JONES and PAGNI dominate compound qualifications

Compound qualifications took place this morning at the Wroclaw World Cup in the form of a Compound Round (2 x 36 arrows at 50 metres). Sergio PAGNI (ITA) was the man of the day. The European champion shot a personal best to set new Italian and European records at 714 points. World Games runner-up Pierre-Julien DELOCHE (photo) from France finished just one point behind, matching his personal best of 713. Peter ELZINGA (NED), who has consistently been among the top qualifiers this season, finished 3rd with 709 points. Behind the top three, stood the top two athletes of the world ranking, Americans Braden GELLENTHIEN and Reo WILDE, who is the recent winner of the Medellin World Cup and Cali World Games. Martin DAMSBO (DEN) followed in 6th ahead of Mike SCHLOESSER (NED). The 8th spot came down to a shoot-off between five men; Dave COUSINS (USA) claimed it with an X, thus gaining the last bye into the round of 16.
The top five teams were very close and hold each other within a fifteen-point margin. The United States top the world with 2119 points. France, who upset them for the gold in Medellin, is close behind with 2115 points. The Netherlands stand in 3rd ahead of surprising Korea. Italy completes the top five.
In the women’s category, new world N°1 Erika JONES (main photo) matched the world record of 704 points that she established in late July at the World Games. Next in the ranking came the Italian duo of Anastasia ANASTASIO (photo) and Marcella TONIOLI, respectively six and eight points behind JONES. The two Colombian stars, Antalya winner Sara LOPEZ and Medellin winner Alejandra USQUIANO, maintained the same impressive and consistent level they have displayed this season, with scores of 695 and 693 points, respectively, to finish 4th and 6th. The top Korean athlete CHOI Bomin finished in between them in 5th with 694 points. Double world champion Albina LOGINOVA (RUS) was next, ahead of Sophie DODEMONT (FRA) who claimed the eighth spot.
The young team from the United States, made of Erika JONES, Carli COCHRAN and Tristan SKARVAN, emerged on top of the women’s team ranking with a comfortable margin over France (2073 against 2057). Italy claimed the 3rd place just two points ahead of new powerhouse team Colombia. Korea, winner in Shanghai, was a disappointing 7th.
Finally, Italy tops the mixed team ranking – but this time Sergio PAGNI will be paired not with Marcella TONIOLI, with whom he won the World Championships and the last two World Cup stages, but with Anastasia ANASTASIO. The mixed team from the United States made of Erika JONES and Braden GELLENTHIEN rank 2nd, as close to Italy as they possibly could be: both pairs scored the exact same total (1412) and the same number of Xs (58), but the United States scored just one 10 less than Italy (116 against 117). The French mixed team of Sophie DODEMONT and Pierre-Julien DELOCHE ended up in 3rd with 1404 points. 
Competition continues this afternoon in Wroclaw with the recurve 1/48 and 1/24 elimination round.
World Archery Communication