Bow classes according to IFAA

IV. GENERAL RULES FOR FIELD ARCHERY TOURNAMENTS - E. Shooting Styles

1. Barebow, Recurve and Compound (BB)

a. Bows, arrows, strings, and accessories must be free of any sighting devices, markings, stains, or laminations that could be used for aiming. If such markings, etc., are present in the area of ​​the bow window, the entire length of the back of the bow window must be covered with tape.

b. Written notes that the shooter has with him are permissible (see p. 70, 5e).

c. An adjustable arrow rest may be used to adjust the distance between the arrow and the bow window. The arrow rest must not protrude above the arrow shaft.
Note: Parts of the arrow rest that are considered necessary for its proper functioning may protrude above the arrow, especially in the case of very thin arrows (glued arrow rest, button, spacer).

d. The use of stabilizers is permitted.

e. Draw stops integrated into the cams of a compound bow are permitted.

f. Only one (1) fixed nocking point on the string is permitted, which may be marked by one or two nocking point rings.

g. No mechanical device is permitted on the bow except a non-adjustable draw control and/or a leveling device, neither of which may extend above the arrow.

h. All arrows must be consistent in length, weight, diameter, fletching, and nocks, regardless of color or wear.

i. One or two string stoppers may be used provided they are outside the field of vision and cannot be used for aiming.

2. Freestyle Unlimited (FU)

a. All types of bows, sights, and mechanical launching aids recognized by the IFAA World Archery Congress are permitted.

3. Freestyle limited - Recurve & Compound (FS)

a. All types of bows and sights recognized by the IFAA World Congress are permitted, but no mechanical launching aids.

4. Bowhunter - Recurve & Compound (BH)

a. Bows, arrows, strings, and accessories must be free of any markings, stains, or laminations that could be used for aiming. If such markings, etc., are present in the area of ​​the bow window, the entire length of the back of the bow window must be covered with tape.

b. Written notes that the shooter has with him are permissible (see p. 70, 5e).

c. A leveling device is not permitted.

d. No devices of any kind that could be used for aiming may be attached to the archer's equipment. Optical devices that help improve the consistency of the anchor point or the position of the eye relative to the bow are permitted.

e. An adjustable arrow rest may be used to adjust the distance between the arrow and the bow window. The arrow rest must not protrude above the arrow.
Note: Parts of the arrow rest that are considered necessary for its proper functioning may protrude above the arrow, especially in the case of very thin arrows (glued arrow rest, button, spacers, etc.).

f. Draw controls are not permitted. Draw stops integrated into the cams of a compound bow are permitted.

g. A kissing pearl is not allowed.

h. Only one (1) fixed nocking point on the string is permitted, which may be marked by one or two nocking point rings.

i. Only one (1) constant anchor point is allowed.

j. The archer must touch the arrow nock with his or her index finger. He or she may not change the finger position during the competition. Except in cases of physical disability, for which special exceptions will be made.

k. All arrows must be identical in length, weight, diameter, fletching, and nocks, regardless of color or wear.

l. Brush buttons are permitted at the appropriate point on the recurve tip, as are string dampeners at least 30.5 cm below or above the nocking point.

m. A bow quiver is permitted if it is attached to the bow opposite the shooting window in such a way that no part of it is visible in the shooting window.

n. A straight stabilizer is also permitted, which, including the coupling device, is no longer than 30.5 cm from the back of the bow. Forked stabilizers and counterweights are not permitted. The threaded attachment on the bow counts towards the stabilizer length.

o. The bow draw weight may not be changed during a round.

p. One or two string stoppers may be used, provided they are outside the field of vision and cannot be used for aiming. The string stopper rail must contain only those parts necessary for its function and no parts that could serve as a counterweight.

5. Bowhunter Unlimited (BU)

a. All types of bows and mechanical launching aids recognized by the IFAA World Congress are permitted.

b. A sight with four or five fixed reference points is permitted. The sight and reference points may not be adjusted during a round.

c. Pin sights must be straight from the attachment point to the sighting point and mounted horizontally rather than vertically in the sight, with only one possible sighting point for each pin or reference point. Hooded pins or scope sights are not permitted. The use of an artificial light source attached to the sight to illuminate the pins is permitted.

d. Optical devices that help improve the consistency of the anchor point or the position of the eye relative to the bow are not permitted.

e. A leveling device built into the pin/brush guard is permitted and is considered part of the pin/brush guard for dimensions etc.

f. Any type of arrow rest is permitted.

g. Only one (1) permanent nocking point is permitted on the string. The nocking point may be marked with one or two nocking point rings or a D-ring.

h. Any type of mechanical launching aid is permitted

i. Either a kisser button or a peep sight on the string is permitted, but not both. A lens incorporated into the peep sight is permitted.

j. A protective guard is permitted for needle sights if the top sight pin is further away from the lower edge of the upper part of the protective guard than from the next sight pin. The same applies to the bottom sight pin and the lower part.

k. All arrows must be identical in length, weight, diameter, fletching, and nocks, regardless of color or variations due to wear.

l. Brush buttons are permitted at the appropriate point on the recurve tip, string dampeners no closer than 30.5 cm above or below the nocking point and a bow quiver attached to the bow opposite the shooting window in such a way that no part of it is visible in the shooting window.

m. A straight stabilizer is also permitted, which, including the coupling device, is no longer than 30.5 cm from the back of the bow. Forked stabilizers and counterweights are not permitted. The threaded attachment on the bow counts towards the stabilizer's length.

n. The bow draw weight may not be changed during a round.

o. One or two tendon stoppers may be used. The tendon stopper rail must contain only those parts necessary for its function and no parts that could serve as a counterweight.

6. Bowhunter Limited - (BL)

a. The same rules apply as in the Bowhunter Unlimited class, but assisted shooting is not permitted.

7. Longbow - (LB)

a. A bow made of any material, either in one piece or in two parts that can be dismantled and joined together within the handle, and which, when strung, describes a uniform one-sided curve measured as follows: The strung bow is held vertically so that the string forms a vertical line. The angle between the horizontal and the tangent at a point on the throwing arm must decrease steadily with increasing distance between that point and the bow handle (Note: not a recurve). If in doubt, stretch a string across the back of the bow (Note: facing away from the archer) between the end of the taper in the riser and the start of the end reinforcement (if none is present, the string notch); this string must lie flat against the throwing arm at all times without any gap.

b. End reinforcements shall not be thicker than 20 mm, measured from the surface of the limb, and shall not be longer than 50 mm, measured from the center of the string notch towards the bow grip.

c. The bow may have a bow window and an arrow shelf. The side of the window is slanted along its entire length and rounded where the bow window meets the upper throwing arm. The window cutout may not extend beyond the center of the bow.

d. The inside of the bow, the grip, the bow window, and the arrow bed must be free of any markings or stains that could be used for aiming. If such markings, etc., are present in the area of ​​the bow window, the entire back of the bow window must be covered with tape.

e. Additional devices for stabilization, leveling, reducing the pull force, aiming, and control of the pull-out are not permitted.

f. Only one nocking point is permitted on the string, which may be marked by one or two nocking point rings. If snap-in nocks are used (e.g., ball nocks), only one matching nocking point is permitted.

g. String silencers at a minimum distance of 30 cm from the nocking point are permitted

h. The arrows must be made of wood, fletched with natural feathers, and have identical fletching and tips; color is irrelevant. They must not have any markings or stains that could serve as an aiming aid, and at the start of a competition, they must not differ in length by more than 25 mm. The nocks can be made of any material; any tip weight is acceptable.

i. The Mediterranean shot is prescribed (Note: index finger above the nock, middle and ring fingers below). Special exceptions are made in cases of physical disability.

j. If the above provisions are not met, the rifle shall be classified in the Bowhunter Recurve class or another class whose provisions are met.

8. Historical Arch (HB)

a. The recognition of the classical (also: historical or primitive) bow is based on the state of development before 1900.

b. There is no subdivision according to construction or material.

c. There is only the "adult" shooting class and no performance classes.

d. The bow is either a one-piece wooden bow or a composite bow.

e. An arrow rest or arrow bed as well as a recess in the form of a sight window are permitted, provided they correspond to the historical model.

f. Bow material may be wood and other materials used at the time the bow type was in use. Modern materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, or epoxy may not be used. The use of historical adhesives such as bone glue or molten tree resin is prohibited; only modern adhesives may be used for the riser and limbs. Polyester is required for the bowstring. Historical materials (such as flax or sinew) and modern fibers (e.g., Kevlar) are not permitted.

g. Arrows must be made of wood, fletched with natural feathers, and have identical fletching and points; color is irrelevant. They must not have any markings or stains that could serve as an aiming aid, and at the start of a competition, they must not differ in length by more than 25 mm. Modern arrowheads and modern nocks are permitted. Nocks cut into the shaft are permitted only if they are suitably reinforced.

h. Accessories such as braided nocking point markers or thumb rings are permitted provided they were also used in the corresponding historical period.

i. It is the responsibility of the shooter to ensure that their equipment is historically accurate during competition. Upon request by the Technical Control Officer of a competition, they must provide appropriate documentation to prove this.

9. Traditional Recurve Bow (TR)

a. A recurve bow made of wood, either in one piece or capable of being dismantled into two or more pieces.

b. The bow's handle is made primarily of wood, which may be bonded with fiberglass or carbon fiber reinforced plastic or similar material.

c. The limbs consist of a wooden core, which may be laminated on the outside with fiberglass or carbon fiber or similar.

d. The arrow can be rested on an arrow rest or on the hand. The arrow rest can have a thin piece of leather or felt (on the grip) to protect against wear and a piece of felt or similar material as an arrow rest.

e. The grip must be free of any markings or stains that could be used for aiming.

f. Additional devices for the purpose of stabilisation, levelling, reducing the pulling force, aiming and control of the pull-out are not permitted.

g. An arrow rest, adjustable or not, is not permitted.

h. The Mediterranean shot is mandatory. Finger protection or a glove is permitted.

i. Face walking is not permitted.

j. Only one (1) nocking point is permitted on the string, which may be marked by one or two nocking point rings. Ball nocks are permitted.

k. Arrows may be made of any material, fletched with natural feathers, and similar in material, length, weight, spine, thickness, and nocks. Color and wear-related variations are immaterial.

l. Limb dampers, string silencers and brush buttons are permitted provided they are at least 30.5 cm from the nocking point.

A bow quiver is permitted if it is attached to the bow opposite the shooting window in such a way that no part of the bow is visible in the shooting window. In this case, only arrows from the quiver may be used during the competition.