About 80 teams from all across the country and teams from Sikkim participated in the third Laya archery style tournament in Thimphu, which began on August 12.

At the finals yesterday, team Choeten Kora lifted the winners’ trophy while Laya team was the runners’up.

The tournament is conducted as a league, where the six teams play in morning and three to six teams in the afternoon as per the number of team.  Each team has five players.

According to the organiser, Dorji Gyeltshen, the tournament is held to promote traditional archery.

He said, for Yangphel tournament, an archer can play 15 rounds but this tournament has 13 rounds. He said, participants are not allowed to use trigger and other equipment and that setting such rules is to encourage more teams to participate.

One of the organisers, Chimi said that organising such tournaments is not only to make profit but also to keep a budget for the next tournament.

Tshewang Dorji from Guides of Bhutan team was awarded the best archer prize after he scored 35 points and 18 hits on the target. One day best score was given to Chencho Rinzin from same team.

Tandin Wangchuck, 60, from Charo Nga was awarded the senior best archer and Kinley Dorji was awarded best junior archer. Ugyen from Laya team scored the highest dobji.

Neten Dorji