Bowmen's wild excitement

MANY of the Channel Islands' top archers will be shooting wild animals this weekend. But there's no need for wildlife lovers to get out their banners and start protesting - the animals will be made of foam.

The prestigious and popular Woolwich International Open culminates on Monday with the new free shoot. It will be held on David Best's land at Talbot Valley.

'Quite a few people who are coming over for the tournament over the weekend are staying until Tuesday and wondered if we could put something on on Monday,' said Bowmen of Guernsey secretary and tournament organiser Steve Yates.

'Field shooting is still a serious side to the sport, but it's more informal. There won't be a trophy to shoot for.

'We'll place a load of animal targets made of foam around the land. You could be shooting a great big 6ft bear from 60 yards or a tiny squirrel from 10 yards. There will be quite a few trees in the way as well.'

The Bowmen of Guernsey has held field shoots before, but this is the first to be run immediately after the International Open, which itself is only two years old, at Port Soif.

'We are very grateful to David Best for the use of his land. He lets athletics, mountain biking and clay target use it as well - all for free - and he's just grateful that he can see his land being used for the benefit of sport, which is fantastic.'

The formal shooting of the International Open starts at 10am tomorrow when a near record entry of 70 compete. More than 30,000 arrows will be unleashed over the two days.

'A lot of those who came last year are coming back, which is good because it shows that they were obviously impressed with what we tried to do.'

A handful of non-CI Island Games shooters are returning, but the bold prediction of last year that archers from mainland Europe could be attracted should the tournament expand has not been realised.

'It would, of course, be nice to have a few more, although this is never going to be a huge shoot. What we are particularly mindful of is the cost of travelling here.

'When you think - if you live in England, all you need to do is drive 30 miles and you're at a shoot. The cost to get over here is prohibitive; in view of that, we've done quite well to get the numbers, we have.'

Despite that obstacle, several of this weekend's travelling archers are already in the island, having arrived as early as last weekend for a week-long break in Guernsey. Rejoice Mike O'Hara and your sports tourism philosophy.

Advertising in the UK media was part of the publicity drive launched by the Bowmen of Guernsey.

The tournament was promoted in the Bow Magazine and Archery UK, a free quarterly magazine sent to every registered target archer.

All bar one of Guernsey's Games shots are competing, as are the vast majority of Jersey's. 'I'd say the split is about 50/50: 50% of archers are from Guernsey and Jersey, 50% are from the UK.'

There are four sections in the event: compound and recurve disciplines in men's and women's sections.

Two of last year's winners, Neil Smith (men's compound) and Clare Kinsey (women's recurve) are not returning. Yates said that would mean that at least those events 'would be very open and competitive'.

Archers will shoot 12 dozen arrows on Saturday and the same again on Sunday.

The men will shoot from distances of 90, 70, 50 and 30 metres, the women from 70, 60, 50 and 30 metres.

The second day of competition will double up as the second leg of the inter-insular.

'Jersey have got a lead in the team events at the moment, but we have a couple of individuals with a lead.'