The 2010 Archery World Cup competition will start Wednesday with the first of four stages in Porec, Croatia, a coastal town on the Adriatic Sea, and will conclude May 8. Leading the way for Team USA is a trio of men's compound archers who have found success at this unique event - 2009 World Cup silver medalist Braden Gellenthien (Woodbridge, Va.), 2007 World Cup silver medalist Dave Cousins (Standish, Maine), and 2006 World Cup champion Reo Wilde (Pocatello, Idaho).
Gellenthien set a World Record in the 2009 World Cup Final in the semifinals last year with a perfect 120, however fell short in the finals to Italy's Sergio Pagni. To obtain the perfect FITA World Match Record, Gellenthien found the bulls-eye with 12 arrows in four consecutive ends, from a 70-meter distance.
Wilde, who has been one of Team USA's top stars in men's compound, reached another career pinnacle by winning his second World Championships in 2009 in men's individual compound archery. Cousins finished 33rd at the 2009 World Championships. Gellenthien, Wilde and Cousins took top honors at the 2009 World Championships team compound division. Rodger Willett Jr. (Glouchester, Va.) will round out the men's compound team.
In men's recurve, the United States brings a pair of U.S. Olympians and three USA Archery resident athletes. Leading the charge is three-time Olympian and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Vic Wunderle (Charlotte, N.C.) and 2008 U.S. Olympian Brady Ellison (Chula Vista, Calif.). Also joining the squad is USA Archery resident athletes Jake Kaminski (Chula Vista, Calif.) and Jacob Wukie (Chula Vista, Calif.). These four athletes have dominated the this year's Arizona Cup and Texas Shootout that were held in April. Wukie narrowly edged Wunderle for the Texas Shootout title, while Ellison defeated Wunderle for the Arizona Cup championship.
The U.S. recurve women are led by four-time Olympian Khatuna Lorig (West Hollywood, Calif.), who has represented three countries at the Olympic Games (Unified Soviet Team in 1992; Georgia in 1996 and 2004; and United States 2008). She collected the 1992 Olympic Games bronze medal in Barcelona, Spain. Lorig will be joined by two-time U.S. Olympian Jennifer Nichols (Cheyenne, Wyo.). They will be complimented by USA Archery resident athletes Heather Koehl (Chula Vista, Calif.) and Kristin Braun (Chula Vista, Calif.), who recently won the 2010 Texas Shootout by defeating Nichols.
2009 World Championships team bronze medalists Erika Anschutz (Hamilton, Ohio) and Diane Watson (Hudson, Fla.) will lead the U.S. squad into the first stage of the 2010 World Cup and receive support from Jamie Van Natta (Toledo, Ohio) and Brittany Lorenti (Trumbull, Conn.).
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. In Porec, the athletes will shoot the final matches over the water in the beautiful marina. 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.
Archers compete at four qualifying stages earning valuable qualifying points in hopes of earning one of the 32 athlete positions that will compete in the World Cup Finals in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sept. 18-19. The second leg of the World Cup will be hosted in Anatalya, Turkey, and Shanghai, China will play host to the final fourth qualifying stage.
In 2010, the third stage of the 2010 World Cup will be hosted in Ogden, Utah, August 3-7. This leg is being organized by the Easton Sports Development Fo0undation, USA Archery, Ogden Weber Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Utah Sports Commission.
Team USA will be led by USA Archery National and Head Coach Kisik Lee (San Diego); assistant coach Michael Usherenko (Oakland, N.J.); and team manager Cindy Bevilacqua (West Chester, Pa.).
For results of the 2010 Archery World Cup in Porec, Croatia, click here.
Also, USA Archery High Performance Manager Robby Beyer will be providing sideline Tweets throughout the competition. Make sure to follow USA Archery on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usaarchery.
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