For the second year running Victor Harbor Archery Club was host to a week of the best archery one could hope to see in South Australia. From the 20th to 22nd February the Easton Open event took centre stage followed on Sunday 23rd February by the National Matchplay Finals. Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th the all-important Olympic Trials were held, to determine who will represent Australia in Archery for the Tokyo Olympics.

The Victor Harbor Archery Club shooting grounds on the Back Valley oval was picture perfect following the recent rains which refreshed the grass and surrounding area and mild weather conditions with little wind, set the scene for ideal conditions to shoot an arrow or two! VHAC had four participating archers in the Easton Open – Pat Coghlan [Tournament Director], Graham Potts [VHAC President], Callan Ineson and Rhiannon Mills. Rhiannon won the Silver Medal in the Female Compound Division, Pat and Callan made it the 1/8th round, Graham the ¼ round.

Trophies and Medals

The Easton Open was formally opened by several notable dignitaries. Pat Coghlan [VHAC Tournament Director] opened proceedings followed by Marilyn Henderson [Victor Harbor Council] who acknowledged the traditional custodians of the area – the Ngarrindjeri tribe. Rebekha Sharkie [Federal Member for Mayo], Grant Cole [Archery Australia President], Graham Potts [VHAC President] and Ian Dall [Archery South Australia President]all had kind words to say welcoming archers from around Australia and New Zealand, applauding the efforts of VHAC in hosting these events and thanking sponsors for their generosity and support. Included amongst the sponsors are foremost Archery companies Easton and Hoyt and local Victor Harbor business’s – Pats Archery and See Optometry and the Victor Harbor Council. During the National Matchplay Series Final, David Basham [Member for Finniss] presented VHAC President Graham Potts with a framed certificate following a successful bid for an equipment grant offered by Sport SA.

Opening Ceremony - Graham Potts, Grant Cole, Rebekha Sharkie, Ian Dall, Marilyn Henderson

The 2020 Easton Open [with 63 competitors] began on Thursday with practice and ranking rounds for both compound and recurve archers. From the total points shot, archers are paired according to rank for Friday’s Matchplay elimination rounds and Saturday was Finals day which determined the winners in all Divisions. The various Divisions included Male and Female Individual and Team Matchplay rounds in Compound and Recurve bows. For the first time a demonstration in a Mixed Team Division was also included. Mixed Team events were introduced in 2009 worldwide and has since been gaining popularity and will make its debut as part of the Archery programme at the Tokyo Olympics this year.

Easton Open Finals results:

Individual Female Compound:

1. Alyssa Mollema – Cessnock Target Archers, NSW

2. Rhiannon Mills – Victor Harbor AC, SA

3. Tazmin Forrest – Wendouree AC, Vic

Individual Male Compound:

1. Brett Pirlo – Samford Valley Target Archers, Qld

2. Scott Brice – Samford Valley Target Archers, Qld

3. Jai Francis – Kalamunda Governor Stirling Archers, WA

Individual Female Recurve:

1. Laura Paeglis – AIM Archery Club, Vic

2. Kim Lavender – Sydney Olympic Park Archers, NSW

3. Alice Ingley – Mt Petrie Bowmen, Qld

Individual Male Recurve:

1. Taylor Worth – Mt Petrie Bowmen, Qld

2. Ryan Tyack – Sunshine Coast AC, Qld

3. Stephen Florence – Archery New Zealand

Team – Female Compound:

1. The Spud Squad – Alyssa Mollema, Tazmin Forrest, Ailani Cox

2. The Three ‘R’s’ – Katrina Robinson, Rhiannon Mills, Elizabeth Randle

Team – Male Compound:

1. 2 ½ Men – Bailey Wildman, Jonathan Milne, Scott Brice

2. 2 Young Guns & 1 Old Fart – Rory Blake, Jai Francis, Graham Potts

3. No Name Attached – Adam Bielby, Andrew Kuchel, Toby Webb

Team – Female Recurve:

1. New Kids on the Nock – Alice Ingley, Belinda Maxworthy, Laura Paeglis

2. KLM – Kim Lavender, Laura Trezise, Melissa Spinocchia

3. Missed by that Much – Delia Evans, Chloe Grabs, Sarah Haywood

Team – Male Recurve:

1. AAA – James Gaze, Astin Darcy, Alex Smith

2. FSU – David Barnes, Ryan Tyack, Taylor Worth

3. The Boyz – Chris de Mello, Toby Nunn, Stephen Florence

Team – Mixed Compound:

1. Andrew Kuchel & Elizabeth Randle

2. Scott Brice & Tazmin Forrest

3. Greg Player & Rhiannon Mills

Team – Mixed Recurve:

1. Alice Ingley & David Barnes

2. Katherine Watson & Stephen Florence

3. Laura Paeglis & Taylor Worth