UK Student Archery Association

Wonderful Warwick rip up records [06/Feb/08]

Warwick have taken control of BUTTS with two emphatic performances over the last weekend, twice shattering the BUTTS record that had previously stood for ten seasons. On Saturday they shot 2284 and on Sunday they went six better with a staggering 2290. A 580 from Thom Hutchins was followed by a 572 from Ian Rogers, a 569 from Alex Stuart and a 563 from Julie Chenery for the 2284, while the 2290 was Rogers 582, Phil King 575, Hutchins 569 and Chris Butler 564. Some sympathy then for Oxford who were at both of these matches, notching very respectable totals (2188 and 2207) but were distantly second both times. All this record breaking leaves Warwick in a commanding position six points clear in the BUTTS table. For comparison, the BUSA record is 2276 set last year, the All Unis mark is 2305 set four years ago.

The records were not done falling though as novice Michelle Huang (Warwick) shot 544, then 549, both BUTTS records, the All Unis record three tantalising points away. There was one All Unis record to fall as Katherine Budd (Derby) broke the barebow novice record with 439. Hard luck to Julie Fisher (Loughborough) who's 430 in the same category would have broken the old record had Budd not got there a day earlier. Warwick won the first novice match, but Birmingham won the second.

Warwick seem to have now definitely established themselves as the leading English club and look a more convincing side than when they finished second by only nine points to Edinburgh at BUSA Indoors 2007. This year it seems as though the rest of the field may be scrabbling for bronze, but the gold medal battle is poised to be fascinating and high quality one.

Surrey were surprisingly convincing winners over Imperial with 2232, nearly 50 points clear of Imperial who had not lost a SEAL fixture since February 2004. Matthew Sharpe and Barry Cottrell 571 and 568 were Surrey's top scores while Travis Woodward scored 564 in reply. With only Sussex and Brunel left to play, Surrey look on course to claim the SEAL title - the full results will be published shortly.

Results from York v Durham v Bradford and Aberdeen v Edinburgh v St Andrews will be published when they are available.