It seems as an appropriate time as any to eulogize the 90 meter distance in archery.

In the interest of advancing archery to a wider audience, several changes have been implemented by World Archery and adopted by USA Archery and other WA affiliates. WA has changed the multiple distance format for competitions,  to a single distance for recurve and compound archers. Recurve archers now shoot 70 meters and compound archers shoot 50 meters.

While everyone in the sport wants archery to have a wider reach, some of the changes may not have had the intended results. Eliminating 90 meters is one change that may have a negative impact on the sport.

It is a fact that the compound bow is a more accurate shooting platform, for a couple of reasons. 1) The mechanical advantage the system affords via cams and wheels. 2) Mechanical releases allowed in compound bow competitions. So why have the more accurate shooting system compete at a shorter distance?

While shooting at 50 meters, the compound game is very closely aligned with shooting the compound bow indoors; which is a game of not missing. The elite shooters rarely miss indoors and very seldom miss outdoors. For the casual spectator this is a boring activity. (Let me know when someone misses.) I’m sure the intent was to create tension around not missing the middle, but even those of us who love the sport, find that tension to be largely missing. (Unless of course you are in the match.)

90 meters always separated the cream. Even elite compound bow archers had some fairly significant group dispersion at 90 meters. Add a bit of wind and it increased the difficulty factor by some magnitude. It was easy for the observer to note who was great, from those who were good. Spectators paid more attention to the proceedings because there was likely to be an arrow that could change an outcome, every end.

One of the fairly hollow arguments for adopting 50 meters v 90 meters for compound bows was a lack of space. Almost every soccer pitch could accommodate the distance.

Now most event planners around the country have eliminated 90 meters, as well as the 4 distance format which dominated the sport for decades. And who can blame them? Tournament directors want to prepare archers for championship tournaments, which all adhere to the norms of WA.

I do believe many of the rules changes have been positive for archery. The set format for recurve bows is positive and has made the sport more exciting and view-able. The 50 meter compound round has not accomplished what the sport’s governing body wants, which is excitement, view-abitly and a bit of uncertainty, which makes spectators want to watch!

Well who knows, perhaps WA will continue to evaluate the way compounds compete and change their minds. But for now, RIP 90 meters, your death has left a hole in the sport.