UK Student Archery Association

Regional Results Retrospective [31/Jul/20]

A new spreadsheet has been added to the Resources section called Regional League Historical Performances. This shows - well there are clues in the name. It is also the intention to add Regional League performances to the Best Results tables in the Club Directory.

Remarkably, 2020 saw no fewer than 3 first-time senior league title winners: Napier (SSS), Plymouth (SWWU) and Durham (NEUAL). As that trio was breaking new ground, Warwick (BUTTS) and Imperial (SEAL) won their 9th and 7th respective senior regional titles. As time passes, first time winners become understandably rarer. Bradford did so a year ago, but before that you have to go back to the 2014 wins for Derby and Liverpool.

The only previous occasion that there have been 3 first-time senior league title winners was back at a time when some of the leagues themselves were in their infancy - 2005. The three first-time winners back then were Warwick, Exeter and Imperial. That trio have since racked up a whopping 23 senior regional league titles between them.

The five league runners up in 2020 were Edinburgh, Lancaster, Birmingham, Exeter and East Anglia. Third places went to St Andrews, York, Loughborough, Bristol (who edged out Swansea on aggregate) and Essex. SEAL silver and bronze for East Anglia and Essex set best ever league finishes for both teams. Only Plymouth in SWWU completed a senior and novice league double. Plymouth were also the only first-time novice league champions. The other four novice league winners were Edinburgh, Liverpool, Birmingham and Southampton. Edinburgh and Exeter won the SSS and SWWU compound leagues, whilst Leicester topped BUTTS Div 2.

The biggest improvers, comparing league placing this season to last, were 5th placed Leeds who leapt an astonishing 11 places against last year. Fifth is Leeds' best finish since 2006. Essex were up by 8 places to 3rd, with Newcastle up 5 spots to 4th.

Coronavirus and the associated restrictions may have torched BUTC, BUCS Outdoors and the final fifth of the E-League, but the regional leagues were altogether less affected. All BUTTS and SEAL events went ahead as scheduled. SSS lost its H2H event, albeit this doesn't count towards Scottish league standings. NEUAL lost its Indoor Championship but SWWU was the most affected with several Outdoor legs cancelled. SWWU did squeeze in 4 indoor matches however.

It still seems too early to speculate on when or how the 2020/21 regional season might begin. It seems naive to think it will be business as usual, even when matches don't usually start until November. Technically, the E-League could be open for scores from 1st September - in just 32 days time. Watch this space. Wash your hands.