Harrogate’s St George’s Archery Club impress at Archery GB’s National Clout Championships

Clout is a form of the sport where archers shoot from long distance attempting to drop their arrows as close as possible to a 12-inch-square flag surrounded by a 12-foot radius scoring zone.

Up against competitors from across the country, Carol Fairbrother won the ladies’ 140-yard barebow national championship for the 13th time, rounding off a year in which she has also retained her Yorkshire, Northern Counties, and Archery England titles.

Fiona Harris continued her good form to claim eighth position, while Caron Kolowiecki completed her first year of clout archery with a creditable 13th-placed finish.

Ian Harris was fourth in the 180-yard gentleman’s barebow category, and Jess Hardesty-Dean also took fourth place in the junior lady barebow class.

Longbowman Clive Woolley shot particularly well in the worsening afternoon conditions to finish just two points short of the bronze medal, and fellow longbowmen Ian Marr and Gary Sandles finished in 15th and 19th places respectively, completing a good showing for the club in this bow category.

The St George’s barebow team of Fairbrother and Ian and Fiona Harris then retained the national barebow club team trophy, winning it for a record seventh time, before associate members Julian Smith (fourth compound) and Danny Walsh (sixth recurve) rounded off an excellent day’s shooting for the Allerton Park-based club.

St George’s run beginners’ courses throughout the year and full details can be found on the club’s website at www.harrogate-archery.co.uk.