British Blind Sport Registered No. 271500

Archery

International Scene

There are some differences between domestic and international archery; in general these
differences are found in the IBSA rules as compared to GNAS rules. This international page is full of information, however should you have any questions please contact the Archery
Sports Section.

Included in this section are:

  1. IBSA International Rules
  2. IPC VI Rules
  3. BBS Selection Information and criteria for IBSA 1nternational events
  4. International Selection Scores
  5. Development Team selection including archers
  6. Selection Score Form

close up of competitor drawing back his bow

close up of competitor drawing back his bow

1.    IBSA International Rules

If an international archery event is hosted by IBSA and a BBS selected team competes it will compete under the IBSA rules, as follow:

1. GENERAL RULES

2. ELIGIBILITY

3. CLASSIFICATION

For Archery, a sport-specific classification of B1, B2 and B3 to be based solely on acuity. An additional “VI Open” competition class to be available for those who satisfy the general rules of IBSA classification by virtue of field-of-vision.

4. MODIFICATIONS AND EQUIPMENT
Archery
Tactile sighting devices,

5 BOW SIGHT. A BOW SIGHT ATTACHED TO THE RIDER OF THE BOW

6 TACTILE SIGHT ADJUSTMENT

7 AREA TAKEN UP BY TACTILE SIGHTING DEVICE AND FOOT LOCATORS

8 ALIGNMENT ON SHOOTING LINE

9 SPOTTERS LINE

10 APPROACHING THE TARGET

11 EQUIPMENT MUST CONFORM TO FITA RULES. (ART. 7.3.1.) EXCEPTING THOSE OF SIGHTING AIDS AND ADAPTATIONS IN THE IBSA VI INTERNATIONAL RULES 4 AND 5.

12 ROUNDS TO BE SHOT AT INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS.

13 SHOOTING CATEGORIES. 

14 SPOTTING
A VI archer shall be permitted to have a person acting as a spotter. A spotter is a person designated to assist a vision impaired archer.

15 VIABLE SIGHT AND SHOOTING CATEGORIES.
Any sight or shooting category using any of the agreed methods of shooting and sight categories at International level must compose of at least three competitors (i.e. three B2/3 female tactile) to have a viable competitive category.

16. TEAM MANAGER 
Each national contingent will be technically managed by a Team Manager, registered with his/her national association. He/she will be held responsible for his/her archers and spotters in official IBSA competitions.

17. COMPETITION VENUE AND TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT
The archery centre or field selected for any IBSA sanctioned competition must agree to: 

18. PENALTIES

19. PROTESTS

20. PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING 

2.  IPC VI Rules

If an international archery event is hosted by the IPC, a team will be selected by GNAS, and the IPC rules, as follow, will apply:

  1. All archers who have a current IBSA international sight classification may take part.
  2. There will be one class for men and one for women.
  3. All archers will wear blindfolds and will, therefore, shoot with a tactile sight.
  4. Archers may shoot either recurve or compound bows within the same class, the latter being shot with either fingers or release aid.
  5. The rounds to be shot outdoors will be either the VI International round (with all arrows being shot at 30 metres, 36 on a 60cm face, 36 on a 80 cm face, 36 on an 80 cm face and 36 on a 122 cm face) or the VI Ranking round (with all arrows being shot at 30 metres, 72 arrows on an 80 cm face). Head to heads will be shot on the 80 cm face. Indoors, the round will be 60 arrows at 18 metres on a 60 cm face with the head to heads being shot on a 60cm face.
  6. As with other classes, records will be kept for scores shot at IPC approved or sanctioned events.
  7.  Spotting
    A VI archer shall be permitted to have a person acting as a spotter. A spotter is a person designated to assist a vision impaired archer.
    The spotter can assist the VI archer to set up the sighting aid by adjusting it in any way, before and up to the whistle/buzzer which denotes the start of scoring arrows.
    The spotter will be responsible for checking and informing the VI archer of safety issues.
    The spotter must stand on the spotter’s line which is situated 1 metre behind the shooting line.
    Once the scoring arrows have begun; the spotter may only relate the strike of each arrow on the boss. No other information, (except safety warnings) may be given. This must be done in a quiet manner so as not to disturb fellow archers on the shooting line.
    When the archer has a hearing impairment, the spotter may step forward to a closer proximity to the archer so that they can relate the strike of the arrow. The spotter must then immediately move back to the spotter’s line, until the strike of the next arrow, and so on.
    The spotter must not coach or give any advice on shooting, whilst the archer is on the shooting line, except during practice, and between scoring ends. There will be no conversation between the archer and their spotter whilst they are between the waiting and shooting line. Breach of this rule could result in the archer being disqualified.
    The archer must adjust their own sighting devices during scoring ends.  Spotters may only adjust the sighting devices between scoring ends. When the archer has completed their scoring end, the spotter, with or without the archer, must stand behind the waiting line.
    If the archer wishes to remain on the shooting line, he/she must pass their bow to the spotter. This will demonstrate to the judge/official that the archer has completed his/her end of arrows.
    To avoid congestion on the spotter’s or shooting line, only the judges, allocated officials, VI archers and their dedicated spotters will be allowed in front of the waiting line at any time during the competition arrows.
    The archer and their spotter must be recognizable as partners. The archer’s target number will be made available and be worn by both the archer and their spotter.

3.    BBS Selection Information and criteria for IBSA 1nternational events

  1. The qualifying scores for VIIR1 (Burntwood FITA equivalent) round and / or the Burntwood 1 (York equivalent) are given below and will be used as part of the selection criteria to select teams for International competition.
  2. The qualifying scores for the Indoor Portsmouth round and / or the FITA 18 rounds are given below and will be used as part of the selection criteria to select teams for International competition.
  3. The methods of sighting allowed for International competition will be tactile (back of the hand), sonic and bow sight.
  4. For archers to achieve selection, they must forward scores to the Records Officer within 28 days of the respective event and ensure that their score sheets are validated accordingly.  The Score sheet / Result sheet and required form must be submitted to the Records Officer (record claim and/or selection claim forms are available from the Records Officer and Website). The scores to be used in selection will be those shot at competition in the previous season up to the time of selection.
  5. It is required that to meet the criteria scores from up to 3 rounds are taken into consideration. A BBS National Championships round is required unless a valid reason for non-attendance can be provided.
  6. If an archer provides more than three qualifying scores then that archer will have greater consideration than an archer providing fewer qualifying scores.
  7. If archers wish to be considered for selection, they, and their Spotter are expected to attend all B.B.S. arranged events including Squad Training, unless a valid reason for non-attendance can be provided.
  8. Archers must be full participating members of B.B.S. and be in receipt of a valid sight classification form and I.B.S.A. card.
  9. Archers should have competed in at least 1 and preferably more B.B.S. National Archery Championships (1 indoor or 1 outdoor).
  10. It is required that each archer who wishes to be selected should have their own dedicated Spotter. Where this is not possible a Spotter can be recommended by the Committee. Clause 17 and 18 applies.
  11. A dedicated spotter is defined as one who is experienced or knowledgeable regarding the Rules of Shooting and Spotters Rules, and one who “usually” spots for an archer and has done so for at least 12 months.
  12. An archer (who for whatever reason requires an additional escort) will be responsible for the total cost of that escort, regardless of whether B.B.S. funding is available or not.
  13. In clause 12, it assumes that there are sufficient places available to enable additional persons to be taken.
  14. The number of officials, i.e. those not acting as Spotters, will be determined by the size of the team and / or duration of the event, and / or the availability of places. (Associated guidelines apply).
  15. It is inevitable that some archers will be disappointed. Therefore it is up to each archer to provide as many scores over and above the scores achieved at any B.B.S. National Championship and demonstrate they have knowledge of the Rules Of Shooting and Spotters Rules.
  16. A deadline for attending an International event will be given and any names and / or deposits will have to be received by that deadline. Refunds will only be given should a valid reason be given for any withdrawals.
  17. Funding secured by B.B.S. will be allocated to budget. Individuals are expected to pay 25% of their travel costs.
  18. Should funding not be available from B.B.S. then an estimate of the actual costs will be provided. Those archers who have been selected will be responsible for their own, and their spotters / escort costs if they still wish to attend the event
  19. Spotters must also be individual members of B.B.S. to receive B.B.S. funding.
  20. The selected team announced will be final. Any archer (or other) wishing to challenge the team selection, or their own, will have the right to appeal in writing to the committee.

4. International Selection Scores

INDOOR SELECTION CRITERIA FOR PORTSMOUTH ROUND

INDOOR SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THE FITA 18 ROUND

 

DISCIPLINE 1 SCORE 2 SCORES 3 SCORES
Tactile sighting device
Female B1  160 125 100
Male B1  185 150 125
Female B2/B3  235 200 175
Male B2/B3  260 225 200
VI Open, all shooting methods
RECURVE
Female  335 300 275
Male  360 325 300
COMPOUND
Female  360 325 300
Male  385 350 325

 

SELECTION SCORES FOR THE V.I.I.R. (FITA) OR BURNTWOOD 1 (YORK).

 

DISCIPLINE 1 SCORE 2 SCORES 3 SCORES
Tactile sighting device
Female B1 435 400 375
Male B1  460 425 400
Female B2/B3  560 525 500
Male B2/B3  585 550 525
VI Open, all shooting methods
RECURVE
Female  1000 900 850
Male  1025 925 875
COMPOUND
Female  1025 925 875
Male  1050 950 900

 

These scores to be shot at record status tournaments . The relevant verification of the scores, in conjunction with the claim form (available from the BBS records officer) should then be forwarded (within 28 days of the event) to the BBS records officer, David Poyner, 36 Barkers Lane, Sale, Cheshire, M33  6RG, Tel. No. 0161 2829524, e-mail records@bbsarchery.org.uk

Archers must have been  participating BBS members for two years and comply with all of the BBS archery selection criteria policy. (copy available from the records officer)

The score levels required, may be adjusted when deemed necessary.

 

5. Development Team selection including archers

This should be set out differently from the above because not all of the top scoring archers have the skills or willingness to promote archery at all levels. These people should be selected more from those who are able to promote BBS and V.I. archery, but not necessarily the top scoring archers.

The development team spends much of their own time, energy and money to promote the sport to all visually impaired and develop the sport from grassroots to International level.

The selection of a team to attend a development event should still continue to be carried out by the committee.  The views of members of the Development Team will be sought, but as stated above this type of team might not be selected on scores, but on who is able to act as a good ambassador for the sport.

The committee along with members of the Development Team have knowledge of the people necessary to move towards our goals (some having been achieved already)

 

Compiled                   Feb 2003
Revised                      Oct 2003
Revised                      Apr 2004

Revised                      July 2004

Revised                      Oct 2005
Checked                     Apr 2006

 

6.   Selection Score Form

BBS Archery Selection Score

Archer’s Name:….

GNAS number:….

BBS number:….

Spotter’s Name:…

Date and venue of event:..

Title of Event:…

 

Round:..

If Burntwood, faces used:

Score:..

Bowtype:..

Tactile  or bowsight:…

Visually Impaired Sight Category:…..

Signature:….

Date claim submitted….

This claim form MUST be accompanied by verification of this score.  This will be a signed score sheet and/or or a published results list, from a GNAS county shoot or better.
This must be sent to the Records Officer within 28 days of the event.  Otherwise the score will not be recorded.
The only rounds for selection are: V.I.I.R., Burntwood (1)York, Portsmouth or 18metre FITA.

Records Officer:
David Poyner
29 Dargle Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 7FN
Phone: 0161-282-9524
Email: records@bbsarchery.org.uk

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