Archers right on target

THEY might not be robbing from the rich and giving to the poor, but Geelong’s archers returned from Waverley with gold and silver last weekend.

David Waller and Neil Mann competed at the Victorian Clout Archery Championships on Sunday, each collecting medals in podium finishes.

Waller claimed his third gold in the Veterans recurve bow event, while Mann took out silver in the veterans compound bow event.

Mann, from Curlewis, said he only joined the Geelong Archery Club in a few years ago.

“I took it up when I retired — I’m not fully-retired now, I’m back working part-time — but a few years ago,” he said.

“I didn’t know it existed but a friend knew about it and said there was one of their tryout courses on. I went down and tried it, liked it and been doing it ever since.”

The clout event involves shooting a bow towards a flag in the ground up to 200m away, which Mann was lucky enough to practise for on his expansive property.

“The younger guys in the open section, they’re unbelievable. But yeah I’m doing pretty well, better than I expected,” he said.

“I’m fortunate, I get to practise quite a bit — once a fortnight or once a week.

“Not many people can because you need 180 metres and I live out in the country, so I have access to a 180m farm paddock, but it’s difficult for other people to get that space.”

But the archery club, formed in 1960, practises clout archery once a month at a reserve in Lovely Banks, and also uses facilities at Waurn Ponds’ Deakin University to train for field and target events.

Mann said the Geelong Archery Club was encouraging more people to join and give it a go, with come and try sessions held weekly.

For more information, visit geelongarchers.org.au.