UK Student Archery Association

Still spaces in Sheffield [04/Apr/24]

Another BUTC reminder/NEUAL match review article. As BUTC 2024 wasn't fully subscribed, there still are a few spaces available in the tournament. If you can get 3 bodies to Sheffield, then do it! See here for the BUTC Entry Form. Birmingham upset Oxford in last season's final, which went to a dramatic shoot off. Sheffield pipped Warwick for bronze. From the list of teams that have entered in 2024, Anglia Ruskin are poised to make their BUTC debut.

Like BUTC, another tournament that was forced to move into the Easter holidays was NEUAL Indoor Championships after the venue, astonishingly, accepted a more lucrative external booking on the original date.

For the second time this season, Leeds and Sheffield finished only 8 points apart in a match, but this time it was Leeds who came out on top, with 2201, giving them the NEUAL Indoor Championship title. Sheffield were second on 2193, despite a 577 from the top scorer in the match Jack Wells (Sheffield). Samson Wang (Leeds) notched 566. The top two may have been only 8 apart, but nearest rivals Liverpool were 101 points adrift, on 2092. York were another 60 behind them with 2032, but 66 ahead of fifth placed Huddersfield, as the teams were well spread out. Daniel Cooper (Liverpool) scored 564, with Kobe Pioquinto (Lancaster) hitting 572.

In terms of the overall table, Leeds get a point back against Sheffield, but trail 79 to 76 with only one match remaining. Liverpool and York, who were third and fourth in the fixture, cemented third and fourth place in the table on 67 and 65.

Leeds also picked up a win in the novice team event pipping Sheffield, this time by a mere 2 points, with the teams on 1503 and 1501. Yifan Weng (Leeds) and Will Luddington (Sheffield) both scored 538. Liverpool were third on 1463. Sheffield are top of the table on 97, with Liverpool just behind them on 94. Those two are too far ahead to be caught by anyone else, even with a match to play.

The Unsighted team match was close again, with Keele picking up their first maximum of the season on 1382, just ahead of Huddersfield, 17 points behind on 1365. Sheffield (1328) and York (1314) were third and fourth. Wenze Jiang (Manchester) was top scorer once again, with 518 - Manchester picked up fifth spot.

The big story from the Unsighted league table was that UCLan did not field any archers in this match. UCLan had built up a massive 12 point lead and looked in an unassailable position, having won 3 of the 4 matches available. Now they have tumbled to sixth. Keele - who were themselves 6th after two matches, now lead with 86. Behind them, Sheffield have 84, Huddersfield and MMU have 82 and 81 respectively.

See NEUAL 2023/24 page.

NEUAL match 3 will conclude the NEUAL season. Part of it has already been shot, at Manchester (2nd Mar) and Huddersfield (31st Mar). Two more parts have yet to be completed and may be postal. Finishing in the top 3 would guarantee Sheffield a record equalling fifth overall NEUAL crown. Leeds need to finish 4 places (or 3 places and 48 points) ahead of them to undertake the first successful NEUAL title defence since York in 2006. Should Sheffield win both overall and novice NEUAL titles, it would be the first such double since Lancaster in 2017.