UK Student Archery Association

Warwick win BUTTS, eye E-League [23/Mar/12]

Warwick won the BUTTS Indoor Championships with 2248 to round off a great BUTTS season and win the League title with 39 points - and a winning cushion of a full 10 league points. Warwick's score was achieved despite no score greater than Rachael Hutchinson's 565, with Connor Gallagher and Jorge Lindley also in the 560s. Newly crowned BUTC champions Loughborough were second with Tom Cram on 571 for a total of 2213, a result which secured them fourth place overall. George Harding top scored in the match with 578 for BUCS champions Nottingham, who finished third in the match, just behind on 2208, Charlie Birch contributing 562. This result enabled Nottingham to pinch second place overall from Oxford.

Cambridge were fourth in the leg with 2185, the Light Blues eight points ahead of the Dark Blues of Oxford who totalled 2178. Top scorers for the Oxbridge clubs were Heather Reynolds and Tak Ho (both Cambridge) with 564 and 560 aganist Jess Walker and James Dunbar (both Oxford) with 570 and 563. Birmingham, Trent and Derby were a little way behind the others, but all three still broke 2100 with Birmingham on 2135, Trent edging out Derby 2114 to 2107.

In the novice fixture there were some very high scores. Loughborough broke the old BUTTS novice team of 4 record with 2118, with Louis Richardson on 557 and barebow Craig Murch scoring 530 to break the All Unis record he set in Telford. As a result, Loughborough finished on 36 league points, well clear in first. Nottingham were second on the day with Barnaby Martin on 527, whilst for third placed Oxford, Eleonore Cossade scored 550 to break the old BUTTS record for lady novice. Allan West top scored for fourth placed Birmingham on 537. Birmingham did finish second in the overal standings whilst Nottingham leap-frogged Warwick and Cambridge on the last day to grab third.

With the BUCS champions in second and the BUTC champions in fourth, BUTTS has shown itself to be the toughest of the leagues this year, with strong teams all the way down the leaderboard. Scoring 2200 in any BUTTS matches this season would not even get a team on the podium and on two occasions all eight sides broke 2100 - a formidable achievement - see the BUTTS league tables.

For Warwick however, the quest for indoor honours is not quite over. Results from rounds 3 and 4 of the E-League have left them and Edinburgh dead level with one round remaining. Warwick won round 3 (Dec/Jan) outright, with Southampton grabbing second place ahead of Edinburgh. This cut Edinburgh's lead from three to one point. Round 4, February, included scores from Telford and was won by Nottingham, but Warwick were able to pip Edinburgh to second place, leaving both teams on 36. Southampton are third with 31, with Oxford fourth on 27.

Surrey and Imperial look odds on to be relegated from Division 1, with Bath all but certain to be one of the teams going up from Division 2. The other team will come from Napier, Liverpool or Lancaster. Reading A are mathematically certain to go up from Division 3, as are London A and Durham A from Division 4.

Individually, Matthew Langton (Oxford) is on 73 points, with Erik Rowbotham (Edinburgh) the nearest challenger on 67. Rachael Hutchison (Warwick) tops the ladies field on 72 points, with Heather Reynolds (Cambridge) on 65.

E-League results for Round 5, March, and the overall final standings will be released on Saturday 7th April.