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Da Pozzo hits the bullseye
By Barry Rollings
Volume 49, No. 18, October 04, 2007 |
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READY, AIM: CPL Adrian Da Pozzo from the Office of the Provost Marshal – Air Force recently won the ACT Indoor Archery Championship with a score of 517 out of 600 points.
Photo by LAC Aaron Curran |
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ON TARGET: CPL Adrian Da Pozzo from the Office of the Provost Marshal – Air Force was surprised to win the recent ACT Indoor Archery Championships after being disappointed with his score.
Photo by LAC Aaron Curran |
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It was more with an air of resignation than frustration that CPL Adrian Da Pozzo took his bow and arrows and went home from the recent ACT Indoor Archery Championships.
CPL Da Pozzo, who works for the Office of Provost Marshal – Air Force, WGCDR Michael Oliver, was convinced that his 517 from 600 points would not win him a place, let alone the title.
Imagine his surprise when, three days later, he was contacted by the organisers to tell him that he had won.
“I was very disappointed with my score, and was amazed that I might have even placed,” CPL Da Pozzo said.
“About 45 of the best archers from the ACT, NSW and Victoria went head to head trying to hit small ‘faces’ as big as a saucer at 18m under spotlights, staged indoors by the Weston Club at the Slovenian Club in Woden.
“Each archer shoots 60 arrows, which breaks down into three arrows per end, with one arrow aimed at three different small targets set up on your target board. You had only two minutes to shoot each lot of three.
“Indoor archery is very different from outdoor shooting because of the lighting, the air and humidity inside. Each target is illuminated with a spotlight and concentration is pretty intense because any movement could cause a miss and ruin your chances.”
CPL Da Pozzo appreciates the great support he has received from WGCDR Oliver to allow him the time to pursue his chosen sport.
The state championships were leading up to the Australian Indoor Archery Championships and the World Indoor Archery Championships in LasVegas in the US.
CPL Da Pozzo hopes to progress to both.
He joined the Canberra Archery Club in 1974 and won gold in his first Australian championships at 14.
“I believe the most difficult part of archery is stamina, concentration and patience,” he said.
“Indoor archery has been around for some time in Australia and on the international scene, but like most sports, it takes one person to make it happen.
In Canberra, that person was Anthony James.
Anthony staged the Australian Masters in 2003, which I won, and kept the local season going for Canberra archers. That has been a huge success.
“When competing indoors, you have to contend with air, humidity and light, which can affect your eyesight and concentration.
Outdoors, you have to contend with nature and her elements, and that can be very daunting.
“I prefer target archery because you are outside with the elements. The conditions can and do change at the drop of a hat, which proves whether all your training has paid off.
“I use the same sort of bow at both events; the only difference is that outdoor shooting requires more poundage – 40lbs plus to reach long distances such as 90m.
Indoors, you need to use only about 30lbs to reach the 18m.” |
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