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2003 National target championship
July 27 – Aug. 1, 2003 Reading,
Pennsylvania Final
Scores AZ
Photos USA
Archery Press Releases Texas
Photos The 2003 Target National Championships selects the Senior and
Masters US National Champion. This
year and for a few years to come the event takes place in Reading,
Pennsylvania. Most Arizonans flew
into Harrisonburg PA, or Philadelphia PA, or Baltimore MD. The tournament is a long one consisting of a double FITA that
takes place over four days followed by the one-day US Open Olympic
Elimination rounds. The double
FITA determines the Senior and Master National Champion. Youth divisions also
compete in their categories. This
tournament is a JrUSAT qualifying tournament and is required for Senior USAT.
The US Open uses the FITA scores to rank all archers shooting competitive
distances regardless of nationality or age. One of the interesting features of Target Nationals is the
variety of archery types. The
traditional long bow type archers compete on the same fields just before the
main body of the target nationals.
Crossbow archers compete on a separate field. Masters and AR divisions are also contested. Many countries send individuals and teams
as this is a world-ranking tournament. The fields are situated such that the Cadets, Cubs, and Bowmans
competed across the creek with the crossbow archers and the practice
area. This year the Junior divisions
joined the Seniors on the main field. Official Practice took place on Sunday morning to early
afternoon and included equipment inspection, registration and official
practice. The Clout shoot took place
on Sunday afternoon. 34 competed in
cross bow, recurve and compound bows.
The age divisions were Senior, Youth (14 to 18) and Cub 13 and
younger. The archers shoot six ends
six arrows just like a FITA distance.
Arizona was represented by seniors only, Becky and Frank Pearson along
with Jessica Grant. The double FITA determines the Target National Champions. The youth field, as it came to be known,
competed each morning. The Junior,
Senior, AR and Masters competed on alternating mornings and afternoons such
that a category never shot the same distances during the same time of the day
over the four days. The FITAs were
shot in the typical longest to shortest distance order unlike the JOAD
Nationals. Weather for the double FITA was wonderful compared to typical
central PA conditions. Mornings were
in the 80s and the afternoon temperatures reached the low 90s. It was always humid, but “dryer” than
normal. The four days were unusual
rain free. Most wore short sleeve
shirts and short pants. Some could be
seen wearing a light jacket in the early morning only to shed it by mid
morning. A few thunderstorms came in
during the nights, but the field stayed mud free except for the few ungrassed
areas. During the US Open on Friday, the tournament’s good weather luck
ran out. The morning was foggy and it
rained lightly all day. The locals
indicated that this is the type of weather to expect typically. The Arizona kids kept focus and performed very well for the full
four days, with all placing in the top eight.
Former Arizona JOAD did very well also. Brooke Rosania, Senior Recurve, shot well
and is a part of the 2003 US World University Games to be held in Korea. Former Arizona JOAD, Jessica Grant, Senior Compound, took 2nd
place in the Target Championships and also won a Bronze medal in the US Open. Many Arizona Seniors also competed including, Nicole and Allen
Rasor, Stewart Bowman, Bob Kortan, Mark Penaz, Becky and Frank Pearson, and
Foster Gorman. Mike and Vivian Koistinen took part as judges. 2004 is an Olympic year and will be very busy for the archers
especially the recurve archers. Be
sure to book you flights, hotels and rental cars early. Return to Top Return to
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