A CHANGE of distance for indoor archery rounds added some spice to the Blue Lake Archers’ weekend events, the club shifting to the 25-metre distance from the more regular 18-metre setting.
The indoor range at Malseed Park was the only place to be for archery for both Friday night and Sunday afternoon as sketchy weather Sunday forced a change from the planned outdoor archery to the comfort of the indoor venue.
Good scores were noted, with the benchmark adjusted score of 300 points battered and eventually bettered over the course of four separate rounds of the Australian Indoor 25 metre.
Personal best scores were also recorded.
Friday night Tamika Mullan held the high ground in the adjusted score line in her first foray at 25 metres.
Ben Kilsby and Peter Donhardt fine tuned their sights in the initial round, Kilsby runner up, three points off the pace.
The second 25-metre round was a watershed for all three archers, with PB’s across the board and the leaders both breaking out of the benchmark 300 points when scores were adjusted for handicap.
Mullan again took the front running but was almost caught by Kilsby, who carded an off-the-bow score of 299 out of a possible 300 to take the match right down to the wire, Kilsby falling agonisingly short by a single point.
Sunday afternoon the archers revisited the 25-metre distance but the tables were turned on the finishing order.
Jeff Puckridge joined in, finding himself in new territory at the distance.
Round 1 had Kilsby finally finding the winning formula to take the adjusted score victory after forcing a count-back, he and Mullan finishing on 299 points apiece.
The final round for the weekend had Puckridge finding extra form to close the gap on the front runners.
He was the only archer to improve on the first-round scores, his score noted as a PB.
At the pointy end of the field it was déjà vu for the leading pair, both Mullan and Kilsby again finishing on 299 points each, with Kilsby picking up the win by count-back to make it two for the day.
Indoor archery continues at Blue Lake Gymnastics Club, Malseed Park Friday at 7pm, followed by outdoor archery at Corriedale Park from 12.30pm on Sunday.
Friday night results – Australian Indoor 25 metre, Round 1, handicap scored, benchmark 300 points: Tamika Mullan 298 (off the bow 272 ); Ben Kilsby 295 (293); Peter Donhardt 268 (238).
Australian Indoor 25 metre, Round 2, handicap scored, benchmark 300 points: Tamika Mullan 302 (off the bow 276 PB); Ben Kilsby 301 (299 PB); Peter Donhardt 296 (266 PB).
Sunday afternoon results – Australian Indoor 25 metre, Round 1, handicap scored, benchmark 300 points: Ben Kilsby 299 (off the bow 297); Tamika Mullan 299 (274); Jeff Puckridge 289 (273).
Australian Indoor 25 metre, Round 2, handicap scored, benchmark 300 points: Ben Kilsby 299 (off the bow 297); Tamika Mullan 299 (274); Jeff Puckridge 291 (275 PB).
