COMPETITION got underway at the World Field Archery Championships on Monday and so far the winner is Wagga.
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A mountain of work put in by Wagga Field Archers has Wokolena Range in outstanding condition for the five-day world class event.
The opening day’s competition saw about 525 archers from 16 different countries take part in the field round, that comprised of four courses with 28 targets each.
Sydney archer Chuck Szanto is a regular visitor to Wokolena Range and said it is the perfect venue to host competitors from around the world.
“I love it, it’s one of the best,” Szanto said.
“The actual courses are challenging, they’ve got one of the best areas to do ups, downs, straights, gullies, whatever you can think of, they can actually do here.”
Wagga is one of ‘about 11 or 12 clubs’ part of the Southern NSW F group that meet monthly to shoot at different venues.
Szanto said Wagga’s grounds are the envy of the rest of the state.
“Campbelltown Field Archers have only got one gully, the rest are all straight,” he explained.
“You’ve got Lithgow, which is really gullied out, which is another good venue to go to, but this place is the best.
“There is five ranges here so a lot of different ranges you can go and enjoy yourself in.”
Szanto has only been shooting for five years and has already established himself as one of the elite men’s freestyle competitors.
He has performed at the Pacific titles at Sale and also the national championships but is competing at the world championships for the first time.
A relaxed Szanto was taking a simple approach on Monday.
“As long as I go middle of the range, I’ll be happy,” he said.
Australian Bowhunters Association national president Mike White was on hand in Wagga to oversee the competition on Monday.
He said the World Field Archery Championships should be a real boon for Wagga.
“It’s certainly good for the town,” White said.
“You work it out, 500 people here for seven days that will keep going through.”
White said the opening day’s competition had started smoothly.
“So far it’s been good,” he said.
“The wet has caused us a few problems...it’s made it a bit harder...but it’s all going good.
“We’ve squeezed everyone into the camping area, which is good.”
Archers got underway at 9am and did not stop until about 5pm.
A large number of the 500 plus competitors will camp at Wokolena Range with the grounds a hive of activity.