Soggy Sunday returns

HOUSE WORK: Paul Freeman reinstates the lanes and shooting lines on the Corriedale Park archery range.

BLUE Lake Archers enjoyed their last autumn outdoor event in perfect weather on Sunday with a shortened event chosen after an impromptu working bee to take advantage of the weather.

Maintenance of the outdoor archery range covers many items that need upkeep, including the shooting lines and lanes that define the correct distances for the archery competitions.

As the Corriedale Park range has a natural grass cover, the lines are easily created by using a small amount of weed spray, but rapid growth at various times quickly obscures the lines and some upkeep is essential.

The spell of calm and sunny weather had the members take advantage of ideal spraying conditions to reinstate the lines.

The resulting shortened afternoon time frame brought the 60-arrow Soggy Sunday round to the fore.

A minimal group of three competitors were available on the day.

Casterton-based Len Bayley followed the Victorian COVID lockdown requirement and monitored the scores from home using the online Archers Diary scoring system.

Ben Kilsby was revelling in the calm conditions until an equipment glitch derailed a potentially high off-the-bow score.

Across the board the trio on the range out-did their benchmark for the round.

Paul Freeman found an extra 10 points to notch up a personal best, while Graham Lock also found a PB and eventually carded an adjusted score 15 points above the benchmark of 600 points to win the day by five from Freeman.

Indoor archery at Blue Lake Gymnastics Club, Malseed Park, Friday at 7.30pm, followed by outdoor archery at Corriedale Park at 12.30pm on Sunday.

Soggy Sunday outdoor round, handicap scored, benchmark 600 points: Graham Lock 615 (off the bow 570 PB); Paul Freeman 610 (558 PB); Ben Kilsby 602 (583).