NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Monty Vander Westhizen sizes up his target down range in the final day of competition for the 3D Provincial Archery tournament held by the Medicine Hat Archery Club at the Cypress Centre. Vander Westhizen belongs to the MedHat Archery Club and finished in first place of the male Longbow category.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat shooters cleaned up at the Indoor 3D Provincial Championships held at the Cypress Centre over the weekend.
There were 135 athletes who had results at the three-day event. Shooters gained points by hitting certain rings on targets emulating commonly hunted animals like deer, elk, turkey, etc.
Fifteen members of the Medicine Hat Archery Club placed top three in their class, with six taking first place. Each class differed in the types of bows used, from compound bows typically used for modern hunting to longbows that resemble the bow Robin Hood used.
Monty Van der Westhuizen of Medicine Hat, finished in first place of the male longbow class. His wife Ilse Van der Westhuizen, also took first in the long bow class, winning the female side.
The other four first-place finishes from the Med Hat club were Bob Kawaza, who took first in the traditional male class, Angel Svennes was first in the known female class, Erica Knelsen won the pre-cub female class and Kasidee Knelsen finished first in the cub traditional female class.
Three Hat archers took second and four local shooters finished in third place. Sergiy Gavryloy took second in the male barebow class, Jemah Knelsen finished second in pre-cub female and Venice Rayner was second place in the cub compound female class.
Kelsey Knelsen was third in the compound fixed pin male class and Matt Piotrowski finished in the three spot of the male hunter category.
Tyler and Shawn Odland both took third place, Tyler in cub compound male and Shawn in the cadet compound male class.
Keaton Knelsen participated in the peewee class and Parisa Ryan shot in the junior known female class.
Before this weekend’s competition, the last 3D provincials were held in 2020, also in Medicine Hat.
Medicine Hat Archery Club president Dan David, who was the reigning provincial champion but could not compete this weekend due to an elbow injury, said they are always welcoming new members and they multiple programs to offer anyone interested.
“We have a youth program, adult lessons, a target league, a 3D league and two ranges. An indoor range and an outdoor range, we have a lot of facility,” David said.
