A PERFECT lead-up to the indoor championships was achieved by Blue Lake Archers members last Friday night.
The Malseed Park venue was witness to a solid display of accuracy by those attending, a personal-best and an equal PB setting the bar high for the championships.
A pair of Australian 18-metre rounds were the choice of the night and the initial round had Jeff Puckridge the archer to beat.
A series of all-gold ends pushed Puckridge’s score ever upward as the round rolled on.
Ben Kilsby was able to hang on the best off-the-bow score but Puckridge was hot on his heals only four points behind at the conclusion, recording a new PB of 292 points from a possible 300.
Once the handicap-adjusted scores were checked it was no surprise Puckridge had won by a handsome 11 points from runner-up Graham Lock.
Round 2 was more topsy turvy in the finishing order.
Kilsby was punishing the 10-point zone on the target face, while Tamika Mullan found her form to push into a challenge for the adjusted score win.
As the round wore on Kilsby was having to hold his nerve as he had not dropped a single point on his score sheet, as the final arrows were launched the scoring showed Kilsby had equalled his best score of a perfect 300 points off-the-bow.
Mullan forced a count-back for the overall adjusted score win tying with Kilsby on 302 points, fittingly the win went Kilsby’s way.
Australian Indoor 18 metre, Round 1, Handicap scored: Jeff Puckridge 309 (off the bow 292 PB); Graham Lock 298 (285); Ben Kilsby 296 (294); Tamika Mullan 295 (275).
Australian Indoor 18 metre, Round 2, Handicap scored: Ben Kilsby 302 (off the bow 300, PB); Tamika Mullan 302 (282); Jeff Puckridge 296 (284).