A unique sport which brings together archery and running is being championed with a special event next month.
Earlier this year Archery GB organised a pilot event in Newark, bringing together a small group of archers to try their hands – and legs – at Run Archery.
Following this successful event, another opportunity is being arranged on Sunday, September 11 in Birmingham. Members of Archery GB are being invited to attend the event at Redhill Archers’ base and have a go at the unique archery discipline and get their heart racing on and off the shooting line.
Run Archery is a shooting discipline, similar to biathlon, connecting archery with running. It provides an alternative archery discipline that may help the sport with the retention and recruitment of archers and runners.
While it is more established on the continent, and there is a European Cup, Run Archery is still new here in the UK.
Run Archery has several events and distances, including:
- Individual 4k
- Individual sprint (our event)
- Team Sprint (3 x same gender – run once)
- Mixed Team Sprint (1 of each gender, run once)
- Team Double Sprint (3 x same gender, run twice)
- Mixed Team Double Sprint (2 of each gender, each runs once)
There are also several categories for competitors including Cadet Men/Women,Junior Men/Women, Women/Men, Masters Women/Men.
For now, Archery GB is focusing on the individual sprint event, in which shooting takes place over 18 metres, with archers carrying the bow either in their hands or in a harness. There are no compound bows, and the draw weight is limited to 35lbs maximum.
Competitors must complete a 400m run, then shoot four arrows while standing. Any missed arrows incur a 60m penalty running lap. They then have to run another 400m and shoot four arrows while kneeling. This is followed by another 400m, and then 50m run to the finish line.
The event in September, for current Archery GB members only, will include four races for men, women, U18 men and U18 women.
Registration will be from 9.30am, with a warm up from 10am. The men’s race starts at 10.45am, the women’s at 11.15am, the U18 men’s race at 11.45am and the U18 women’s race at 12.15pm. There may be a relay race if there are enough entries and interest.
While non-Archery GB members cannot take part in the Run Archery competition, Redhill Archers will be hosting a Have-a-Go event for people and runners to try archery.
And Archery GB hopes that in future it may be able to welcome non-AGB members to try Run Archery and to hold crossover events with athletics organisations.
Anyone interested in attending should book their place via the member’s portal on the Archery GB website.
