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Archery duo head to world championships
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) mother and daughter duo Karen and Natasja Pinches are heading out to sunny South Africa to compete together in the International Field Archery Association (IFAA) World Field Archery Championships 2018 from 5 to 13 October 2018.
Both Karen, her daughter Natasja, and her husband Charlie are all avid archers, and regularly compete in both European and World Championships. Karen will compete in the female adult barebow category, while Natasja will compete in the female adult freestyle unlimited category, which includes “bows that have all the bells and whistles” according to her mum!
Natasja has recently joined her mum in West Suffolk Hospital after finishing a beauty course at college, and is a healthcare assistant working in the eye treatment centre.
Natasja said: “I actually did an anatomy and physiology module in my college course and found it really interesting – I find the eyes really interesting too now I work in the eye treatment centre. Everyone has been so welcoming to me, and they say I’m part of the furniture now.”
Karen, an assistant practitioner, said: “It’s probably going to be over 30 degrees in Potchefstroom, in the North West of South Africa where the competition is going to be held, so the conditions are going to be challenging to compete in.
“We’ll participate on four different courses over five days; in both ‘field’ and ‘hunter’ rounds, where targets are placed at even or uneven distances away from the archer, and also in an animal round where you shoot animal-shaped targets.
“We’ve never been to South Africa, so can’t wait to see the country and compete against people from all over the world! We’re hoping to bring back some medals to Suffolk, so watch this space.”
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