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Ilrich,<br>
<br>
I really can not rememebr the last time I was at a torunament and they
told me that a Tournament was a "Royal Round" or that an individual
round in the tournament was a "Royal Round". If you are at such a
tournament then you should certainly be allowed to shoot from any
position during that portion of the shoot so that your score can be
submitted.<br>
<br>
Someone saying it will be an "open" or "Open Division" doesn't usually
mean that it will be a royal round or any other Royal Round rules will
apply. It means that any SCA legal equipment will be allowed and maybe
that they will use 60CM FITA targets.<br>
<br>
If you are shooting a true "Royal Round" or IKAC and you are not
allowed to shoot from any position then thats a violation of the rules.<br>
<br>
If you are shooting in anything else please respect the wishes and
rules of the tournament organizers. If the tournament organizers feel
that sitting, kneeling, whatever gives you an unfair advantage then
they will likely ask you to stand. It's a call that each tournament
organizer can make.<br>
<br>
This past spring I won the crossbow division at Stargate and I made
every shot from a kneeling position. There was a couple of other folks
who shot kneeling as well and nobody thought it was odd, unusual, or
unfair becuase it was a separate crossbow division.<br>
<br>
I am no more tired at the end of a Royal Round shooting a 90# crossbow
that I am a 40# bow. Drawing a bow uses a very small set of muscles
across the back that are typically pretty weak because we dont use them
much for anything else. Drawing a bow requires us to draw smoothly
through about a 20 inch power stroke. Unless you are a purely
instinctive shooter (and there are very few in SCA target archery)
after you have drawn the bow the same set of muscles are use to hold
the bow anchored at full draw and help hold it steady while you aim.<br>
<br>
Drawing a crossbow uses a much larger set of muscles that are much more
frequently used and better developed. The chest, arms, torso, and even
legs are used depending on how the person braces their bow. A crossbow
is typically only drawn through about a 10" power stroke and can be
done quickly without worrying about being smooth and fluid. If the
crossbowman wants he can even use a goats foot lever, a windlass, or a
crannequinn to cock his crossbow for him. Once the crossbow is cocked
the crossbowman can take all the time in the world for his shot as he
is only having to hold the few pounds of the physical weight of the
crossbow and does not have to hold the draw weight of the bow. He can
take his time to get the bolt position on the crossbow just right, make
sure that his bolt clip is just right, that any sight is just right,
that the crossbow is anchored on his shoulder or cheek just right, and
hold and hold and hold until everything is perfect without having to
support the draw weight of that spanned crossbow.<br>
<br>
Crossbow and handbows are different styles of shooting. Both take
practice and skill to do well but they are different. The SCA is the
only place I know of where crossbows are ever allowed to compete
against/with handbows. Crossbows are allowed in NAA, IBO, etc. but
they never shoot directly against bows. Heck even where crossbows are
allowed as hunting weapons they are typically not allowed in the
regular bow season. <br>
<br>
We allow crossbows in the SCA but no competition organizer is required
to allow them in his competition. When a competition organizer allows
the single crossbow that shows up to compete in the same tournament
against the 20 bows that show up I think that he/she is being terribly
inclusive and going out of their way to accomodate the crossbowman and
I think not unreasonable to in return ask that crossbowman to stand
just like all the other archers.<br>
<br>
More crossbow only competitions or separate crossbow divisions need to
be organized so that crossbows are shooting against crossbows. The you
shouldn't have this discussion.<br>
<br>
Or perhaps we write a line in our kingdom rules that simply says that
crossbows may not compete directly against handbows. Then this problem
is solved for good and either separate crossbow divisions show up in
competitions (when there are enough crossbowmen that show up to make a
separate division worthwhile) or crossbows dont get used at all.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
-- <br>
<font size="+1">HL Eadric Anstapa</font><br>
DSEM CA<br>
<a href="mailto:eadric@scabrewer.com"><i>eadric@scabrewer.com</i></a><br>
<br>
<br>
David Ruff wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid20050702061027.42180.qmail@web61011.mail.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
<div>Wow.... impressive....</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ok i will just spell it out since what i wrote was taken as
raving....</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong>When Championships in this area are quoted to follow
open royal round rules then i am going to follow the rules... <u><font
color="#ff0000">when NEW rules are included that directly conflict
with the rules i was told to folllow</font></u> i am going to ask
WHY.... <u>I WILL question it.</u></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>If im told "becuase i said" - sorry - not cutting it...... I
don't care WHO it comes from - i will ask until it is understood in my
pea sized brain.....<br>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Now if that offends you and that is a rant and rave to you, i am
sorry for taking up your band.....</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It REALLY seems to me that the archery community is a club...
you step outside the clubs thinking and your dirt... you think outside
the box and attempt to change things or bring new iseas to the club -
your dirt.... I AM TIRED of it and really feel sorry for those that
seem to follow eachother as blind mice. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I sure the heck know better then to EVER bring up ideas and
questions to ANYONE around here from here on in.... It gets you called
out in open forum, yelled at, insulted and deemed as a trouble
maker.... Good luck to you......</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ulrich</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
</blockquote>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature"><a href="mailto:eadric@scabrewer.com"><i></i></a>
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