Reo WILDE scores a hat trick at Antalya World Cup 2012

Antalya – May 06, 2012: The team finals in the four international categories were contested on Sunday afternoon on the Antalya beach and concluded the second stage of the World Cup season. Competing in two other finals (men’s team and mixed team) after he won the individual competition on Saturday, the top seeded compound competitor Reo WILDE (USA) scored a hat trick this year in Antalya.

Teamed up with Dave COUSINS and Braden GELLENTHIEN, Reo WILDE beat the Danish team of Martin DAMSBO, Torben JOHANNESSEN and Patrick LAURSEN after a shoot-off (231-231/29-27). In mixed team the American was paired with Erika ANSCHUTZ and the two had the upper hand over the Italians Sergio PAGNI and Marcella TONIOLI by a whisker, 143-142.

Third place in the compound men’s team event was taken by the Netherlands with Ruben BLEYENDAAL, Mike SCHLOESSER and Peter ELZINGA who easily defeated the Italians Herian BOCCALI, Luigi DRAGONI and Sergio PAGNI, 230-222. In compound mixed team the match for 3rd place shot on Friday saw the pair of Duncan BUSBY and Andrea GALES beat Paul TITSCHER and Kristina BERGER from Germany, 143-142.

On the female side in compound, the team of USA, made up of Erika ANSCHUTZ, Christie COLIN and Jamie VAN NATTA defeated the Italians Anastasia ANASTASIO, Laura LONGO and Marcella TONIOLI for 1st place, 224-223. The German ladies Kristina BERGER, Melanie MIKALA and Andrea WEIHE finished 3rd with a victory clinched after a tiebreak (223-223/30-29). They had the upper hand over the Russian team led by the world champion and individual winner in this stage, Albina LOGINOVA, teamed up with Natalia AVDEEVA and Viktoria BALZHANOVA

In recurve, the men’s team competition saw Great Britain’s Laurence GODFREY, Simon TERRY and Alan WILLS, seeded No. 7, win against India before their last arrow was shot, 222-211. Rahul BANERJEE, Tarundeep RAI and Jayanta TALUKDAR could not repeat their performance in the semi-final when they defeated the top seeded team of the USA. Third place went to Korea’s IM Dong-Hyun, KIM Bubmin and OH Jin Hyek who had the upper hand over France’s Gael PREVOST, Thomas FAUCHERON and Romain GIROUILLE, 225-222.

In the women’s event, LE Chien-Ying, LIN Chia-En and TAN Ya-Ting from Chinese Taipei led against Korea after one end but could not maintain the pressure, losing by two points at the end, 220-218 in favour of LEE Sung Jin, CHOI Heongju and KI Bo Bae. The Chinese CHENG Ming, FANG Yuting and XU Jing defeated the Mexicans Mariana AVITIA, Aida ROMAN and Alejandra VALENCIA, 212-210, for 3rd place.

The recurve mixed team competition was won by the Korean pair of IM Dong Hyun and LEE Sung Jin by the smallest possible margin, 148-147, against the Italians Mauro NESPOLI and Natalia VALEEVA. The 3rd place match was already shot on Friday right after the semi-finals. It was a hard fought contest between the pairs of Luis Eduardo VELEZ/Alejandra VALENCIA (MEX/7) and Romain GIROUILLE/Berengere SCHUH (FRA/12), but the Mexicans’ finally prevailed 148-147.

Recurve Men Team – 1st Place Match: India (IND/5) v Great Britain (GBR/7)

The Indian team of Rahul BANERJEE, Tarundeep RAI and Jayanta TALUKDAR shocked the top seeded team Korea in semi-final with a 225-224 win. For their part, Laurence GODFREY, Simon TERRY and Alan WILLS (GBR/7) defeated the No. 2 Italy 217-216 in the quarterfinal and the No. 6 France 214-210 in the semi.

India and Great Britain met four times between 2007 and 2010. The Asian team was the winner three times: in the final at Santo Domingo 2009 Stage 1 and at Stage 1 in Porec and Stage 4 in Shanghai in 2010. The only victory by the British team dated back in 2007 to the quarterfinal at the World Cup Stage 4 on home soil in Dover.

TERRY/WILLS/GODFREY started with all arrows in the yellow (three 10s and three 9s) for a 4-point lead at 57-53. Their Asian opponents shot three arrows in the 8-ring in this end. TALUKDAR/RAI/BANERJEE repeated with another 53 end in the second, and the gap remained equal as the British also made 53 (110-106 in favour of GB’s team).

Still in the race after five arrows in the third end (9-10-9-9-9 for India versus 9-9-10-10-8 for Great Britain), the Indians lost almost any hope when BANERJEE released a 6 to conclude the end. They trailed by eight points with six arrows to go (158-166). The Asian team finished the match with a 53-point final series. The British shot 54 with five arrows and had thus clinched victory before GODFREY’s last arrow! The latter shot another 10 to win the gold in Antalya, 222-211.

Recurve Men Team – 3rd Place Match: Korea (KOR/1) v France (FRA/6)

Korea-France is a classic in recurve archery! The two nations had already met six times since 2007. The first five encounters turned in favour of the Asian team, three times for gold: World Cup 2009 Stage 4 in Shanghai, World Championships 2009 on home soil in Ulsan and World Championships 2011 in Italy. However, the latest face-to-face between Korea and France took place in February this season at the 1st Asian Grand Prix in Bangkok, where the Europeans upset their opponents from Asia, 224-221.

The presence of Team Korea was a surprise in this match as they were ranked No. 1. IM Dong-Hyun, KIM Bubmin and OH Jin Hyek were defeated in the semi-final by the Indians (No. 5). For their part, Gael PREVOST, Thomas FAUCHERON and Romain GIROUILLE lost to the British (No. 7).

It was a draw in the first end with each team shooting 56 points. Korea and France opened the second end with 8-9-10 and 9-10-8, respectively. The No. 1 team took the lead at the halfway mark thanks to a 10-10-9 against three 9s by their opponents (112-110).

The French capitalised with four 10s and two 9s in the second end. GIROUILLE’s last arrow clashed with another in the target and was pushed just out of the 10-ring. However, with 58 in this end, one more than their opponents (57), they came back to one point with one end to go (168-169).

The two teams shot an 8 among their last six arrows, but Korea managed three 10s and two 9 with the others, while France had four 9s and only one 10. IM/KIM/OH had the upper hand of this match at the end, 225-222!

Recurve Women Team – 1st Place Match: Korea (KOR/1) v Chinese Taipei (TPE/2)

The female teams of Korea and Chinese Taipei faced each other eight times between 2006 and 2010, always in 1st place matches or semi-finals. The advantage is clearly on the Koreans’ side, as they had seven wins out of eight. The only victory by Chinese Taipei was when they took gold at the 3rd Asian Grand Prix 2010 on home soil.

Chinese Taipei could count on the confidence gained by LIN Chia-En who won the 3rd place match in individual on Saturday teamed up with LE Chien-Ying and TAN Ya-Ting. For her part, the Korean LEE Sung Jin, top seeded in the competition, was upset by the 17-year-old India Deepika KUMARI for 1st place. The other Koreans, KI Bo Bae and CHOI Hyeonju placed 1st and 3rd respectively at the first World Cup of the season in Shanghai three weeks ago.

The No. 1 team in the world, Korea, is also the holder of the world record since the Olympic Games in Beijing. None of the Korean ladies in the team today were in the 2008 Olympic team, though.

No. 8 in the world, Chinese Taipei surprisingly grabbed the lead after six arrows with 56 points. TAN/LE/LIN took advantage of an 8 and a 7 by the Korean KI, who with her teammates totalled 54. As Korea scored 54 points again in the second end, their opponents lost all their advantage with a 51. The lead reversed, 108-107 for LEE/CHOI/KI.

After two 7s in the second end by LE and LIN, there was another one in the third end (by LIN again). With three 10s and two 9s, Chinese Taipei scored 55, but they lost two more points as Korea shot three 10s and three 9s in order (57). Score with one end to go: 165-162 for Korea. TAN/LE/LIN were the best by one point in the final end, 56-55, but this was not enough to catch up. LEE/CHOI/KI won 1st place in Antalya 220-218!

Recurve Women Team – 3rd Place Match: Mexico (MEX/5) v P.R. China (CHN/3)

The face-to-face encounters between the two countries are in favour of the Asian team, 4-2. However, the Mexican ladies won their two latest World Cup matches against the Chinese in Antalya and Shanghai 2011. Five matches took place in either the 1/8 elimination or quarterfinal. The sixth was for 3rd place at the 2010 World Cup in Porec where China came out the winner by one point (213-212).

China can rely on strong individuals on form at the moment. FANG Yuting placed 2nd at the first stage of the season in Shanghai, while XU Jing lost the 3rd place match in Antalya on Saturday and therefore ranked 4th. For her part, CHENG Ming is the reigning World Cup winner from Istanbul in September, and she was 6th in Shanghai and placed 9th in Antalya.

The three Mexican girls could also count on the confidence they gained at the World Ranking Event and Americas Olympic Qualifier held in Medellin two weeks ago. Alejandra VALENCIA finished 3rd at the Continental Qualification Tournament (CQT), thereby earning an Olympic spot for her country. Aida ROMAN won the individual event in Colombia and placed 4th at the CQT. Together with Mariana AVITIA, they won the team event in Medellin.

VALENCIA/AVITIA/ROMAN had the best three arrows with 10-9-9, but they then followed with an 8 each. Their opponents from China opened the match with an 8 by CHENG, but they then followed with two 10s and three 9s to take a 3-point lead (55-52). The Mexicans repeated with 52 points again, and with 53 the Chinese added another point to their advantage (108-104).

A score of 52 one more time in the third end, but this time for each of the teams on the field! Therefore, CHENG/XU/FANG kept four points in their favour at 160-156. Their opponents from Mexico increased their score by two points with 54; not enough, however, to recover. The Chinese finished with 52 and clinched a 2-point victory, 212-210.

Recurve Mixed Team – 1st Place Match: Korea (KOR/1) v Italy (ITA/3)

The two top seeded athletes IM Dong Hyun and LEE Sung Jin were paired for the mixed team event. The two also reached the individual 1st place finals on Saturday where they had different fates. IM won the men’s event against the Ukrainian Markiyan IVASHKO, while LEE was defeated by the young Indian Deepika KUMARI on the female side.

The Italian double made up of Mauro NESPOLI and Natalia VALEEVA placed 5th in Shanghai three weeks ago and have therefore already improved their ranking. VALEEVA is the reigning women’s team world champion, while NESPOLI was a member of the Italian team that won bronze at the World Championships on home soil in Turin last year.

None of the four competitors on the field in this match could find the 10-ring in the first end. Korea shooting in the order female/male, scored one 8 followed by three 9s for 35 points. They took a 4-point lead with their opponents from Italy shooting male/female, scoring 7-8-9-7 (31). The 10 was then hit three times by each pair. Korea and Italy tied with 39 each in the second end and the gap remained; 74-70 in favour of LEE and IM.

Korea’s 4-point advantage remained with the two mixed doubles scoring 37 in the third end (111-107) and finally with another strong end of 38, the best pair of the world clinched another victory 149-144.

The recurve mixed team 3rd place match was already completed on Friday right after the semi-finals. It was a tightly contested match between the pairs Luis Eduardo VELEZ/Alejandra VALENCIA (MEX/7) and Romain GIROUILLE/Berengere SCHUH (FRA/12), but the Mexicans’ finally prevailed 148-147.

Compound Men Team – 1st Place Match: United States of America (USA/1) v Denmark (DEN/6)

The advantage was clearly in favour of the Americans who won their four previous encounters with the Danes. Those matches were contested between 2010 and 2011 and always for gold; three times in the World Cup and the latest at the World Championships last year in Italy.

However, Martin DAMSBO, Torben JOHANNESSEN and Patrick LAURSEN could draw on victories over the No. 3 and 2 seeded teams in quarter and semi-finals, Great Britain and the Netherlands respectively. USA for their part is composed of the winner and runner-up of the individual event in Antalya, Reo WILDE and Braden GELLENTHIEN, teamed up with Dave COUSINS.

The USA could not be completely satisfied with their 57-point opening as the No. 1 team in the world. Their opponents, No. 2 in the world ranking, took a perfect start and a 3-point lead (60-57). One member of each team shot an 8 in the second end (COUSINS for the U.S. and JOHANNESSEN for Denmark) and each scored 57 points. The same gap remained at 117-114 in favour of the European team.

The two teams were equal again in the third end, this time with 58 each. LAURSEN/JOHANNESSEN/DAMSBO kept their advantage of three points with six arrows each to go (175-172). COUSINS/WILDE/GELLENTHIEN showed very strong shooting in the final end with a 9 followed by five 10s. With an 8 to open the last end, LAURSEN put his team in a hard position. The Dutch needed three perfect shots with their final three arrows to win or 29 points to draw. They scored two 10s and a 9 for a shoot-off (231-231)!

As the Americans scored 10-10-9 in the tie-break and their opponents started with 10-8, COUSINS/WILDE/GELLENTHIEN had clinched victory even before the last arrow by DAMBSO (a 9). Victory for USA and third gold medal for WILDE in this 2012 World Cup stage!

Compound Men Team – 3rd Place Match: Italy (ITA/5) v Netherlands (NED/2)

The Italians and the Dutch faced each other two times before at the European Championships 2010 in Italy and at the World Cup 2011 Stage 1 in Croatia. Team Netherlands prevailed each time, but always by only one point (234-233 and 232-231).

Holland can call on Peter ELZINGA who was mixed team silver medallist at the 2011 World Championships, team silver and individual bronze European champion in 2010, and who at 31 years old has been on the international circuit for more than 10 years. Italy, for its part, can call on Sergio PAGNI’s experience; he won the World Cup Final two years in a row, in 2009 and 2010 and is the current mixed team world champion.

Rough start for Herian BOCCALI, Luigi DRAGONI and PAGNI with 10-6-8-10-8 (52)! Their opponents from the Netherlands, Ruben BLEYENDAAL, Mike SCHLOESSER and ELZINGA began the match strongly with 58 points for a 6-point lead. Despite not leaving the yellow ring in the second end (two 10s and four 9s), Italy saw the gap increased against them with Holland scoring three 10s and three 9s (108-115).

The Dutch then killed all the suspense in the third end! With a perfect 60, they were 11 points ahead with six arrows to go for each team. Italy improved in the final end with 58, but 55 points were enough for the Netherlands to clinch 3rd place easily by 230-222.

It was interesting to note that in this match both the Italians and the Dutch changed their order of shooting every three arrows.

Compound Women Team – 1st Place Match: United States of America (USA/1) v Italy (ITA/3)

The Americans Erika ANSCHUTZ, Christie COLIN and Jamie VAN NATTA are the reigning world champions. The three of them also won the first World Cup team event of the season in Shanghai. ANSCHUTZ and COLIN also won the Indoor World Championships on home soil in Vegas this year, teamed up with Tristan SKARVAN. Individually ANSCHUTZ is the current World Cup champion from Istanbul in September.

In the face-to-face encounters between the two nations, the advantage goes to USA, 6-0. However, Italy could rely on Marcella TONIOLI who is on top form at the moment. After winning her first individual World Cup event in Ogden in August, the 25-year-old Italian ranked 3rd at the World Cup Final in Istanbul end of September. This season she won the first stage in Shanghai and just placed 3rd on Saturday in Antalya. To reach the team final in Antalya, Anastasia ANASTASIO, Laura LONGO and TONIOLI beat the No. 2 seed Russia 229-227 in the semi-final.

LONGO/ANASTASIO/TONIOLI started with 54 points with a 10-8-10-8-10-8 series. They trailed by three points after one end; VAN NATTA/COLIN/ANSCHUTZ shot three 10s and three 9 (57). The wind became even more variable on the field and the U.S. competitors bore the brunt of it in the second end. The Italians profited from an 8 and a 7 by VAN NATTA (52 points for USA) to draw at the halfway mark thanks to 55 points (109-109).

VAN NATTA again scored an 8 to open the third end, but she and her teammates followed with 10-10-9-9-10 (56 points) for a score of 165. As their opponents scored 55 in this end (164), the Americans led by one point. The Italians put lots of pressure with a 59-point final end, but VAN NATTA/COLIN/ANSCHUTZ responded with the same score to keep a 1-point victory (224-223)!

Compound Women Team – 3rd Place Match: Germany (GER/4) v Russia (RUS/2)

Russia entered this match against Germany as the favourite. The two teams met four times between 2007 and 2009 for four East European wins, but no more for three years until Antalya 2012. The Russians could count on their 2009 and 2011 world champion and 2010 World Cup winner Albina LOGINOVA. The latter had just won the individual event in Antalya on Saturday after she was 2nd in Shanghai this year. She was teamed up with Natalia AVDEEVA and Viktoria BALZHANOVA in the team event.

The Germans were clearly the underdog of the encounter, but they could count on the revelation of the tournament, Kristina BERGER, who placed 2nd individually. BERGER is a newcomer at international level. She started archery two years ago after being in the shooting national team. Last year, the German beat the world record at 70m in a national tournament in her country. In Antalya, she teams up with Melanie MIKALA and Andrea WEIHE.

The Germans took advantage of an opening 8 by their opponent BALZHANOVA to take a 1-point lead (55-54). However, they started the second end with 8-9-8, while the Russians scored 9-10-10. As BALZHANOVA/AVDEEVA/LOGINOVA clinched this end with 10-7-10, MIKALA/WEIHE/BERGER needed a clear three arrows to draw. The latter imitated their opponents’ finish (10-7-10) and trailed by three at 107-110.

With a close-to-perfect third end of 59, against 57 to their contenders, Germany recovered two points and came back to only one point behind (166-167). BERGER and her teammates managed to put pressure on the Russians with three 10s and three 9s in the last end. Opening with 8-9-9, the team of the world champion needed three perfect last arrows to tie the match. The Russian ladies were successful and shoot-off was needed (223-223)!

BALZHANOVA/AVDEEVA/LOGINOVA shot first in the tie-break and scored 9-10-10. As MIKALA and WEIHE shot 10-10, BERGER had to score 10 to win. The newcomer handed the bronze medal to her team with a final 10!

Compound Mixed Team – 1st Place Match: United States of America (USA/1) v Italy (ITA/2)

This match between the top two seeded mixed pairs promised a fantastic battle as the two teams included experienced and confident competitors in their ranks. For the USA, Reo WILDE has just won the individual event in Antalya and Erika ANSCHUTZ is the reigning World Cup champion. Italy’s Sergio PAGNI won the World Cup Final both in 2009 and 2010, while Marcella TONIOLI won the Shanghai stage three weeks ago and placed 3rd on Saturday. Moreover, the Italians are the mixed team world champions!

WILDE and ANSCHUTZ set a new world record of 159 out of a possible 160 earlier in the week, taking it back from PAGNI and TONIOLI who have held it since the World Championships 2011. The Americans started the 1st place match with a perfect first four arrows and led by two, 40-38. However, they could not keep the same pace in the second end with 37 points and their opponents drew the match thanks to a 29 (77-77).

The Italians proved perfect despite the breeze blowing on the beach, scoring four 10s in the third end. They took a 1-point lead after the Americans scored 29 (117-116). There was a draw with two arrows to go for each team, as TONIOLI/PAGNI scored 8-10 and ANSCHUTZ/WILDE 10-9. As the Americans then concluded with 10-9 and his teammate with a 9, PAGNI needed a 10 to tie and go into a shoot-off… The Italian did it!

In the tiebreak however, while ANSCHUTZ scored 9, TONIOLI shot 8. WILDE followed with a 10, which clinched the match before PAGNI’s arrow (a 10). Victory for USA!

The match for 3rd place shot on Friday pitted Great Britain and Germany against one another. After a tight encounter between the pairs Duncan BUSBY/Andrea GALES and Paul TITSCHER/BERGER, the British finally clinched victory by 143-142.

The team finals on Sunday concluded the Archery World Cup 2012 Stage 2 held in Antalya, Turkey. Competitors and fans are looking forward to the third stage in Ogden, USA from 18-24 June 2012. This event will also feature the Final Olympic Qualifier for teams and individuals.

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