The tournament was set up on three grass covered fields just east of downtown Colorado Springs and only a couple of blocks from the OTC.

• Main Field with 64 targets, shooting north. (Senior, Master and Junior Categories)

• JOAD/ Cross bow field with over 20 targets shooting north. (Bowman, Cub and Cadet plus Crossbows)

• Practice/Cloud Field shooting east.

Rumor has it that another field will be improved in the Colorado Springs area for next year's National Target Championship. The tournament set up was what you would expect for a National Championship.

• Country and State Flags.

• Ample parking.

• Ample registrations and vending tent space.

• Ample spectators area.

• Ample archers water, chairs, canopies, etc.

• Ample Judges and officials.

• Ample port-o-lets, convenient to most.

• Tournament Tee shirt.

Almost 400 competed.

Archers from nine Countries took part.

Next year the National Target Championship will be a world ranking tournament.

Tournament Host was the National Archery Association and assisted by:

• Brad Camp, Executive Director

• Tom Green, Tournament Director

• Marty Swanson  Chairman of Judges

• Lance Van Natta, Field crew chief

• Many NAA staff and volunteers.

Sunday, Practice Day:

• Practice day is the first of many full days of archery.

• Variable winds from light to medium intensity.

• Temp in the 70s degrees F in the morning to the low 90s by late afternoon under a bright sun.

• Typical equipment check in.

• Typical practice with lots of socialization.

• All tried to figure out what the weather will mean for three years of the Championships will be held in Colorado Springs.

The National Clout Championship took place in the afternoon.

• It is a simple shoot with the judges running the competition with a stop watch and flags.

• The only disappointment is that more did not take advantage for the opportunity to shoot clout.

• Now that the Championship is in the west, “Westerners” need to learn about Clout shooting, practice and get out there and compete for the Clout National Championship!

• The same goes for Crossbow and Traditional, westerner need to take advantage of the National Championship being in the west for the next couple years.

• Arizonan Jim Hamilton competed in his 33rd US Clout National Championship and won his division.

Monday, first scoring day:

• Typical first arrow jitters by the archer, judges and tourney host.

• Men's recurve, women’s compound shot in the AM under ideal conditions until a breezes came in for the last two ends.

• An equipment failure and medical delay put the tournament behind schedule.

• Mid-day Opening Ceremony:

• A mounted (equestrian) Calvary galloped in thunderously and presented the colors at the opening ceremonies followed by an in person national anthem soloist.

• Brad Camp introduced representatives from the USOC, Colorado Spring Sports, and the City of Colorado Springs who welcomed the archers and offered their support and encouragement.

• NAA President Darrel Pace opened the tournament..

• To the veteran tournament goers the Championship set up seemed typical.

• But the shear number of archers and numerous categories (JOADs, Crossbow, Barebow, AR, seniors, Masters, Guests) make it a very tough job to manage.

• Every thing from target assignments to leader boards, to score keeping becomes a much more complicated.

• Men's compound and women’s recurve shot in the PM with winds, gusting 10-15 mph, and intense sun did take a toll on the pace.

• Tomorrow, those that shot in the AM will shoot in the PM and those that shot in PM will shoot in the AM.

Tuesday, long distances:

• 8:00 to 1:00 PM, Men’s compound and women’s recurve shot in the AM with temperatures in the 70s and 80s and  gusty breezes developed at the end of the first distance and persisted during the 2nd distance.

• 1:30 to 6:30 PM, Men's recurve, women’s compound shot in the PM under variable conditions including sprinkles and some very stiff cross winds for three ends at the shortest distance. In spite of the afternoon winds some very respectable performances were turned in for the “first fita”.

Wednesday: The “Second FITA, Long Distances:

• Compound Men, Women Recurve AM

• They had relatively nice weather for the first distance with some winds.

• The second distance winds were a factor as they swirled from a head wind to cross wind to tail wind and back again.

• Temperatures were nice in the 80s.

• Recurve Men, Women Compound PM.

• This group started with winds gusty from 5 to 10 mph and ended the day with gusts over 20 mph.

• Thunderstorm circled the field and the winds changed directions just as they did in the AM.

• The temperature ranged from the 90s during the first distance to the 70s with a wind chill in the 60 during the last few ends.

• Lightning also circled the field until a ½ hour after the last end when lighting and rain arrived and the field quickly left for the shelter.

Thursday, Second FITA Short Distances, Final FITA day.

• The morning weather was brutal for the Men’s recurve and Women’s compound with heavy winds and a steady rain.

• Pass throughs delayed the tourney end after end.

• The PM line had their share of rain and wind delays of the morning.

• As the result the last arrows were shot in near darkness around 8 PM.

• All were soaked at the close of the National Championship.

• Arizonans achieved some great National Championship results.

1. Robyn Repp, Cadet Compound Champion

2. Annette Gorelik, Cadet Recurve 3rd Place

3. Brady Ellison, Junior Compound 2nd Place

4. April Witt, Junior Compound, top 10 finish

5. Ashley Votruba, Junior Compound, top 10 finish, ASU Freshman.

6. Mollie Moore, Junior Recurve, top 10 finish

7. Lindsay Pian, Junior Recurve Champion, ASU Freshman

8. Joy Fahrenkrog, Senior Recurve, top 10 finish.

9. Faun Baumgartner, Senior Recurve, top 20 finish

10. Robert Asay, Master 50+ Compound, 5th Place

11. Robert Kortan, Master 50+ Compound 2nd Place

12. Stewart Bowman, Master 50+ Compound Champion

13. Wayne Davidson, Master 60+ Champion

14. Denise Lake, Senior Compound, qualified in the top 64 to took part in the US Open.

15. Ted Harden, ASU, competed in the very competitive Men’s Senior Recurve division.

16. Arizona/Texas A&M Jessica Grant, Senior Compound 3rd place.

17. And Jim Hamilton happily took part.

18. Let me know if there were other Arizonans that took part and their results.

Friday, the US Open:

• US and foreign archer all take part in the US Open Olympic elimination rounds.

• Olympic Games announcer, George Tekmitchov, called the medal matches.

• Master 50+, Seniors and Juniors that shoot 70 meters are eligible.

• Lots of Arizonans made it deep into the ORs against the best US archer and some of the world best archers:

• The US Open awards ceremony took place on the field immediately following the matches with each winners countries flag displayed and the playing of the gold medalist countries national anthem.

• The last official event was the award banquet held under at big top type tent set up in the parking lot immediately adjacent to the main field. The banquet goers pre-paid  $15 for the chicken and beef bbq meal. Brad Camp announced the National and Guest categories Champion and second and third place finishers with awards presented by a multiple NAA board members.

• The evening closed with Kathy Miller leading the group in the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” a nice tradition.

• All that I met at the tourney are looking forward to two more years of the National Target Championships in Colorado Springs.

Suggestions for next time.

1. Provide a practice target at each FITA distance immediately adjacent to the tournament field that can be used for speedy equipment failure adjustments.

2. Locate accessible port-o-lets closer to disabled archers.

3. Offer collegiate division ranked results.

4. Provide an LED computer driven leader board display.

5. Utilize an automated timing display and horn system with a display at each end of the field.

6. Announce the guest archer’s country during the awards presentation.

7. Include the word “Archery”’ on the tee shirt.

8. List the name of a convenient 24 hour medical clinic for guests that need no emergency medical attention.

9. Invite vendors/information booths as a service to the archers, supporters and spectators. (Sales, JOAD committee, Collegiate leadership, Judges, NADA, Visitors and tourist info.)

Long range improvements goals.

1. Provide spectator bleachers at the medal match area.

2. Offer seminars as a service to the archers and judges.

3. Provide for an NAA, BOG, and archery community informal discussion and Q and A session before the BOG meeting to encourage communication and the voicing of ideas.

4. If a large number of international team commit early, offer team rounds on Saturday after the US Open.

5. Provide lodging, meals and transportation packages for international and collegiate archers.

6. Provide a video crew and video display screen (Jumbotron)

7. If a large number of international teams take part, provide entertainment, dancing and adult beverages after the awards banquet.

If you go…

1. Be prepared to shoot in 100 degree weather as well as temps in the 50 with rain.

2. Again bring rain gear including waterproof footwear.

3. Drink lots of fluids, the low humidity can dry you out quickly.

4. Wear sun screen, the high altitude means that the sun is more intense than at sea level.

5. Allow for time to visit the sights of Colorado Springs; the OTC, Pikes Peak, Cave of the Winds, Outlet mall, and more.

6. Look forward to a world ranking quality tournament.