Wasilla residents tackle national bowshooting championships

May 22, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - Harry Bates and Jill Crinklaw are almost always on target.

For their precision with the bow, the two Wasilla archers were recently crowned national champions at the National Field Archery Association's Marked 3-D tournament in Redding, Calif.

Bates placed first in the men's bow hunting event, while Crinklaw won her division in the women's freestyle shoot.

Practicing at Fletchers Archery in Wasilla Sunday, Bates and Crinklaw said the victories were the result of years of hard work.

&#8220I probably shot four to five times a week leading up to it,” Bates said.

Bates, 36, began bow hunting in 1997, but didn't start competing until four years ago.

&#8220I started out shooting in the yard,” he said. &#8220I did pretty well right off the bat, then I started getting addicted.”

At the three-day national competition, contestants walked an outdoor course over a period of seven to eight hours each day, moving between various animal-shaped targets ranging in distance from four to 101 yards away.

After the first day of competition, Bates was leading the tournament, while Crinklaw was trailing. Because archery is a highly mental sport, Bates said the fact that he led from the start actually was to his disadvantage because he had to worry about blowing the lead.

&#8220It was pretty surreal,” he said.

Crinklaw, who co-owns Fletchers Archery with her husband, Scott, said the fact that she trailed going into the final shoot actually helped take the pressure off.

&#8220I think it was easier for me than him,” she said.

She explained that archery requires keen mental discipline, and good archers must clear their heads while competing and practicing.

&#8220You can't have anything else in your head,” she said. &#8220If you had a bad day at work, you can't have that in your head while you go practice.”

Though the national titles were a first for both, neither Bates or Crinklaw are strangers to success with the bow. Bates is a three-time state titlist, while Crinklaw has won 10 or 11 times - she lost count of the exact number.

Both train at Fletchers, and were among a dozen archers who train regularly at the shop to travel to the national championships. Bates said that over the past few years, the Wasilla range and equipment store has become the epicenter of the state's competitive shooting scene.

&#8220Fletchers puts out the top shooters in the state,” he said.

Shop owner Scott Crinklaw said it's gratifying to see archers from his shop doing so well on a national level.

&#8220The neat thing is we have national champions living right here in our town,” he said.

In addition to his wife and Bates, two other Mat-Su archers placed in the top-5 at nationals.

&#8220For as small as we are that's an incredible showing,” he said.

He's not sure why, but Crinklaw said his small Wasilla archery shop attracts the best target shooters in Alaska.

&#8220I think we're just kind of the center of the universe as far as target shooters up here,” he said.

Crinklaw said the popularity of the sport continues to grow, and more than 200 Mat-Su archers train at the shop on a regular basis - with more stopping by to check out the sport all the time.

&#8220I see a new face in here every day,” he said.

Jill Crinklaw said she's drawn to the sport both because of the opportunity to compete as well as the camaraderie among the shooting community.

&#8220It's a great family sport,” she said.

The national championships, she said, are just a bonus.

&#8220I just do it because I love it,” she said.

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com