UK Student Archery Association

SEAL set for non-nailbiter [16/Dec/19]

Results and updated tables from SEAL match 2 have been published on the SEAL 2019/20 page of this site.

SEAL match 2 saw Imperial double their winning margin from match 1, cruising home with 2235. The 100-point win featured Samuel Walby on 572 and a 568 from Yin Chan. Once again East Anglia and Essex were second and third on 2134 and 2105. Lauren Bann (Essex) was the top scorer overall in the match on 583. Fraser Pettit and Charis Charalambous (both UEA) scored 571 and 560, with Leonard Findlay (Essex) on 563. Southampton pinched 4th place by 11 ahead of Surrey 2076 to 2065. As in SEAL match 1, only these 5 out of 15 clubs broke 2000. James Jackson (Sussex) scored 566, boosting his team up to 6th place. Elsewhere in the match Jay Bevan (Kent) notched 564.

In the last two seasons, SEAL has specialised in nail-biting title races that need a calculator on hand. 2017/18 saw an improbable 3 way tie, with Imperial coming from 3 league points behind to win on match aggregate. In 2018/19 London drew level with, but could not quite overtake the Imps on match aggregate. Both sides had to wait 7 days for confirmation as part of the last leg was delayed and the margins were eye-wateringly slim.

Winning margins this season of 49 and 101 seem to imply an easier ride for Imperial, but there are still 3 matches remaining. Nearest challengers East Anglia and Essex have never previously finished higher than 4th in the final SEAL table - which they have both done twice, Essex in 2011 and 2013 and UEA in 2017 and 2019. As things stand, Imperial have 30 points, East Anglia 28 and Essex 26. Former champions Southampton and Surrey both have 23.

Imperial and Southampton broke clear in the novice match. The novice Imps put in a score of 1430 to take maximum points, including Lok Lau on 495. Southampton secured second on 1395. Anglia Ruskin were quite isolated in third - 105 ahead of 4th, but 167 behind 2nd. Two points cover the top 4 of a congested table. Consecutive runners-up spots have left Southampton top on 28 points, with Imperial jumping from 4th to 2nd overall on 27. ARU and London both have 26.