Nine IoMAC archers travelled to Preston at the weekend to take part in the 41st Lancashire Open Championships. They were blessed with a smooth outward sailing and a straightforward van trip, during which Mr Mumford (designated driver) eschewed the need to veer off in the wrong direction or take a detour to Blackpool. The round of the day was a Portsmouth, single face for Recurve/Barebow and triple faces for Compound. The format of the Lancashire Open means that there is a local champion and then medals for archers who come from outside of the county.
Billy Lightfoot and Pete Mumford represented the Club in the Gents Compound division. Billy started superbly but a malfunctioning release aid effectively ended his challenge in a disappointing fashion. Pete Mumford fared much better, putting in another solid performance his score of 570 put him in joint second place in the Open category just 1 point behind L.Peake of the North Cheshire Bowman. The Local Trophy went to R.Harper of Lancaster University.
In the Ladies Compound division, Joy Gough’s hard work and consistent training since the beginning of the season paid off with a silver medal in the Open category. Joanne Proctor of Blackpool Bowmen took the local trophy.
Danny Cowin and Dave Berry flew the flag in the Gents Recurve division. Dave Berry, who is still recovering his form after a long layoff due to knee surgery enjoyed his shoot but was never really in contention. Danny Cowin started well, lying second after the first dozen. A momentary loss of concentration saw his arrows drift away from the centre, which saw him drop to fourth. He recovered well in the mid-section of the shoot but his last dozen arrows were rather average and he ended up in tenth place.
In the Ladies Recurve division Barbara Harris had a slow start to the proceedings and she was disgusted with herself when a dreadful hand position pulled an arrow in the 5. However the new psychological approach she had been working on all season with her Coach and Club Chairman Dave Moore came to her rescue. Barbara immediately bounced back and finished strongly over the last three dozen arrows to take the gold medal in the Open category. Vlada Priestman took the local trophy.
Juniors Tilly Ashton, Jacob Brookes and Toby Young also represented the club. Tilly Ashton has effectively out-grown the bow she is using which impacts upon her score but she seemed to have a fun weekend backed up by her Dad and Uncle Dave Berry. Jacob Brookes, in spite of adjusting his sight in the wrong direction, shot a personal best score of 476 for which he can be justifiably proud. Toby Young had a terrific morning putting in a score just 2 points short of his pb and taking the gold medal in the Junior Gents Recurve Open category.
Lesley Sleight, who was already in England, rendezvoused with fellow club members at the venue. Her score in the Ladies Barebow put her in third place in the Open category.
Meanwhile at home in Onchan a handful of archers turned up to shoot a Portsmouth round as part of the Club’s Scratch League. Rhys Moore kept getting lovely groupings in the Recurve 10, unfortunately for him he shoots Compound. Eric Lutes continues to improve with every shoot, adding 11 points to his pb for the round. The remaining regular junior archers also put in an appearance. Joseph Reaney took the honours with a score that was just short of his best, James Hill came in second, with Nathan Brookes in third.
Results:- Lancashire Open – Gents Compound – P.Mumford 60/570/39 (=2nd). Ladies Compound – J.Gough 60/559/20 (2nd). Gents Recurve – D.Cowin 60/553/28. D.Berry 60/527/15. Ladies Recurve – B.Harris 60/547/28 (1st). Junior Gents Recurve – T.Young 60/551/22 (1st), J.Brookes 60/476/8pb. Junior Girls Recurve – T.Ashton 60/406/5.
Onchan – Gents Compound – R.Moore 60/576/36. Gents Recurve – E.Lutes 60/475/6pb. Junior Gents – 1.J.Reaney 60/495/8, 2.J.Hill 58/420/4, 3.N.Kinrade 58/354/3.
