THE LONG ROAD AHEAD
This issue was supposed to be the grand Olympics special, and your esteemed editor was supposed to be there, and then fly home, typing furiously, to produce an issue within an incredibly short deadline – it was all planned out perfectly.
Of course, that isn't happening now until next year – fingers crossed. As Bow goes to press, it has been just a fraction over four years since the archery finished in Rio, a great competition held right in the middle of one of Rio's tougher neighbourhoods. (During the Paralympics in Rio, an uneasy truce amongst the gangsters who ran the three large favelas on the hills surrounding the Sambodromo apparently collapsed, and you could hear gunshots almost every single night – not something you normally associate with Olympic venues).
It is safe to say Tokyo 2021 will be more likely to keep drama on the field of play. Archery is indelibly associated with the modern Olympic Games, and for the vast majority of the world, it is the only time they get to actually see competition on screen. Taking place in the first week of the Games – before the athletics starts – it invariably punches above its weight in terms of viewing figures, and the stats from national associations prove that there is invariably a huge spike in membership applications. We are very lucky in this sport that complete laymen are endlessly fascinated with the possibility of drawing a bow and letting fly.
But of course, all that will have to come next year, with many knock-on effects this year for governing bodies, manufacturers, clubs and dealers, who are already having to deal with a deep upcoming worldwide recession.
Instead, I hope we can tempt you with a fascinating selection of reviews (there's some great new products in this month's edition) and a very deep and highly technical dive into when and how to adjust your sight during a tournament. From Mongolia, our roving correspondent Antonio Graceffo met with a local expert during a regional festival of Naadam, or 'manly pursuits'. Further into history, Kristina Dolgilevica dives into Russian archery long past. The 'big dance' may be delayed, but there's plenty to celebrate about the long history and present of our sport.
See you on the shooting line... soon