UK Student Archery Association

December Catch Up 1/5 SSS [04/Dec/17]

Before we delve in to matters SSS, a reminder that tomorrow is the last day for which scores can be submitted for Round 2 of the E-League, aka November.

Owing to the combination of volume of results published and editorial availability in late November, quite a few matches across the regional league spectrum are still to be reviewed. All 2017/18 tables are now fully populated. Therefore UKSAA will take a metaphorical tour of the country, with SSS, BUTTS and SWWU this week. NEUAL and SEAL will have to wait until next week, with both having December fixtures to declare first.

For the team results from (and tables following) SSS match 3, see the SSS 2017/18 page.

Match 3 in Scotland was hosted by St Andrews and Edinburgh and it was the Fife side who returned to form in match 3 with a score of 2173. As Edinburgh opted to stregthen their compound team, they slipped back in to second scoring 2151. The team result was mirrored by their respective top scorers, with Paul Ross (St Andrews) on 575 just ahead of 572 from Johanna Meyer (Edinburgh). Strathclyde consolidated their grip on third place overall, with 2031 to take a third place finish in this match. A score of 561 from Andreas Nicolaou (Napier) helped his side to fourth, although they fell 3 short of 2000. Heriot-Watt and Dundee were in the mid 1900s.

For the second SSS novice match in succession, Edinburgh won with Strathclyde not too far behind in second. Results elsewhere mean that Strathclyde's novices are now heavy favourites to finish second, which would be their best ever since SSS began having a novice league in 2005/06. Top individual was Andra Zaharia (Edinburgh) 509, with Katariina Salonen (Napier) two under the 500 mark.

There was an unusually closely contested battle for second place in the compound league. Edinburgh were a long way clear again on 1142. Behind them, only two points split second from fourth. Napier and Heriot-Watt both finished on 1088 and with SSS results not including hits and golds, the two clubs squally split the 27 points available for second and third place.

St Andrews and Edinburgh go in to Christmas level on 43 league points, although Edinburgh's aggregate advantage spills in to three digits. Should the duo split the remaining two matches, it could be calculators at the ready, although realistically St Andrews would need to win both matches. Either way the fact Edinburgh are again being forced to field stronger teams is surely a healthier situation for SSS.

As a side note, there is a question over the timing of SSS Indoors in Strathclyde. This event was previously thought to be doubling as one of three BUCS regional qualifiers. However BUCS have now published info showing the Regional Qualifying for Scottish clubs to be hosted by UCLan on the same weekend (24/25 Feb).