Overcast skies and drizzle greeted the Isle of Man Archery Club when they met on Sunday to shoot a Metric Round as part of the Club’s Handicap league. The rain petered out but the archers were left to contend with wildly fluctuating temperatures; warm at times then very cold. The wind was also a problem with gusts getting up out of nowhere then suddenly dropping. In spite of this seven archers managed to set personal best scores on the day.

Pete Mumford and Dave Moore engaged in a nail-biting face off in the Gents Compound 1440 Round which saw them equal going into the final end. Mumford then dropped only two points while Moore dropped five, to give Pete the win by three points. However, after the handicap was applied Moore finished three places above Mumford.

Sarah Rigby won her private battle against Joy Gough in the Ladies Compound 1440 and recorded the highest scratch score of the day into the bargain. Joy posted a season’s best score which was encouraging giving the challenging conditions. Kirsten George, easing back into shooting after a shoulder injury, shot a half day Long Metric Round which saw her post a pb.

The story of the day however, was Danny Cowin’s amazing show in the Recurve division. Danny, who struggled to make the longer distances last season, added 340 points to his pb for the round taking the win against Rhys Moore on a scratch basis and the overall victory after the handicap was applied. Not to be outdone, Danny’s son Jack added 49 points to his pb for Short Metric II, which gave Jack second place on the podium after handicapping. Joseph Reany and James Hill also shot personal best scores.

James has now shot three rounds and can be entered for the next handicap round.

Guest archer Ian Robinson from the Bowmen of Holme in Cumbria also shot on Sunday, making light of the conditions to record a score of 144 1295 43 13.

Results Metric Handicap:- 1. Danny Cowin 1587 (141 935 14 4)pb, 2. Jack Tyrer 1510 (65 381 3 0)pb, 3. Joseph Reany 1506 (47 231 1 0)pb, 4. Billy Lightfoot 1458 (72 647 16 5)pb, 5. Kirsten George 1438 (72 654 20 6)pb, 6. Dave Moore 1437 (144 1286 44 18), 7. Sarah Rigby 1434 (144 1348 70 29), 8. Joy Gough 1432 (143 1234 36 10), 9. Pete Mumford 1423 (144 1289 48 14), 10. Bradley Layton 1416 ( 142 1000 14 5)pb, 11. Rhys Moore 1366 (134 921 10 1).