UK Student Archery Association

Outdoor Joy for Aberdeen [30/Apr/13]

Aberdeen won the Scottish Unis Outdoor Championships by a tiny margins - just two points in nearly 3000 separated them from hosts Edinburgh in second. The result means that Aberdeen have won 3 of the last 4 SSS fixtures, including both of the end of season championships. The competition format was St. George, Albion and Windsor - there were an astonishing 5 All Unis records broken (some by considerable margins), plus a new one set.

Veronique Heijnsbroek (Aberdeen) scored 866 to move the match decisively in Aberdeen's favour, the final totals 2951 against 2949. Edinburgh had led after the first distance, but saw their lead gradually disappear as the day progressed. Margaux Mesle (Edinburgh) was second lady on 814. Douglas Jardine (Edinburgh) scored 791 to top the gents standings ahead of Piotr Wojtczuk (Napier) on 775. Heijnsbroek and Jardine both broke the standing All Unis records which had previously belonged to Jenny Jeppsson (839 for Edinburgh in 2011) and George Harding (786 for Nottingham in 2012). Migle Petruskeviciute (Edinburgh) and Johan Kangasniemi (Aberdeen) were third respectively.

Behind the top two, the fact that novices could not contribute to senior team scores severely affected many teams' totals.

Edinburgh won the novice team category with 2223, Napier a little way behind on 2017, with Heriot-Watt a distant third. Sukrit Hotrabhvanon (Edinburgh) and Bethan Koller (Napier) both shot 786 to comfortably win their divisions.

Elsewhere, Jamie Paton (Strathclyde) won gents compound, but solo senior lady compound Hope Greenwood (Edinburgh) broke the All Unis record with 91 yellows and 17 reds on the Albion for 938. Nadezhda Shivarova (Strathclyde) established a new All Unis record, scoring 860 ladies novice compound Windsor. Senior barebow was dominated by Huw Vaughan-Jackson (Edinburgh) who scored 539 on the St George, beating the old All Unis record of 382. The novice barebow lady Windsor All Unis record of 477 was treated in similar fashion by Jennifer Mankin (Edinburgh) who scored 705.

Aberdeen and Edinburgh have now had 3 wins each in their 6 meetings in an intriguing Scottish season, see the SSS final standings. Aberdeen didn't quite carry this form in to BUCS and BUTC but did get promotion in the E-League in what has been an excellent season. For Edinburgh meanwhile the margin of defeat may have been miniscule, but it was still another significant loss - the first time in this event since 2002.