USA bags second straight gold in compound women’s team event

The USA women, Turkish men and a mixed pair from the Netherlands won the compound team titles on Saturday morning at the second stage of the 2021 Hyundai Archery World Cup. 

Savannah Vanderwier, Paige Pearce and Linda Ochoa-Anderson secured the United States its second consecutive gold medal in the compound women’s team competition on the international circuit, defeating Russia, 229-214, on a windy – but sunny – day in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“It definitely feels really good having a strong team,” Ochoa-Anderson said. “I think that it builds up inner confidence. In my view, we shoot better together as a team."

Vanderwier replaced world number one Alexis Ruiz in the line-up in Lausanne, but the result was still the same for the USA, which also won gold last month in Guatemala City. 

The US trio led from start to finish, building a five-point lead after the first end that only grew wider as Russia’s Natalia Avdeeva, Viktoria Balzhanova and Arina Cherkezova struggled to weather the conditions.

“It feels great. It’s a really cool opportunity,” Pearce said. “I love the team, it’s awesome with these ladies.”

The compound men’s team final was much closer. Turkey’s Evren Cagiran, Yakup Yildiz and Furkan Oruc defeated the Dutch trio of Mike Schloesser, Max Verwoerdt and Sil Pater in a last-second comeback to win gold, 232-231.

The Netherlands held the lead after each of the first three sets and owned a 173-172 advantage heading into the fourth end. But Turkey remained resilient, responding with a perfect 60 to close and overtake the Netherlands in the dying seconds. 

“During the match, especially after the second end, we told each other we could shoot better,” Cagiran said. “Then we could manage to win.” 

Beating a formidable team on such a big stage will only give Turkey more confidence heading into its home European Championships early next month.

“We showed why we are the number one team in the world,” Cagiran said. “But in Europe, there are other strong teams, and we will try to beat them in Antalya.”

Schloesser responded to the close defeat by guiding the Netherlands to gold in the mixed team final. Partnering with teammate Jody Vermeulen, the Dutch duo defeated Denmark’s Tanja Gellenthien and Stephan Hansen, 155-153.

“I felt the conditions changed a little bit between the team and the mixed finals,” Schloesser said. “I think maybe later today they will change even more. It was like a preview for the afternoon, but I will have to see it later.”

Ochoa-Anderson picked up a second medal, bronze in the mixed team, partnered with Braden Gellenthien. She will shoot also shoot for individual gold in Lausanne.

Competition continues on Saturday afternoon with the compound final fours.