Everything still possible in Shanghai

JING Xiangqing (CHN), winner at World Cup Stage 2 in Antalya   
  For the third time in history (after 2006 and 2009) Shanghai hosts the fourth and last stage of the Archery World Cup. With many possible scenarios for the qualifications to the Edinburgh Final, the Yuan Shen stadium in the modern Shanghai will be a great theatre for some intense sports drama. Let’s put the set together.   In the Archery World Cup, the athletes have four stages to earn points and only their top 3 results are compiled. In Shanghai, all the archers will play under the same competition format as the first World Cup in Porec. This means 72 arrows at 70 metres for qualifications and Set System for the elimination matches.   For the first time in 2010, eight archers per category (recurve men, recurve women, compound men, compound women) will compete in the World Cup Final in Edinburgh. That is the top 7 in the yearly ranking and one wild-card for Great Britain in each category. However, a maximum of two athletes per country in the same category can take part in the Final. To note a tie in the World Cup ranking will be broken by the overall FITA World Ranking.   Edinburgh will also feature mixed team finals (the top mixed teams of the year versus Great Britain) and the final ranking of the Longines Prize for Precision which will be awarded to the recurve athletes who have shot the most 10s in the World Cup.   Recurve Men In this category, one athlete is already qualified for Edinburgh—Brady ELLISON (USA) with 48 points. To note, last year the cut for the 7th place would have been at 26 points. This means that Simon TERRY (GBR) could sit on his current 28 points and have a chance to qualify. The following archers may also qualify with a place in the points (top 16) and would definitely have a great chance to do it with a place in the top 8: JING Xiangqing (CHN), KIM Woojin (KOR), OH Jin-Hyek (KOR), Michele FRANGILLI (ITA), Victor WUNDERLE (USA) and Chu Siang CHENG (MAS). Marco GALIAZZO (ITA), IM Dong-Hyun (KOR) and Baljinima TSYREMPILOV (RUS), respectively the last three World Cup Final winners, need at least a place in the top 8. Finally, XING Yu (CHN), Markyan IVASHKO (UKR), Jean-Charles VALLADONT (FRA), Crispin DUENAS (CAN), Shungo TABATA (JPN), SUNG Chia Sun (TPE) and Jayanta TALUKDAR (IND) must at least target a place in the top 4. All the others must win and pray.   Recurve Women Last year the cut for 7th place would have been at 21 points. Experts would expect the bar will rise a little this year, but Justyna MOSPINEK (POL) looks in very good shape with 33 points. Any place in the points should be enough as well for Elena KUZNETSOVA (BLR), GUO Faping (CHN), KIM Moon-Jung (KOR), Sabrina STRUYF (BEL), Victoriya KOVAL (UKR). A place in the top 8 will be helpful for ZHU Shanshan (CHN), Inna STEPANOVA (RUS), KI Bo Bae (KOR), Dola BANERJEE (IND), YUN Ok-Hee (KOR), Berengere SCHUH (FRA) and Ksenia PEROVA (RUS). All the others must target a place in the top 4 or a victory, such as Deepika KUMARI (IND), current world champion JOO Hyun-Jung (KOR), Pia Carmen LIONETTI (ITA), Elena RICHTER (GER) and Mariana AVITIA (MEX).   Compound Men For the second year in a row Braden GELLENTHIEN (USA) is locked for the World Cup Final before the last stage with 51 points. Last year the cut for 7th place would have been at 34 points. This means Martin DAMSBO (DEN) is in good shape with 40 points. Rodger WILLET Jr (USA), Jorge JIMENEZ (ESA) and Sam KYRITSOGLOU (BEL) should get through with a place in the top 8. Vladas SIGAUSKAS (LTU), 2007 world champion Dietmar TRILLUS (CAN), 2009 World Cup Final winner Sergio PAGNI (ITA), 2009 world champion Reo WILDE (USA), Jose DUO (ESP), 2005 world champion Morgan LUNDIN (SWE), FITA Round world record holder Peter ELZINGA (NED) and Shaun TEASDALE (NZL) must target at least a place in top 4. All the others have little or no chance to qualify.   Compound Women Ashley WALLACE (CAN) and Nicky HUNT (GBR) are qualified for the Final. Two archers would have been tied at 39 points for the cut last year. This means Erika ANSCHUTZ (USA) and Sandrine VANDIONANT (FRA) could sit on the 45 and 43 points they currently holds. Jamie VAN NATTA (USA) needs probably just a place in the top 8 to qualify. World champion Albina LOGINOVA (RUS) and Irina MARKOVIC (NED) probably need a top 4 to make sure they are in. Doris JONES (CAN), Camilla SOEMOD (DEN), Brittany LORENTI (USA), Andrea GALES (GBR), Viktoria BALZHANOVA (RUS) and Anne LANTEE (FIN) need a top 2 result to hope for qualifications.   Mixed Teams In recurve, the race to Edinburgh concerns USA, China, Italy Korea and Russia. In compound, it will be played among Denmark, USA and Canada.   Longines Prize for Precision The Longines Prize for Precision for archery was launched in 2010. The two most precise archers of the World Cup season will win the trophy, a watch and a 5,000 Swiss Francs prize. The recurve athletes will compete for the Prize in even-years, while the compound athletes will shoot for it in odd-years. The athletes who shoot the most 10s during all individual qualifications and matches of the World Cup will win the Longines Prize for Precision.   In Recurve Men, Brady ELLISON has a comfortable lead with 171 arrows in the 10 so far during the World Cup season. Michele FRANGILLI has 140 and Baljinima TSYREMPILOV 134. In Recurve Women, Justyna MOSPINEK has 102, just one ahead of Berengere SCHUH. Jennifer NICHOLS (USA) is tied with Dola BANERJEE at 93. Watch out as well for the return of KIM Moon-Jung. Please view the complete ranking.   The last stage of the Archery World Cup 2010 will take place from 31 August to September 4 in Shanghai!   Didier MIEVILLE World Archery Communication