Minor disability

wingate_52

Active member
Having damaged a finger, snapped tendon. With the possibility of a permanantly bent middle finger on my right (drawing) hand. I may not be able to clear the string on release. Can I shoot in competitions using a compound release aid with a D-loop on my recurve. What alternatives are there? Compound?
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
Try shooting a left handed recurve, that is if you really want to continue shooting recurve.
Otherwise compound is the way to go. If a tendon has snapped then I would go for a wrist release until you are absolutely sure that your finger is up to a hand held release.
 

targetpin

New member
Ironman
Wait until you are sure that the injury will have an effect. Then have a chat with the archery society you are with about shooting with a aid in the recurve class. Else it the other hand for you :-( or worst compound :)
 

missing fletch

New member
minor dissability

hi i,ve had a similar injury to my shooting finger . after 6 weeks of shooting using only two fingers, i returned to shooting with a mallet finger & have been shooting as good as before the injury so i would say try it & see how you get on.
 

GoneBad

Member
Hi
There's a guy in my club who has a missing middle finger on his string hand.
He uses a Soma Saker tab with the hook for his pinkie. He says the hook gives him a better feel on the draw.
Also, if it is just a tendon that's gone, you finger should still be floppy enough for the string to push out of the way. Isn't that supposed to be the perfect release, fingers hooked round the string, then release all tension to allow the string to push all 3 fingers out of the way
 

UKLongbow

New member
Damaged finger

Hi there, sorry to hear about the accident, Not sure about GNAS. but I would imagine there are ways around it.
There is a class in EFAA where you can shoot with a thumb release and historic bow, also, where you can shoot recurve with 3 fingers under.
I hope the injury isnt permanent but I would suggest contacting both the EFAA and NFAS secretary's and asking them. they will have a better understanding of the rules .
Good Luck

Roger
 

wingate_52

Active member
I have another 2 months of wearing the splint, before physio. I see the plastic surgeon on tuesday. I would rather shoot copound than switch hands, I have an eye problem that I have spent a lot of money on. Compound is tempting, but what to do with my recurve and longbows? It may get better, and as commented above, it can still be done.
 

Wooks

New member
The answer to this question is no.
No mechanical release with a recurve.
Not got the actual rule to hand.
Sorry but you are wrong. Under FITA rule 6.7 page 139 of the new FITA rule book released on April 1st it states:
Release Aid:
Athletes with disabilities in the fingers of the string hand are allowed to use a mechanical release aid with a recurve bow
Any release aid may be attached to the wrist, elbow or shoulder, or held in the mouth
So the answer is yes you can use a release if your fingers are too disabled for you to grip the string. I hope you get your finger sorted and it doesn't affect your shooting too much
 

disbloke

New member
The rules in the FITA book take account of the fact that with FITA now running Para-Archery the rules have had to be modified to take this into account. The only way to be, officially, eligible to shoot using a release on a recurve bow would be for the person to have been classified with a disability. There is nothing though to stop you shooting unofficially and using one the only problem being that you would more than likely be ineligible for any awards. As an aside to this the norm within Para-Archery is those archers with classifiable loss of upper limb function shoot within the ARW1 class which is recurve-wheelchair(so lower limb dysfunction also)-recurve, but they are allowed to shoot a compound limited style, no peep or scope, but use a release aid. For those, like me, who have lower limb problems but the uppers aren't bad enough to classify, it's a case of shooting unlimited compound.

Hope your finger heals enough to allow you to shoot the style you want though!
 

Wooks

New member
But then they'd go into the disabled class wouldn't they when shooting at tournaments?
In my case being a lower limb disabled archer, the answer is yes. I've taken part in 5 indoor tournaments this winter and have been in the disabled archer class in all of them, and I've done quite well in all of them too!
All of the comps that I entered made it clear that there was a disabled class. But looking at some of the entry forms for some summer tournaments it's not clear as to whether they have a disabled class or not, so I think tournament organisers need to address this make it clear if they allow disabled archers to enter the comps!
 

disbloke

New member
In my case being a lower limb disabled archer, the answer is yes. I've taken part in 5 indoor tournaments this winter and have been in the disabled archer class in all of them, and I've done quite well in all of them too!
All of the comps that I entered made it clear that there was a disabled class. But looking at some of the entry forms for some summer tournaments it's not clear as to whether they have a disabled class or not, so I think tournament organisers need to address this make it clear if they allow disabled archers to enter the comps!
Every shoot is open to disabled archers, there is no need for the T.O. to state it on an entry. Most entry forms are now having a "do you have any special requirements" type of box, all you need do is give the details in there, it makes the T.O's job a lot easier for target allocation.
 
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