SHANGHAI, China - The 2010 Archery World Cup qualifying stages finished with the U.S. women's compound team defeating their nemesis Russia for the team gold medal. Erika Anschutz, who won the 2010 Turkey World Cup, earned another medal on Saturday by defeating her Russian counterpart for the individual compound bronze. Anschutz of Lincoln, Neb., also won a bronze in the mixed team event, earning a total of three medals over the four-day event.
Archers compete at four qualifying World Cup stages earning valuable points based on final placement in hopes of earning one of the 32 athlete positions that will compete in the World Cup Finals. Anschutz, who has won a total of seven World Cup medals on the 2010 circuit, will lead the U.S. contingent of six other archers into the World Cup Final in Edinburg, Great Britain that is set for Sept. 18-19. In 2009, Braden Gellenthien of Woodbrigde, Va., was the only U.S. archer to qualify for the World Cup Final.
The women's compound final pitted the two Cold War nations against each other. Since 2006, Russia has a 6-2 advantage over the American women. The last time these two squared off was for the team title at the 2010 Croatia World Cup, which Russia won, 227-213. Saturday it was a different outcome.
In the China World Cup Final on Saturday, the U.S. squad started off with a 57-55 lead over Russia. In the next end, the U.S. trio increased their lead to three for a 114-111 advantage. In the third end, Russia shortened the lead by edging the U.S. 58-57 for a three-end score of 171-169, in favor of the United States. Anschutz, Jamie Van Natta of Toledo, Ohio, and Diane Watson of Hudson, Fla., took their revenge from Croatia by shooting an almost perfect score of 59 to the Russian's 59 to win the gold, 230-227.
After earning a team gold medal, Anschutz returned to the field of play for the bronze-medal match against Albina Loginova of Russia, the 2009 World champion in individual compound and team compound. Anschutz, who defeated Loginova at the Turkey World Cup, started this match with three 10 Xs for 30 points, while Loginova shot a 27, for a 2-0 match lead. The tide turned in the second set with Loginova evening the match score at 2-2 with a 29-28 score. The third set saw both women tie at 27 each, keeping the close contest knotted at 3-3. The 21-year-old American turned on the precision to take the last two sets, 27-26, and 29-25, to earn the bronze by a match score of 7-3. Both women will more than likely see each other again at the World Cup Final as they each qualified.
Recurve Mixed Team:
New to international archery competitions this year is the mixed team event, where the top male and female in each of the bow categories compete as a team. The U.S. mixed team in recurve was represented by USA Archery resident athletes Jake Kaminski and four-time Olympian Khatuna Lorig. The Californian duo started out against Korea with a 37-36 lead after the first end. Both teams were tied after the second end with the Americans holding a slight 76-75 advantage. The Korea team pulled ahead in the third end as the Americans shot a 33 giving Korea a 113-109 lead. Korea concluded the fourth end and match by shooting a 38 to win the gold medal and the match, 151-146. Team USA qualified to compete at the World Cup Final as they won the first two stages of the World Cup earlier this year.
Men's Team Compound:
The U.S. men's team returned to the medal stand on Saturday by defeating Iran, 233-229. The two teams of three men each were tied after the first end, 58. After the second end, the U.S. team took a two-point lead by shooting 58 for a match score of 116-114. Both teams tied again in the third end with a 175-173 score. In the fourth and final end, the U.S. increased its lead to four to earn the bronze, 233-229. This was the fourth World Cup Medal for Team USA in 2010 as they won gold at Croatia and Ogden; and took the silver in Turkey.
The men's team was represented by two-time World champion Reo Wilde of Pocatello, Idaho; 2010 Ogden World Cup champion Braden Gellenthien of Woodbridge, Va.; and 2010 Ogden World Cup bronze medalist Rodger Willet, Jr., of Glouchester, Va.
For complete results, click here.
The Archery World Cup, which started in 2006, has been a popular event for FITA, the international federation for archery. The event allows organizers to select unique competition venues. The United States hosted the third stage in Ogden, Utah, last month that saw Team USA win seven medals. The Archery World Cup has grown into one of the annual premiere events for the international federation that attracts approximately 300 athletes from 30 countries at each of the various qualifying stages.
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