FITA rules on circling

[Marcus]

Have a read of this one. Print out if need be.

http://www.archery.org/field_archery/field_publications/Swissquestions.PDF

Fita says guaging is illeagal, but they can't prove it.

[Robert Halley-Frame]

The topic of guaging was hot on the weekend at the World Field Trial held at Sherbrooke. Although there has been some documentation on how to Guage on the FITA site, this has not yet made it into the rulebooks.

Consequently judges were warning competitors that raised the bow without an arrow, under the current published rules this was considered illegal under FITA.

But if an archer raised their bows with an arrow in place, the judges could not do anything as it was considered part of the shooting process.

There has been considerable discussion on this topic and until it is in black and white in the rule book - put an arrow in your bow.....

:D :D

[mike]

I reckon the notes on the FITA site make it pretty clear:

Guaging is not illegal, unless it is done in the wrong way. The Judges at the weekend (at the Trial) agreed with this.

Basically the rule appears to be: as long as you look like you are shooting an arrow or going to shoot an arrow, and your equipment falls under the rules, then anything goes. I didn't have any trouble on the weekend using the bar on my sight at full draw as a refference to aid guaging. I just loaded an arrow and drew the bow with my index finger only (using a stan). That way there was little danger of me shooting an arrow and I could stay up and guage without any fear of what a judge may say.

Until a better rule is developed (such as getting rid of the arrow requirement, which is a little silly it must be said) then this one will do because it specifically allows guaging (particularly the scope method, or "circling" as they call it)

[Marcus]

I think I would like to keep the arrow in the bow as part of the rule, only for safety reasons. Just in case someone has their release go off or release rope break this prevent damage to the bow and competitors. However it's great they are being sensible about it all.

[James Park]

I much prefer to pull the bow back without an arrow, but using my gingers instead of the release device. I agree that it is not wise to use the release device with no arrow: have seen bows destroyed like that.