Archery

Archery has lost little of its primal attraction throughout the centuries. Modern enthusiasts continue to hunt and to compete in athletic competitions with bows and arrows, but the modern bows are far more powerful than the English long bow made famous at Agincourt in 1415 or by the mythical Robin Hood splitting his competitoršs arrow in a Nottingham archery contest.

There are several types of bows used in archery, but the only type allowed in official competitions is the recurve bow. This bow has tips that curve away from the archer when the bow is in firing position. Its structure allows for a smoother draw, more spring force in the initial stages of the draw, and a lower bracing height. Competition is divided into ends. Each archer releases three to six arrows during an end.

Most people are familiar with the sight of an archery target. The target consists of ten concentric rings evenly spaced over the surface. The scoring is based on numbers 1 to 10, from the outer to the inner rings. In the middle of the ten rings, there will usually be an X. In outdoor competition, the X is used as a tiebreaker.

Protocol in archery competitions requires that no one touches the arrows on the target. In the event of a dispute, a judge may be allowed to touch one of the arrows.

Although the bow and arrow have long ceased to be weapons in the art of war, modern competitors, of both gender, continue to enjoy the skill and precision of the sport.

The archery contest for males and females, ages 14 - 16 will be held in the Kimberley Tennis Club. The archery participants include 10 officials, 46 athletes and 16 coaches.

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