Classification scores are not arbitrarily fixed. They are based on percentages of scores reaching a particular level. For example A class is based on the top 5% of submitted scores. If this means that Lady and Gent levels are set differently it is because the level of achievement differs. They are periodically reviewed and adjusted if necessary.

Originally Posted by geoffretired

I don't "know" the answer but my guess is that the classifications over all are probably based on scores reached by archers( men and women separated)If men's scores for a round are generally higher, then each classification will require higher scores for men than women.
I can see that women are not really disadvantaged by the distance and bow weight for 20y, but perhaps women score lower for other reasons.
I am not going to make guesses about what those reasons might be but it could be because..............................

Upper body strength will be one of the big ones, it matters even at such short distances.

A lot of the rest is likely tied into evolutionary psychology were men tend to be more competitive in basically everything because being at the top of something athletics wise, work wise or even intellectually increases our standing both with other men and with women. Dr Warren Farrell aptly sums this up as "if women are sex objects then men are success objects."

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Originally Posted by Johnh159

The discipline is the same.
Bow weight makes no difference when shooting 18m/20 yds.

If you want, got have a look at the qualification scores from last years Nimes event (one of the largest WA events), and even though they are amongst the best in the world, the top female recurve would have come fourth in a combined line, and in the compounds the top female would only have been joint 21st!

This isn't to say that gents will always score more, but on average they can take advantage of longer draw lengths, higher bow poundages, and heavier set ups.