Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 137 i Bow International

Hello! Welcome to Bow International 137! Thanks for all your fantastic feedback on The Arrow Issue, number 136. We really tried to include a full and open test of all the carbon arrows on the market, but in the end, it was too difficult and expensive (not to mention time-consuming) to get it done to a scientifically accurate and verifiable standard. I do frequently long to be a slightly bigger magazine with a less-limited budget, and I really think the archery audience deserves this. It's still not completely off our radar; fully objective information is very hard to come by and would be really valuable to you, dear reader. So all I can say is: watch this space. As so often, the vagaries of publishing means that our Christmas Gift…

UNDER £15 EASTON PRO HEX METRIC / IMPERIAL HEX SET A handy set of metric and imperial hex keys (often known as Allen keys) is an essential part of any archery kit and a spare set never goes amiss, either. Is this the only sport in the world where people have to regularly mix the two systems? Probably. • £14.99• The Archery Shop• web address BEITER DEBURRING TOOL For the arrowmaker who has everything, the Beiter deburring tool is spot-on for cleaning up the end of the shaft before you fit the points. It removes any burrs from where the shaft has been cut. • Around £8• Clickers Archery• clickersarchery.co.uk CABLE KNIT BOBBLE HAT Hats and scarves and general keep-you-warm gear is usually an excellent idea for any archers in…

Your initial tournament experiences are always packed with mixed emotions. There’s anticipation, there’s natural excitement, there’s logical trepidation and finally of course the actuality of it all. If your earliest venture to the competitive line occurs when you’re a mere youngster, then emotions of a negative nature tend to be swallowed up in the excitement of the occasion, but for the adult novice it will be a uniquely interesting experience which will play on your mental composure. The truth is, and this is not meant to discourage, that no matter how well you prepare, you’re never as ready as you think you are. So how does one sway the balance of readiness to a positive reading? The very first hurdle, quite obviously, is making the positive decision to take the…

The most important factor to consider when choosing a bow is how well it fits you; shooting with the correct draw length and poundage will make it easier to develop correct shooting form and will help to prevent injury. However, as many compound bows have a fixed or modular draw length adjustment, which means you will either need to change the cams or cam modules in order to go up or down in draw length, it can get costly if you are unsure about your fitment. It’s important you choose one that will grow with you as your form and strength develop – though luckily there are several options available to you depending on your budget. Several manufacturers now offer competition-level equipment with a good range of draw length adjustment…

Hoyt USA are giving away this rather snazzy rolling duffel bag, perfect for those upcoming indoor competitions. It’s got wheels, can stand vertically or horizontally as pictured, and has an extra-deep side pocket perfect for boots or other similar items. It also has a long front pocket for additional storage, an additional small front pocket for quick access to small items, and heavy duty zippers for durability. Approximate external dimensions are 32”x14”x14”. These retail for over £80 in the UK. To be in with the chance of getting your hands on one, all you have to do is answer the question below. This pic shows Colombian archer Sara Lopez after winning the World Cup Final in Moscow in September 2019 this year. But how many World Cup Final titles has…

EUROPEAN FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS CONCLUDE IN MOKRICE Domagoj Buden of Croatia came from behind to beat reigning target World Champion Mike Schloesser on the very last target to the European Field title in Mokrice, Slovenia in October – the second consecutive year the competition has been held in the country. The hosts took three gold medals at the tournament from Toja Ellison in the senior compound women’s competition, recurve junior men’s winner Ziga Ravnikar, as well as the junior men’s recurve team. Jean-Charles Valladont and Laurena Villard in recurve and Eric Esposito and Cinzia Noziglia in barebow were the other senior winners. Britain's Bryony Pitman took a bronze in women's recurve. “It means a lot as field is the discipline that has been closest to my heart since I started archery,"…

The release is the most important part of your recurve shot; consistency here will skyrocket your performance, and even minor errors can drop your score. When I talk about the release I'm not referring to the action of the draw fingers alone. I'm talking about the movement of your whole body whilst the arrow is being launched from the bow. This combines the "draw-side" release with the "bow-side" release and any other movements. You might have the best release since Park Sung-Hyun on one side of your shot, but collapse on the other half and you will be stuck with low scores forever. When done correctly, a great release transforms your shot into a dynamic movement that is aggressive, yet elegant. It's a beautiful skill that can take an incredible…

EYE CONDITIONS As you visualise your target, before you even pick up a bow, the calculations have already been starting in your head. Under pressure, your brain is working overtime to figure out the distance of the target, the trajectory of the arrow, gradient of the land, surrounding terrain and nearby structures. You may think it obvious that our eyes are involved in this process, but most people forget how delicate an organ they are, and, how easily we can take them for granted. We need to ensure our eyes are kept in the best possible health and treat them appropriately to ensure optimum vision on the day. VISION CONDITIONS The need to wear glasses or contact lenses are often the most obvious ways in which our eyes can be…

Have you ever wanted to know how the world’s best pros set-up and tune their equipment? Well now, thanks to USA Archery, you can join legends Jesse Broadwater and Brady Ellison in a virtual pro-shop, learning step by step the processes they use to build and tune their bows. Jesse and Brady have honed their craft through years and years of success, now you can use the same techniques to get your bow shooting its best this season. ‘The Complete Guide to Recurve and Compound Bow Tuning’ is a new educational video series from one of the most recognisable authorities in the sport. These on-demand and downloadable video courses are designed to teach archers and coaches of all skills and experience levels. Featuring ultra HD footage, these technical videos offer…

I’VE JUST SWITCHED TO COMPOUND ARCHERY AND NO ONE AT MY CLUB OR THE LOCAL AREA KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THE DISCIPLINE, SO HOW DO I EXPAND MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL WITH A COMPOUND BOW? We all need a helping hand sometimes; whether you are looking to improve your shooting form or correctly tune your equipment, making progress is easier when you have support. Traditionally this support comes from seasoned club members and coaches who are able to pass on their knowledge to less experienced archers, however when it comes to compound archery many shooters struggle to find the help they need. Over the years I have heard the same stories about coaches who lack compound experience or clubs that have only one or two compound archers, which invariably leaves shooters…

Archers from across the spectrum are turning competition into a holiday, combining a city break with competitive archery. Why not join them? We've rounded up the largest international indoor tournaments here. Registration is now open for all six of the events on the calendar of the 2020 Indoor Archery World Series. All these tournaments are open entry, meaning archers do not have to be a member of a national team to compete. Registration for Indoor Series events is completed through World Archery’s WAREOS extranet, however entries for the Vegas Shoot have to go through through the tournament’s official website. (You can also register as a team, which combines results across events.) What, indeed, are you waiting for? JVD OPEN Officially this is sold out, but check carefully to see if…

In Bow issue 135 we looked at professional compound archery; a difficult, but not impossible goal to achieve with enough talent, practice and motivation. But what about recurve? Most full-time recurve archers are funded by a state Olympic system, which in most Western countries, given the size of the sport, funds just a small handful of archers to shoot and compete full-time. Many recurve archers have also moved into sidelines in elite coaching, manufacturing (such as Italy's Michele Frangilli) and/or merchandising and media (as with the Dutch Triple Trouble team.) Some of the elite names can pull in a great deal of money for sponsorship, known as 'contingency', and one of the best-known Western recurve archers is thought to make around $200,000 a year from the various strands of his…

You can easily determine your eye-dominance through a number of tests, both at home and at the range. An ggod coach will often be able to ascertain this for you; indeed, it is often one of the first things tested on a beginners' course, although it is well worth having another go and encouraging your club mates to check as well. The most common way is the 'Miles' test – the archer extends both arms and brings their hands together to create a small opening between their hands (usually a small triangle). Then, with both eyes open, they focus on a distant object through the opening. They then slowly draw their hands back to their face and whichever eye the hand comes back to their dominant eye. Another simple test…

Vanessa Lee is a former Canadian national team member for recurve, and also works as a commentator for World Archery. When Bow found out she had decided to turn to 'the dark side', we decided to ask her - how, and why? It wasn’t easy when I had to come clean. I couldn’t deny my honest feelings. I spent my mornings thinking about them, my afternoons wondering what they would feel like, and my evenings trying to learn everything about them. I had been faithful for so many years but when I looked at my computer search history, I knew it was time to admit my true feelings. I was truly, madly, deeply in love with compound. I ended up having the difficult conversation with my recurve bow, I even…