SOME of the finest archers from across Britain and Europe have descended on the Vale to compete in legs one and two of Archery GB’s National Series.
This weekend’s event will bring more than 230 of the country’s top archers to Badsey Rec where they will compete for ranking points to gain a place at the end of season finals.
There will be archers shooting recurve bows, as you will see at the Olympics, compound bows and longbows.
Some of the archers competing have represented Great Britain at the Olympics and some could yet compete at the Rio Games this summer.
Among those in action will be Midlands archer Naomi Folkard, a three-time Olympian of 2004, 2008, 2012 and multiple European and world medallist, and Amy Oliver, the 2010 Commonwealth Games and multiple European and world medallist.
They will be joined by Larry Godfrey, who is also a three-time Olympian and multiple European and world medallist, and 2016 Rio Olympics hopefuls Patrick Huston, Brad Denny, Bryony Pitman, Ashe Morgan, Michael Judd, Becky Martin and Evesham’s own Sally Gilder.
Also on show across Saturday and Sunday on the Badsey Rec football pitches will be some of Europe’s best compound archers in the shape of Chris Bell, Duncan Busby, Neil Bridgewater, Sarah Prieels, Lucy O’Sullivan, Adam Ravenscroft and Mark Rudd.
Shooting will commence at 9.15am and archers will shoot six dozen arrows to achieve a ranking score which will be used to calculate their positions for the head-to-head shoot-offs in the afternoon. The public are welcome to attend on both days.