With the summer at its peak, South Wansdyke Archery Club is a busy as ever. New members have joined, progression awards have been achieved and gold medals!

First up, our junior ladies competed in the Junior National Championships on the 2nd July, at Lilleshall National Sports Centre. Harriet Crook placed sixth overall in the U16 ladies recurve and Sophie Young was fifth overall in the U18 ladies recurve. Our junior ladies also closed the month out at the weeklong Archery GB Youth Festival, 26th-30 July, also held at Lilleshall.

The meeting consisted of ranking rounds for individual and team events, leading to head-to-head knockout stages to decide the medals. Harriet reached the final sixteen round where she was knocked out by eventual quarter finalist, Sienna Foster of Ballyvally Archers. Sophie qualified second for the knockout stage and got a bye through the first round.

Despite a very nervous quarter final match, which went to a sudden death single arrow, Sophie gathered herself, shooting well, to ultimately claim the gold medal defeating Lauren Rawlings (Bowbrook Archers) 6 – 2 in the gold medal match.

Andy Young, David Aldridge and Sophie Young competed at the Cleve WA720 and Head-to-Head competition on Saturday, 16th July, a hot weekend to say the least! Andy and David qualified thirteenth and eighteenth respectively. Sophie qualified third.

Andy made it through to the last eight, following his first competitive head-to-head win, finally succumbing to Alec Thomas (Bowmen of Mendip) 2-6. Unfortunately, David was defeated in the first round to Lee Edwards of Malvern Archers, 0-6. Sophie made the semi-finals, where she was defeated and eventually placed forth. David Aldridge stayed on at Cleve, where the following day he competed in the WA1440, three dozen arrows at 90m, 70m, 50m, 30m (the latter two distances on a smaller target face).

David placed a commendable seventeenth.

Within the club, we saw archery progression awards for one of our newest members, Dean Broadway, for both twenty and thirty yards shooting barebow (no sights or bow stabilisers) and Simon Whittle sixty yards shooting recurve. Simon Whittle also gained the Archery GB Six gold end award for shooting six consecutive arrows into the gold ring at eighty yards.

The coming month will see South Wansdyke Archery providing a have-a-go stand at the Writhlington Flower Show on Saturday, 20th August, so if you have ever wondered what it is like to shoot then do seek us out.

Finally, the club are hosting beginner’s course, commencing on Saturday, 3rd September for six weeks.

Booking is essential, please see the club website (www.southwansdykearchers.co.uk) or email: [email protected] for more details.