All the French
longbow rules are virtually the same as the FITA definitions (in English and French)
The FITA 3D Regulations for the
longbow are:-
"11.10.3.4 For the Longbow Division the following items are permitted:
11.10.3.4.1 The bow shall correspond to the traditional form of a longbow with no
recurve at all, which also means that when strung the string may not touch any other part of the bow but the string nocks. The bow may be made from any material or combination of material. The shape of the grip is not restricted. Center shot is allowed.
For women the bow will not be less than 150 cm in length, for men the bow will be not less than 160 cm in length ? this length being measured on a strung bow between the string nocks all along the outside of the limbs.
11.10.3.4.2 A bow string of any number of strands. The string strands may be of different colours and of the material chosen for the purpose. The string may have a centre serving to accommodate the drawing fingers, a single nocking point to which may be added serving(s) to fit the arrow nock as necessary, and to locate this point one or two nock locators may be positioned (when using two nock locators the distance between the two nock locators should be such just to hold the arrownock) and at each end of the bowstring a loop to be placed in the string nocks of the bow when braced.
11.10.3.4.2.1 The serving on the string must not end within the athlete?s vision at full draw. The bowstring must not in any way assist aiming through the use of a peephole, marking, or any other means. No lip or nose mark is permitted.
11.10.3.4.3 Arrowrest. If the bow has an arrow shelf, that shelf may be used as an arrowrest and it may be covered with any type of soft material
No other types of rest will be allowed.
11.10.3.4.4 No drawcheck device may be used.
11.10.3.4.5 No sight or sightmark(s) on the bow that help aiming are allowed.
11.10.3.4.6 No weights, stabilizers or torqueflight compensators are allowed. Bowquivers cannot be attached to the bow.
11.10.3.4.7 Only wooden arrowshafts are allowed with the following specifications:
? The points will be of the field type meant for wooden arrows,
? Only natural feathers will be used as fletching.
11.10.3.4.7.1 An arrow consists of a shaft with head (point) nock, fletching
and, if desired, cresting. The maximum diameter of arrow
shafts will not exceed 9.3mm; the points (heads) for these arrows
may have a maximum diameter of 9.4mm, All arrows of every athlete must be marked with the athlete's name or initials on the shaft. All arrows used at any end will carry the same pattern and colour(s) of fletching, nocks and cresting, if any.
Arrows shall be identical in length, weight and colour, except for normal wear.
11.10.3.4.8 Finger protection in the form of finger stalls or tips, gloves, shooting tab or tape ( plaster) to draw, hold back and release the string is permitted.
11.10.3.4.8.1 The following equipment is permitted:
? On the bow hand an ordinary glove, mitten or similar item may be worn but must not be attached to the grip.
The following restrictions apply:
? The finger protection must not incorporate any device to hold, draw and release the string;
? An anchor plate or similar device attached to the finger protection (tab) for the purpose of anchoring is not permitted;
? When shooting one finger must touch the nock of the arrow. "
Also it is permitted to use Binoculars to spot arrows, but in France they have a maximum magnification of 8.5 and can only be used whilst at the peg to view the target on arrival and after the first arrow is shot. As soon as the second arrow is shot you must leave the peg. They are not allowed to be used at any other time.
All rubber bands, marks, etc are banned completely, but we're usually only shooting up to 35 or 40 metres so we go for accuracy rather than distance so maybe they wouldn't be necessary anyway - how do you aim at these distances? Personally I gap shoot, my husband does something of the 'gapstinctive' type and I have a friend who is purely instinctive, so most things are still possible, even without the artificial aid of a rubber band or marker.
Also - what we shoot here is more akin to the Hunting type 3d, as no one in their right mind would contemplate shooting a live animal with an English Longbow at the distances that some of you in the uk attempt in the 3d shoots and so I think (at risk of starting a riot) that maybe the 3d there is not really a serious attempt to imitate hunting at all. Do all animals stand at the set distance away from the archer or come with markers in front to aim at?
When hunting you need to kill the animal as quickly and cleanly as possible - therefore we score 10 for a kill and 8 for the vital organs and only 5 for a wound, while I understand in the uk it is 10 for the vital organs and still 8 for the whole of the rest of the animal. This to me is also not logical as a wound doesn't give you dinner, just an animal in pain !
Having said that I also shoot out here with another organisation (FFTL) under the IFAA rules which are the same the world over and are just as illogical !
But for me the FITA rules have got it mostly correct, I think.
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