Seimandi’s successful switch from barebow to compound

Giuseppe Seimandi won the 2006 World Archery Field Championships with a barebow and has picked up numerous medals with the bowstyle in international competition. At these home worlds, though, the 31-year-old Italian has made a switch; he’s shooting a compound.

“I wanted to have a new experience, I needed a new challenge and making the change stimulated me,” said Seimandi.

He’s podiumed at the last three editions of the world field with his barebow. Giuseppe collected bronzes at the world fields in Val D’Isere in 2012 and in Zagreb in 2014, and a team silver in Dublin in 2016 – the same year he decided to give compound a try.

“I like its precision and the feeling I get out of every shot. The more I think about it, the more I believe it was a good change. I’m expecting to achieve good things with this bow as I did with the barebow,” he said.

After flirting with the compound recreationally, Guiseppe won a team gold medal at the European 3D Archery Championships in late 2016:

“I still feel proud of that gold. It’s a nice memory.”

In 2017, he finished in the top 10 at two major international events: fifth at the 2017 World Archery 3D Championships in Robion, France as a compound and then sixth at the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland as a barebow.

From Cortina, he’s expecting more.

“I think Cortina is a really nice place, the mountains are beautiful and it’s a fun a place to shoot field,” said Seimandi. “I’m expecting good results not just from me but from the entire Italian team. We all like it here.”

“I feel like I’m shooting well.”

Giuseppe started off right in the Dolomites. During the unmarked round, he scored 413 out of a possible 432 points, ranking second – and only one point behind leader Domagoj Buden of Croatia with 414.

“There’s not much difference for me to shoot field with compound or barebow, I just enjoy it no matter which bow I shoot with,” he said.

“I think it only changes in terms of poundage. With the compound, I shoot 60 pounds – and when I’m at full-draw I’m at 15; while with barebow I shoot 55 pounds, which makes it more difficult.”

Seimandi is almost halfway to making a smooth transition from a medal-winning barebow archer to a medal-contending compound shooter. The top-two seeded archers after the second half of the 48-target qualification automatically make the semis.

The 2018 World Archery Field Championships takes place in Cortina, Italy on 4-9 September.