Mana On Target: Tara Mackle - 1st Under16 Female re-curve in both the New Zealand Champs and Oceania Continental tournament. Tara also won the National award for the most improved Junior. Ben Drinkwater - 3rd U16 Male recurve in both the New Zealand Champs and Oceania Continental tournament (target) and 1st place in the field event.
In high spirits from earning national titles, Mana Archery is channelling their enthusiasm into fundraising for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. The NZ National Archery Championships wound up on 8 January and Mana Archery shook off a long slump to place well. ?It was a really great result for Mana, we had not had much success lately ? it has been a while between drinks. ?The result is great for starting competitive careers, it bodes well for the future,? says Mana Archery committee member David Willing. Club member Micky Gunn earned a second and third placing in the open women?s competition. The club?s resurgence has been spearheaded by Mrs Gunn?s enthusiasm and the talent of young shooters entering the fray. ?Micky Gunn shoots around 1000 arrows a week ? she has her sights set on Olympic and world championship events,? he says. Tara Mackle won the U16 Division in impressive form, and Ben Drinkwater is another up and coming shooter who performed well by coming third in the U16 Division and first in the field event, where he broke a national record. ?They seem committed to doing well in the future and practice hard, but most of all enjoying the sport. ?It was notable that as a club we had the best spirit at the National Competition,? says Mr Willing. Mana Archery was also the only Wellington Club to participate, and have produced Olympic shooters in the past. Club member Gordon Harris broke another national record by winning the NZ Veteran Men?s Division in the field, and coming second in the international division. The next item on Mana Archery Club?s agenda is a special event on 24 January, to raise funds for the Cancer Foundation.? The ?Mana Marathon? is a gruelling 12 hour shoot, with participation expected from archers around the Wellington region.? They cater for all levels of ability, and have scheduled a variety of shoots to take place throughout the day ? including novelty and 3D targets. ?We had the idea in early December that it would be a good idea, because most of the people in the club have been affected in some way by cancer,? Mr Willing says. The club is located on Prosser St, Elston, in Porirua, the ?Mana Marathon? runs from 8-8pm, 24 January.
