PHOENIX – More than 800 archers will take part in the Arizona Cup, which begins in Phoenix on Friday, competing in recurve, compound, barebow, and youth fixed pins divisions, the latter of which made its debut in 2022.
The Arizona Cup began in 1989 in Tempe at Arizona State University. Staged at the Ben Avery Archery Range north of Phoenix, the event is celebrating its 34th year in 2023 as the largest USAT Qualifier Series event in history.
Archers representing 45 states will shoot over the coming days, along with competitors from Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, and Czech Republic.
The Arizona Cup is also Stage 1 of the U.S. team trials for the World Archery Championships, World Archery Para Championships, Pan Am Games, and Parapan Am Games for recurve and compound.
Competition gets under way on Friday morning with qualification for the senior and 50+ recurve divisions. In the afternoon, the senior and 50+ compound and barebow divisions qualify.
All compound, fixed pins and barebow archers will shoot from 50 meters, recurve U18 and 50+ at 60 meters, and recurve U21 and senior archers from 70 meters.
The qualification round includes 72 arrows total, comprised of six arrow ends, with four minutes to shoot per end. The top 64 archers in each division will qualify for the elimination rounds, which consist of single elimination match-play.
Competition continues Saturday with elimination matches for both the senior and 50+ divisions. The afternoon schedule involves U18 and U21 qualification.
The Arizona Cup concludes on Sunday with elimination matches for U18 and U21, followed by medal matches for all but the U21 recurve and compound gold finals. Their gold medal matches will take place at 2pm local time on Sunday afternoon, to be streamed live on USA Archery’s social media.
Archers may have to go some to improve upon last year’s Arizona Cup, with a hatful of tournament records set.
Brady Ellison will aim to win the men’s recurve for a fifth successive time. Casey Kaufhold will be keen to reclaim the women’s recurve title. She won in 2019 and 2021 (2020 was cancelled) but missed out to Catalina GNoriega last season.
James Lutz is back to defend his men’s compound crown, while in the women’s division, two-time winner Toja Ellison will be one to watch. The barebow division includes Marcus Cooley, runner-up at last month’s Indoor Nationals Final, and defending women’s champion Christina Lyons.
Result from the AAE Arizona Cup can be found on Between Ends. There will also be a photo gallery from each day of competition.
There will be a livestream of the U21 compound and recurve gold medal matches on USA Archery’s YouTube channel at 2pm local time on Sunday afternoon.
USAT Schedule
AAE Arizona Cup: April 14-16
Easton Foundations Gator Cup: May 12-14
Easton Foundations SoCal Showdown: June 9-11
Rebel Gear Buckeye Classic: July 28-30
