UK Student Archery Association

Exeter take SWWU crown [04/Aug/17]

Results for the final SWWU match of the season, extracted from the scores shot at BUCS Outdoors, have been factored in to the tables. Exeter won match 5 and with maximum points, ensured the senior SWWU title. Bristol were second in the match and second overall, whilst Bristol's novices finished top in the novice match and overtook Swansea to win the novice SWWU title.

Exeter's combined tally of 3766 was roughly 200 ahead of Bristol, who were themselves roughly 200 ahead of Swansea. Bath were fourth. Alec Hodgkinson (Cardiff Met) was top scorer in the match on 1137, just ahead of Ben Trudgill (Exeter) who notched 1114. Trudgill went on to win individual silver in the head to head the following day. As previously documented, Alex Newnes (Aberystwyth) broke the All Unis record for gents longbow 1440 round, with 695.

Exeter finished the season on 47 points with 3 match wins out of 5, and 3 points ahead of Bristol who won the other two matches. The top two ended up with virtually identical aggregate totals. Exeter won the senior SWWU championship for the fifth time, their previous wins coming in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2013. For Bristol, this was by far their best ever campaign, putting in a serious title challenge and finishing second, having finished no higher than 6th before. Defending champions Swansea were third on 42 points.

The news was even better for Bristol's novices. Match 5 was effectively a straight shoot off between them and Swansea and it was the English side who romped home in style, with a team total just over 2300, a mammoth 650 clear of Aberystwyth in second and Swansea third. Tom Ledgerwood (Exeter) was top novice on 886. The result gives Bristol their first ever regional title following a topsy turvy SWWU novice campaign that saw three different sides top the table. Bristol ended on 44 points leapfrogging ahead of Swansea on 43. Exeter's novices were third, despite a DNS, on 34 points.

See the final SWWU 2016/17 standings.

There have been positives and negatives in SWWU this year. Several DNS's spoiled the card somewhat and other leagues have many more matches during the indoor season. SWWU had just two, only one of which was a dedicated SWWU fixture. The second was extracted from BUCS qualifying. Nevertheless, that extracted fixture yielded 5 clubs shooting 2100+ Portsmouths - a feat unmatched in SSS, NEUAL or SEAL this season. There have been All Unis records and the emergence of a new club as genuine title challengers. Plus the region also hosted BUCS Indoor Championships National Finals event.

Exeter complete the list of regional league champions in 2017, alongside Edinburgh, Lancaster, Birmingham and London.