UK Student Archery Association

NEUAL Round 3, Novice [13/Dec/16]

This article reviews the third batch of NEUAL fixtures (E3, N2, W3), held over the weekend of 19th November, and the NEUAL Novice Champs, hosted by Keele on 3rd December. There were league match wins for Bradford, Newcastle and Keele, whilst Lancaster won the novice champs, Durham were second.

Bradford won match E3 with 2151, the highest total across the three matches. Their winning margin over former champions York and Sheffield was over 120 - with York's 2025 just enough to see Sheffield come third on 2021. Another close fixture took place in match N2 where Newcastle scored 1875 to win and beat Durham by only three points. Keele won their match comfortably with 2071 with Central Lancs second, in the mid 1800s. York, Durham and Keele were the winners of the novice matches, with Durham's 1366 the high score. There were no 560+s in the three matches.

The points awarded for league matches and championships in the NEUAL mean that a good (or bad) performance in the championship events can make or break a season. Lancaster and Durham finished in the novice championship top two and were well clear of the rest of the field. Lancaster's winning total was only one point shy of 1500, whilst Durham claimed a very comfortable second on 1431. Bronze team medals went to Central Lancs but they scored 1259, over 170 behind, but crucially 20 ahead of Hull. Dmytro Petryshche (Lancaster), Mia West (Durham) and Julian Dellen (Hull) were all the the 510s, with Petryshche beating Dellen to the gents individual title on hits.

For the full tables and results at Christmas time, see the NEUAL 16/17 page. The next set of NEUAL fixtures are some two way matches on the weekend of 28th/29th January, Leeds v Sheffield and Central Lancs v Salford.

Lancaster, Bradford, Keele and Teesside are all unbeaten so far in the senior table. Lancaster and Keele will have to play each other in a Western Conference match, but Bradford (East) and Teesside (North) could end up heading to Indoor Champs on 60/60. Lancaster remain favourites though, having shot scores of 2222 and 2242 so far, at least 70 more than the best score by any other side in NEUAL so far, Bradford's 2151.

In the novice table, Lancaster also have the advantage. They currently have a 5 point lead, although should Durham win their match in hand, that would shrink to 1, with the Indoor Champs still to come.