The Wilde(st) show on earth

All matches were shot using the set system as per the official rules. The matches were played out of the best of five sets of three arrows. There were two points to win per set; hence one point went to each athlete in case of a tied set. The first athlete with 6 set points won the match. If the match was tied at 5-5 in set points, there was a one-arrow only shoot-off, the arrow closest to centre winning the match.
Jean-Charles VALLADONT (FRA)  
Recurve Men
2012 world field champion Jean-Charles VALLADONT (FRA) was up for another final this year. This time he faced Local hero TAN Silie from Singapore. VALLADONT opened with 30 over TAN’s 29 and took the lead 2-0. With the home crowd behind him, TAN recuperated with a 30 and won the second set (2-2). In the third set both men shot 29 keeping the match tied at 3 set points each. The French archer then took a final sprint, winning the next two sets and taking the victory by 7-3.
Runner-up at the world field championships Jake KAMINSKI (USA) lost his semifinal against VALLADONT. The best he could do was win the bronze medal. Denis GANKIN (KAZ) had other ideas. Both men looked determined to win and took the match all the way to a shoot-off. Both men shot a 10 but GANKIN’s arrow was clearly closer and he won the bronze.

   
Recurve Women
Berengere SCHUH and Celine BEZAULT from France met many times before in competition. In the gold medal match, SCHUH opened strongly with 30 and took the first set. Celine BEZAULT came back with a 30 in the next set, levelling the score again (2-2). They tied the third set with 30 points each (3-3). Over the next two sets, both ladies scored two points (5-5) taking the match to a decisive shoot-off. Berengere SCHUH shot first and it was a perfect X10, making it hard for her opponent to beat. Celine BEZAULT did not seem impressed and shot an X10 herself. At a closer look, her arrow was closer to the centre, taking out the “spider” and earning her the gold medal.
Dilani PEIRIS (SRI) and Victoriya BELOSLYUNTSEVA (KAZ) took the stage for the bronze final. The Kazakh archer meant business giving her opponent just one set point. She won the match 7-1 with the following set scores: 30-22 (2-0), 23-23 (3-1), 30-24 (5-1), 29-27 (7-1).

The WILDE brothers
Compound Men
The two brothers Reo WILDE and Logan WILDE from the USA were on top of the ranking the whole weekend. Everybody expected Reo to win but Logan was not about to give the victory to his older brother so easily. Two weeks ago Logan won the Salt Lake Open and Reo finished second. With this in mind, Logan opened strong and won the first set. Reo took the second set to tie at 2-2. In the third set they split the points, shooting 29 each (3-3). Reo won the next set and took the lead 5-3. With just one point needed, he shot a solid 30, securing another gold medal this season. He lost only one set over the entire tournament!
“Good old” Patrick COGHLAN (AUS) and Morten BOE (NOR) battled it out for the bronze medal. The first set went to Morten with 29-28 (2-0). With a 30 in the second set, COGHLAN won two points, making it all even again (2-2). Morten replied with a perfect score in the third set against Patrick’s 29, giving him the lead again (4-2). The next set both men shot 29 and split the points (5-3). With this, BOE needed just one more point to walk away with the bronze and COGHLAN needed to win to force a shoot-off. In the final set, the Norwegian shot 29 against 28 for the Australian. Bronze for Morten BOE!

Compound Women
The gold medal final was between South Africans Danelle WENTZEL and Gerda ROUX. Danelle WENTZEL, who ranked number one in qualification, kept her momentum during the rest of the tournament and defeated Gerda ROUX in straight sets (6-0). The scoring was as follows: 30-28 (2-0), 30-28 (4-0), 29-28 (6-0). This was Danelle WENTZEL’s first gold medal in an international tournament. For Gerda ROUX it was her first international tournament.
The bronze medal match was between defending indoor World Cup champion Joanna CHESSE (FRA) and Joann TABANAG (PHI). In the first set, Joanna could only manage three 9s (27) against her opponent’s 29 (0-2). She won the second set with a solid 29 to tie the match (2-2). Then both shot 29 and the match was tied again at 3-3. Joann TABANAG then shot a 7 and two 9s giving her 25 points while Joanna CHESSE shot 28 points and took the lead for the first time (5-3). In the fifth and final set, the ladies tied again at 27 which was enough for Joanna CHESSE to win the match 6-4.

Complete results of the competition can be found HERE. The Indoor World Cup 2012-2013 continues with stage 2 in Nimes on 18-20 January.

Dean ALBERGA/ World Archery Communication