USA and Mexico to shoot against Switzerland in Lausanne mixed team

“To come to my first World Cup event and be part of the team that gets us to the World Cup Final, that’s pretty cool,” said Crystal GAUVIN, who was paired with Braden GELLENTHIEN in the USA’s mixed team.

When France were knocked out in the second round, the States needed just to win to collect enough points to jump them in the World Cup rankings.

GAUVIN qualified ahead of her decorated teammate Erika JONES – Crystal ranked second overall – but says it’ll likely be Erika that represents the States in Lausanne.

“She’s the world number one, it’s her spot, really,” GAUVIN explained.

GELLENTHIEN is also unlikely to shoot in Lausanne, since there are two USA compound archers placed higher than him in the individual rankings, but he and Crystal will shoot for Wroclaw 2014 mixed team gold this Saturday.

Mexico’s recurve pair, Aida ROMAN and Luis VELEZ, will shoot for gold on Sunday.

Their semifinal against India – Jayanta TALUKDAR and Deepika KUMARI, who seeded first in the recurve women’s competition this morning – decided the World Cup series final rankings. Heading into Wroclaw, they were sitting in first and second – and the winner of the match collected enough points to push ahead of the other.

Drawing 3-all, Mexico edged the last regulation set to take the match, the shot at Wroclaw gold and the Lausanne mixed team spot.

“We’ve made Lausanne?” – was a surprised Aida’s response, “I didn’t know!”

In contention for an individual invitation, the Olympic silver medallist was as relaxed as always about the opportunity to shoot in the Olympic Capital: “of course, if I make it individually it would be great – but if not, we can just have fun.”

As the first of this year’s World Cup Final competitors are confirmed, Lausanne 2014 suddenly seems right on the horizon.

Follow results from the last 2014 Archery World Cup stage in Wroclaw.