seemed to have to work hard to get his Recurve gold medal with a score of 151.
Some Pictures below....