6 May 2010 - Hit Miss Test Event in Augsburg

Hit Miss Test Event in Augsburg Augsburg (GER) – 6 May 2010 Photographer: Kazuko TAKAMATSU-HERDEGEN    An Open Day to show the new Hit Miss Format (Compound Match Round) to German Compound archers has been held at the archery field of the BSC Augsburg, Germany, on 24 April 2010. The organisers, German Walter MAYERHOFER and Austrian Compound Team Member Sylvia BARCKHOLT, asked Andreas LORENZ—Member of FITA Target Archery Committee—to help them in realising this project.   For FITA it was the first chance to see the Compound Match Round at 50m based on the new Hit Miss System, after the rules were approved at the FITA Congress in Ulsan (KOR) past September, shot by archers of different levels.   The work in Augsburg was focused on setting up the field of play and on checking times according to the new rules. It was important to inform archers about the rule changes and on getting feedback from them and on the evaluation of the new format. Definitely there was a great interest for the new format.   The day started with a great sunshine and no wind at 08:30 with a familiarisation session on the new Hit Miss Targets (10cm yellow Hit Zone, 30cm red Aiming Zone, blue background). For 1½ hours the archers had the chance to test their scopes and aiming devices on the new targets and Andreas LORENZ made a brief introduction to the day’s programme and the new rules.   All archers did shoot in one group: Male, Female, Juniors and Masters with 32 male and 10 female archers competing. A Qualification Round (2x36 arrows at 50m, 5-10-ring targets, 6 arrows per end) followed by Elimination and Final Rounds finished the day.   Each target during Elimination and Final Rounds had scoreboards to show the updated results of the Sets, so spectators were able to follow the matches. In the Finals Andreas LORENZ made a live commentary, music was played in the intermission: a real Finals feeling came up.   From the Eliminations to the Semifinals up to 4 sets had to be shot to determine the winners, in the Medal Finals up to 6 sets decided the winner.   Almost 35% of matches were decided in shoot-offs, while only one had to go through the third arrow: it was the match 8th vs. 9th of the Qualification. With the new rules, after three shoot-off arrows, the 8th ranked archer qualified for the next round!   In the Gold Medal Match German Team Member Robert ABSTREITER defeated German 2009 Indoor Champion Sabine SAUTER 8-2. Claudio FISCHER defeated former Austrian Team Member Silvia BARCKHOLT 7-1 to clinch the bronze medal.   The survey form returned by all archers showed that vast majority liked the competition as it is. Most of them would see more events like this to show the new shooting system. The new shoot-off rule was widely accepted and the scoreboards as well as the live commentary and music during the intermission had been really appreciated. The new format was rated fair and exciting for archers and spectators.   A great thank to the working people of the BSC Augsburg. They did a great job, supporting the organisers and FITA's observer.  Hopefully many other of these days can be organised worldwide to give better information on the new rules.   Andreas LORENZ FITA Target Archery Committee Member