2010 WUC Archery Update: Elite Archers in Shenzhen

SHENZHEN – The 8th edition of the FISU World University Archery Championship opened yesterday, September 23^rd, in Shenzhen, China. For host city Shenzhen, this WUC serves as a test event for the 26^th Summer Universiade, the city will host in 2011.

136 archers from 20 countries are participating in the event and many past elite world champions and medallists are among them.

Catheline DESSOY (BEL) was only 17 when she won team gold in compound women at the World Archery Championships Leipzig 2007. She has travelled to Shenzhen for more sporting glory and so did Karina WINTER (GER) who is the current indoor world champion in Individual Recurve Women. Among the other favorites in Shenzhen, Erika ANSCHUTZ (USA) was 3rd in Compound Women at the Archery World Cup Final last week-end in Edinburgh. She is also double team medallist at the elite world championships and won individually the Antalya World Cup Stage this year.

Other notables in Recurve Men include the 2008 team Olympic silver medallist Mauro NESPOLI (ITA), the 2009 team world silver medallist Thomas AUBERT (FRA), the Olympian Piotr PATEK (POL) and the 2009 youth medallist Massimiliano MANDIA (ITA). The Olympians Malgorzata CWIENCZEK (POL), Pia Carmen LIONETTI and Elena TONETTA (ITA) will compete in Recurve Women. The 2009 team world bronze medallist Roberto HERNANDEZ (ESA) as well as Paul TITSCHER (GER), Adam GALLANT and Steve GATTO (USA) will participate in Compound Men. The 2009 individual world bronze medallist Laura LONGO (ITA) and regular World Cup contender Anne LANTEE (FIN) will also spearhead the compound women category.

There will be individual, team and mixed team competitions as followed.

Qualifications:

Recurve – 70m Round (2x 36 arrows at 70 metres)

Compound – Compound Round (2x 36 arrows at 50 metres)

Matches for Recurve at 70m:

Individual 1/32 – 3 sets of 6 arrows

Individual 1/16 to medal matches – 5 sets of 3 arrows

Team / Mixed Team – Academic Round* of 4 ends of 6 (/4) arrows, cumulative score *The Academic Round is shot at 70m with a Hit/Miss target face specifically made for this distance.

Matches for Compound at 50m with Hit/Miss target face:

Individual 1/16 to 1/2 – 4 sets of 3 arrows

Individual medal matches – 6 sets of 3 arrows

Team 1/8 to 1/2 – 4 sets of 6 arrows

Team medal matches – 6 sets of 6 arrows

Mixed Team – 4 sets of 4 arrows

The competition can be followed in real time on the FITA website at www.worldarchery.org.

(Source: Didier Mieville, FITA Communications)