UK Student Archery Association

ELeague Season Ends [14/Apr/08]

Edinburgh and Swansea were the biggest winners in the ELeague season 2007/08. Edinburgh wrapped up a clean sweep of both team and individual lady categories, as well as gents novice recurve. Swansea won gents individual recurve and compound as well as having their novice and senior recurve sides promoted plus third place for their compound side.

In recurve division 1, Edinburgh averaged 2325 and took a maximum 50 points. Warwick's average of 2286 secured them second place every month with 45, Cambridge held off Imperial to hold third place. BUTC bronze medallists Nottingham were fifth followed by York, then Oxford. In the struggle to beat the drop, Keele survived on 14 points as Durham and Exeter were ninth and tenth. In the other recurve divisions Edinburgh B and Warwick B were first and third, but the top two A sides in the division were Loughborough and Surrey. Liverpool A easily won Div 3 with Lancaster A in second. Swansea A tore Div 4 apart, with Keele B holding on to second place. In the Conference, BUTTS new boys Derby A were the winners with Liverpool B second.

Edinburgh won the compound division 1, well clear of Loughborough and Swansea who fought it out for second. Maximum points for the English side in March was just enough for overall second place. In the conference, the highest two A sides were Warwick and Derby.

Edinburgh were convincing winners in Novice Div 1, dropping a point only once during the season on 49. Nottingham were well clear in second thanks to consistent performances throughout the season. Cambridge were in pole position to be third ahead of York and Sheffield. The White Roses were second for March and stole ahead of the Light Blues at the death, both sides on 28, York with a superior average. Sheffield finished on 27. Lancaster and Keele finished with virtually identical records in sixth and seventh. Like their seniors Exeter finished bottom of the top division, Imperial were unable to overhaul Durham and finished ninth. In the lower leagues, Edinburgh B won Novice Div 2, the top two A sides in the division were Warwick and Napier. Loughborough A and Warwick B finished top of Novice Div 3, whilst Liverpool A and Swansea A were the top two in the Novice Conference.

Individually Rhodri Curnow (Swansea) won gents recurve, with 99 points, Colin Geenes (Coventry) in second on 89. Alex Lamb and David Lange (both Edinburgh) were third and fourth, Lamb's March score enough to take him past his team mate 82 to 70. Robert Fryers (Cambridge) was fifth on 53, just ahead of five gents, all sandwiched between 49 and 47. In the ladies division there was little suspense as Jenny Jeppsson (Edinburgh) with five 20s for 100 was rarely threatened - her average 20 points higher than nearest rival Julie Chenery (Warwick) who scored five 19s for 95. Kyshiea George-Steele (Edinburgh) led the rest on 88, Amy Middleton-Gear (Nottingham) fourth on 78. Alex Crampton-Platt and Elizabeth Williams (both Imperial) were fifth and sixth.

Neither Jonathan Goodman, third on 79 or All Unis record-breaker Phil Glover (both Loughborough), fourth on 75 entered scores for all five rounds, so it was Andy O'Connor (Edinburgh) who held a four point lead over Malcolm Rees (Swansea) going into the last round. Rees' highest score of the season so far was enough to overhaul the gap and the Swansea man won 85 points to 84. Ali Sewell (Edinburgh) won ladies compound with 99 ahead of Sarah York (Edinburgh) on 95. Other winners were barebows Mark Henderson (Warwick) and Helen Bundy (Derby) and longbows Chris White (Edinburgh) and Samura Hyde (Keele).

In the novice categories, Yu Dong Zheng (Edinburgh) was mathematically certain of the gents novice recurve title last month - Zheng finished with 97. Lance Halls (Birmingham) stormed in second scoring all of his 59 points in the last three rounds. Michael Bradley (Loughborough) was third on 51. Ani Zhang won what was effectively a shoot off with clubmate Maggie Ziriax (both Edinburgh). Zhang finished on 92, Ziriax on 90. The only non-Edinburgh lady novice in the top five was Michelle Huang (Warwick) on 85.

Confirmation of team promotions and relegations will appear on the ELeague website. The ELeague has shown itself to be a great inclusive competition - scores for the 08/09 edition can be entered from the 1st Sept. ELeague performances are going to be added to the Club Info pages to go along with BUSA and BUTC. Thanks to Ian Caulfield and Matt Johnson for running the ELeague and also for the following stats:

We had a total of 2104 scores (not counting where more than one was submitted in a month), shot by 845 distinct people [845! - Ed.], with 115 people submitting scores for all five legs. 44 different institutions were represented, with 38 having at least one team of four and 15 submitting a full team into each leg.