The first stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final started with biting cold for the international compound archers who travelled to China – but will finish in, with a bit of luck, pretty glorious sunshine.
A decent backdrop, then, for the first two archers to secure invitations to the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final because, for the first time this, a stage win secures a spot.
SARA LOPEZ 
/ CHEN YI-HSUAN 
Compound women’s gold final
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On paper, this is all Lopez – she has averaged nearly 0.2 points per arrow more than Chen over their respective careers (9.64 to 9.45) – and has, this week, achieved something she hasn’t since 2013.
The last time Lopez qualified sub 20th place (it was 24th in Shanghai) and battled up the brackets was in Antalya in 2013 – and she won that tournament.
If she can beat Chen, who was her first opponent at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Rome in 2017, the 23-year-old medical student will be close to regaining the world number one ranking she lost almost a year ago.
One season after making her first Hyundai Archery World Cup Final off the back of consistent top-10 finishes, but no podiums, Chen has a chance to take a medal.
The pick: Lopez
KIM JONGHO 
/ FEDERICO PAGNONI 
Compound men’s gold final
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The mixed team master, a world champion in the discipline with two partners over the last two World Archery Championships, Kim Jongho has dominated student competition over the last few years, too.
A two-time winner of the Universiade, he has one previous Hyundai Archery World Cup stage victory under his belt: Antalya in 2015.
With a 71% match win percentage, he’s a presumptive favourite over Pagnoni. But, then, the Italian world number 52 is shooting the best scores of his career in Shanghai.
While Federico performance has historically dropped in matchplay when compared to qualification, he’s averaged 149 points per match through the brackets at this tournament. He also has nothing to lose in this first arena appearance.
The pick: Pagnoni
SO CHAEWON / JAMIE VAN NATTA 
Compound women’s bronze final
Having shot the highest international ranking round of any compound woman in 2017 and boasting the highest career average arrow of the discipline in Shanghai, it’s a surprise that Chaewon has never taken a Hyundai Archery World Cup medal.
Her opponent, Jamie, is highly experienced.
She debuted for the USA in 1996, took a bronze medal at the worlds in 1997 and has won the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final twice (2008, 2012).
But van Natta trails in the numbers in the match.
The pick: So
BRADEN GELLENTHIEN / MIKE SCHLOESSER 
Compound men’s bronze final
Two prolific compound archers with only one prior meeting in international outdoor competition; Gellenthien won that match in a shoot-off.
Mister Perfect won the World Archery Indoor Championships just a few months ago, while Gellenthien is the reigning Hyundai Archery World Cup Final Champion.
He inherited the title from Schloesser, who took gold in Odense in 2016.
This is the US archer’s 45th world cup event.
The biggest difference between these two archers comes if the contest goes to a shoot-off; Braden has won 62% of his tiebreak matches, Mike just 33%.
The pick: Coin flip
The first stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup takes place in Shanghai, China on 23-29 April.
