UK Student Archery Association

Nottingham go top with Harding's 592 [02/Feb/11]

George Harding (Nottingham) scored a record breaking 592 - 52 tens and 8 nines - to fire Nottingham to BUTTS leg victory. This score broke both the BUTTS League record and also the All Uni Competitions record for gent recurve Portsmouth - see the Resources section. The BUTTS record used to be a 589 from Matt Gray (Loughborough) shot back in November 1996. The All Unis record was previously 590 shot by Pete Clayton (Durham) at a NEUAL match in February 2008.

The currrent BUCS record stands a mere 588 and is jointly held by Harding, Gray and Tim Mundon (Edinburgh) - will it still be there after the festivities in Cardiff? Tim Mundon will be at BUTC this year - a reminder that the closing date for entries is Friday 4th February. There are still spaces for A teams, but be quick!

Nottingham won the third BUTTS leg with a convincing display, finishing on 2283. This result takes them back to the top of the BUTTS table, but only on aggregate as, crucially, Warwick nicked second place ahead of Oxford by a single point 2236 against 2235. Cambridge were fourth on 2181, with Loughborough edging Birmingham 2157 to 2155. Nottingham Trent were seventh on 2039, with barebow specialists Derby over 200 adrift in eighth. Nottingham and Warwick both have 22 points going in to leg 4, whilst there is an incredibly tight four way scrap for third.

In the novice match Nottingham and Loughborough were first and second for the third consecutive time, with third place in the league again tightly contested.

Behind George Harding's record breaking 592, there was a 578 from Andrew Shreeves (Warwick), a 572 from David Timmins (Oxford) and a 570 from Tom Cram (Loughborough). Laura Bell (Nottingham) was top lady on 563 ahead of Ellie Dyson (Nottingham Trent) on 556. Top novice was Stylianos Hadjipanayi (Nottingham) on 531.

Nottingham are certainly favourites to defend their BUTTS title, but Warwick, champions the previous two seasons, could still derail them. The remaining BUTTS fixtures are the 4th legs, to be held in Derby and Warwick on Sat 5th Feb and the Indoor Championships, where all eight teams will collide on Sat 12th Mar at Warwick (TBC). See the current BUTTS standings.