Varsity Archery Cambridge 3417
Oxford 3187 In ideal conditions on the backs of St. John’s College,
Cambridge, Oxford University Company of Archers put on a strong
performance on Saturday in the 55th Varsity match. After six
successive defeats by a consistently tough Cambridge team, and
having lost two of last year’s three half blues, Oxford were
always the underdogs, but the addition of Lincoln first year
Christopher Buckingham as well as comprehensive coaching from
Ollie Holt meant competition would still be intense. Indeed, until the fourth dozen the teams were fairly evenly
matched, but soaring scores from Cambridge’s James Keogh and
Pamela Custance-Baker soon began to take their toll. Keogh’s
score of 888 headed a Cambridge team in which all four archers
achieved scores of over 800, all with fifty or more golds, and
this left them with a team total of 3417, only a few points off
the Varsity record. Oxford, however, could certainly not be accused of lack of
endeavour. Chris Buckingham finished as third gentleman with 831,
and Antje Frotscher and Catherine Roberts won second and third
lady respectively. Their scores, combined with that of fourth
team member Geoffrey Hyett, beat last year’s winning score
but were still just too far off the pace. Oxford’s novices
fared little better, trailing the Tabs by almost 800 points,
despite a superb performance by Matthew Read, who finished ninth
overall. Despite another loss, Oxford can thus be proud of their
contribution to what is believed to be the highest combined score
ever recorded at Varsity. The team’s intensive training in
mental as well as physical stamina meant that everyone very much
fulfilled their potential, and the magnitude of their score,
beaten only by a remarkable Cambridge achievement, reflects their
obvious improvements in both skill and morale. With similar
improvements over the next year, eight consecutive defeats can be
avoided.ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004
Cambridge stay on target
