Preview: Schloesser and Fullerton starting with a head start?

You have to go back to 2018 to see a winner in the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final other than Mike Schloesser or Mathias Fullerton.

While the Dane is the defending champion, the Dutchman has won all three consecutive editions between 2019 and 2022. Schloesser is third in the circuit’s list of final victories, with a fourth trophy dating back to 2016.

All statistics speak in favour of these two, but why not a maiden winner for this edition, which is being held for the second time in the city of Tlaxcala and for the third time in a row on Mexican soil?

None of the other six qualifiers has ever made it to the podium at the end-of-season grand finale.

Priyansh, Nico Wiener, Prathamesh Fuge and Sebastian Garcia are World Cup Final debutants, while Sawyer Sullivan and James Lutz qualified last year but both lost their first match in Hermosillo.

Finals for the compound men in Tlaxcala start at 10h00 (local) on Saturday 19 October. Live stream on archery+.

Line-up

The top two seeds are listed in bold and will be placed at opposite ends of the bracket. A match draw will determine the positions of the other archers.

• Mike Schloesser, Netherlands (stage winner, world number one)
• Mathias Fullerton, Denmark (defending champion)
• Priyansh, India
• Nico Wiener, Austria (stage winner)
• Sawyer Sullivan, USA (stage winner)
• James Lutz, USA
• Prathamesh Fuge, India
• Sebastian Garcia, Mexico (host country)

Bold prediction

Mike Schloesser and Mathias Fullerton with a head start.

The only time the Dutchman and the Dane faced each other this season was in the semifinal of the European Championships in Essen in May, and it was Fullerton who won by a single point – with a perfect score – before going on to win the continental title.

Schloesser is, however, unbeaten in the World Cup against his young rival, with four wins to nil between 2021 and 2023.

Of the eight qualifiers, the 30-year-old is the best in terms of average arrow score (9.91) and match winning percentage (84%) in 2024, but the difference with the 21-year-old is infinitesimal (9.90 and 83%).

Mike and Mathias – ranked numbers one and two in both the Sanlida World Ranking and the World Cup Ranking – have all the numbers on their side. But will this be the truth of the arena?