UK Student Archery Association

Essex, Kent, Huddersfield join party [15/Jul/08]

There are a few changes occurring in the regional league set-ups for the 2008/09 season, particularly in SEAL. Whilst on the subject of next season, the provisional dates for the 2009 BUSA Championships are Sat 14th Mar and Sat 13th Jun.

Essex and Kent will formally join SEAL in September, bringing the total number of teams in that league to nine. The provisional SEAL schedule has both newbies making their debuts away to Reading in the first match of the SEAL season, on Sat 15th Nov 08. If BUSA Indoors' scores are anything to go by, Reading will have a tough task on their hands - scores were Essex 2047, Kent 2022 with Reading back on 1882. Defending champions Surrey have to wait until match 3 to get started, at home to Southampton and London. Tom Wiblin (Surrey) takes over at the helm of SEAL after Lizzie Richley's (Southampton) two year spell in charge.

SWWU used BUSA Outdoor scores as the fourth (and final) leg of the season - effectively a shoot off between Swansea and Bath. Bath won the match and were 4th overall, their best performance at a national since BUTC 2005 and best at BUSA Outdoors since 2002. Swansea fell just short of a maiden SWWU title, but can reflect on one of their most successful seasons ever. Jess Buckner (Exeter) takes over from Dan Maskell (Bath) as Organiser of a league with only three teams confirmed for next season.

In NEUAL, Huddersfield will be joining the league and will replace Northumbria who failed to attend any NEUAL fixtures last year. Huddersfield shot as guests at the NEUAL league match that required golds to split York and Sheffield. The league will remain at nine teams. NEUAL and SEAL should become the first leagues to have nine actively participating teams. Michael Ward remains as organiser.

The line-ups and organisers for BUTTS and SUS will remain unchanged in 08/09 as Edinburgh and Warwick look to defend their titles. The first scheduled SUS match is also on Sat 15th Nov 08 as Dundee play host to Aberdeen and defending SUS Novice League Champions, Napier. Perennial champions Edinburgh are at home the following weekend to Strathclyde and Aberdeen.