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The largest indoor archery tournament on the East Coast kicks off at noon Thursday, Jan. 27, when the first line commences shooting at the 2022 Lancaster Archery Classic.
Around 2,000 archers from all over the world are expected to compete at this year's Classic, being held at the massive Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Manheim, Pa.
This number includes nearly 500 young archers who are competing in the Easton Youth & Collegiate Trophy Tournament, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29-30. The Easton event is a separate tournament within the Classic that allows younger archers to get the full Classic experience for a fraction of the cost and time commitment.
Over $300,000 in cash and prizes are up for grabs at the Classic, including the top prize of $20,000 for the Open Pro champion. With contingency money added, the winner of that division could rake in up to $50,000 for the weekend.
The Classic is known as a tournament where the improbable is always possible, due to its unique format. Every archer will shoot a qualifying, 60-arrow round, where a perfect score is 660, since the X-ring counts as 11 points at the Classic.
(Only two perfect 660 rounds have ever been shot at the Classic. Both were shot in the Men's Open Pro division. One was by Reo Wilde in 2009 and the second was shot by Braden Gellenthien at the 2019 Classic.)
Following qualifications, archers are ranked within their respective 17 divisions, so that the top 64, 32 or 16 archers - depending on the division - can advance to head-to-head elimination matches. From those matches, the top eight or four archers from each division will advance to the finals shoot-up rounds.
The shoot-ups are held in a separate area, with spectator seating surrounding two spotlit stages, from which the archers compete. Every finals match will be broadcast live on the Lancaster Archery Supply YouTube channel.
The finals matches start with the lowest ranked archer competing against the next lowest ranked archer. The winner advances to shoot against the archer ranked just above them until someone competes against the top-ranked archer for the top prize.
At the 2019 Classic, Men's Open competitor Tim "The CEO" Hanley became the first archer in Classic history to enter the shoot-up finals as the No. 8 seed, and shoot his way to the title. Hanley's accomplishment proved what many archers love about the Classic, which is that you don't have to shoot perfect. You just have to shoot well enough to stay alive in the competition.
NEW FOR 2022
There are several new additions to the 2022 version of the Classic. Heading the list is the introduction of a new target for the shoot-up finals matches only. Those targets will include a high-risk, high-reward 12-point scoring ring that measures 1.5cm across. The 12-ring will be positioned below the center of the target, on the line separating the 7- and 8-point rings. So a miss will likely result in a score of either 7 or 8 points.
Archers must call the 12-ring before they shoot at it, and they can only call for it once per three-arrow end. Going for the 12 at least gives an archer a chance to make up lost ground or to try to seal a victory. This adds a new strategic element to the always-exciting Classic finals.
Also new this year are increased payouts in the Men’s Open, Bowhunter, Masters Open, Women’s Open and Senior Open divisions, the addition of a Women’s Masters Open division for female archers age 50 and older and additional shooting lines for both the Classic and the Youth and Collegiate Trophy Tournament.
The Youth and Collegiate Trophy Tournament will consist only of the 60-arrow round shot from the standard 18 meters at 40cm target faces. There will be no elimination rounds, with trophies going to each division’s first-place finisher, and medals being awarded to the top three archers in each division. Each age class will feature separate competition divisions for Open, Recurve and Barebow archers in both male and female classes. Since the Youth and Collegiate Trophy Tournament is shot Saturday and Sunday, archers who participate in this event also can compete in the full Classic of they want.
COVERAGE
Those who cannot attend the Classic can follow all the action from their phones or other devices anywhere in the world. Scores from qualifications and eliminations will be posted live through the Rcherz site here: https://bit.ly/3IkRqFD. Live scoring also can be followed during the Easton Youth and Collegiate Trophy Tournament here: https://bit.ly/3Ih6TGM
Video coverage of qualifications Thursday and Friday, and elimination matches on Saturday, can be found on the Lancaster Archery Supply YouTube Channel and Facebook page.
Video coverage of the final shoot-up matches Saturday and Sunday can be found on the Lancaster Archery Supply Facebook page, as well as the YouTube channel and the Lancaster Archery Classic homepage here.
(To view the finals coverage from the last Classic, check out the 2020 Classic playlist here: https://bit.ly/3nG4DRx)
SCHEDULE
Thursday, Jan. 27 - Qualification line starts at noon and 4 p.m. EST
Friday, Jan. 28 - Qualification lines starting at 8 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. EST
Saturday, Jan. 29 - Eliminations begin at 8 a.m., followed by this slate of shoot-up finals:
Senior Open, 1-1:35 p.m.; Women's Open, 1:40-2:15 p.m.; Masters' Open, 2:20-2:55 p.m.; Women’s Masters Open, 3-3:35 p.m.; Youth Male Recurve, 3:40-4:15 p.m.; Youth Female Recurve, 4:20-4:55 p.m.; Youth Female Open, 5-5:35 p.m.; Women's Barebow, 5:40-6:15 p.m.; Men's Barebow, 6:20-7:50 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 29 - Easton Youth & Collegiate Trophy Tournament begins at 2 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 30 - Easton Youth & Collegiate Trophy Tournament begins at 8 a.m.
Sunday, Jan. 30 - Shoot-up finals: Masters' Open Pro, 8-8:35 a.m.; Bowhunter, 8:40-9:15 a.m.; Women's Recurve, 9:20-9:55 a.m.; Men’s Recurve, 10-10:35 a.m.; Youth Male Open, 10:40 a.m.-11:15 a.m.; Men's Open, 11:20 a.m.-12:50 p.m.; Women's Open Pro, 12:55-1:30 p.m.; Open Pro, 1:35-3:05 p.m.
For media inquiries, call P.J. Reilly at 717-575-3039.