Competition Categories and Divisions
A complete guide to divisions based on bow type, age group and competition format.
Division by Bow Type
In each archery competition, participants are separated based on the type of bow used to ensure fair competition. Widely recognized major divisions include:
- Recurve: Olympic standard division with full aiming accessories.
- Compound:Very high precision pulley bow division.
- Standard Bow (National): Special beginner division or national coaching level (typical wooden riser).
- Barebow: A division of recurve bows without aiming aids.
- Traditional / Horsebow: Division of bows without an arrow rest, often using the thumb draw technique.
Age Groups
To support the development of athletes from an early age, competitions are usually divided into certain age groups according to PERPANI and World Archery standards:
- U-9 & U-12 (Pre-Beginner): Focus on introduction to technique and close range.
- U-15 (Beginner): Level of preparation for competitive athletes.
- U-18 (Cadet) & U-21 (Junior): Achievement category for potential young athletes.
- Public/General (Open): Category open to all ages, usually attended by elite athletes.
- Master: Special category for senior participants (usually aged 40 or 50 years and above).
Gender & Team Category
In addition to bow and age divisions, matches are also divided by gender and team composition:
- Individual (Men/Women): Individual competition.
- Team: Consists of 3 archers of the same gender and bow division.
- Mixed Team: Consists of 1 boy and 1 girl in the same bow division.
Competition Format
At archeris.net, our system supports two main match formats:
- Qualification: The round of determining the total score to determine the initial ranking. Usually consists of 2 sessions (36 arrows each).
- Elimination (Competition): Knockout system (bracket) where archers compete one on one until the final round.
Some events may have unique category names (for example: "Primary Grades 1-3" or "Internal Club"). Always check the Technical Handbook details of the event you are participating in via archeris.net before registering.