It’s make-or-break time for those archers on the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit in 2018 who still hope to make the season Final in Samsun. Berlin is the last chance to qualify.
Win and you’re in; nobody competing at stage four is eliminated just yet. Those who are in a position to qualify on points might just have more to lose.
Here’s a reminder of who has booked their Hyundai Archery World Cup Final ticket so far.
- Recurve men – Mauro Nespoli, Kim Woojin and Lee Woo Seok.
- Recurve women – Chang Hye Jin, Deepika Kumari and Ksenia Perova.
- Compound men – Mike Schloesser, Stephan Hansen and Kim Jongho.
- Compound women – Sara Lopez and Yesim Bostan. (Lopez won two stages, so only three athletes in this division will automatically qualify.)
Factsheet: Berlin 2018
- Venues: Maifield (next to the Olympic Stadium) and Anhalterplatz for finals
- Dates: 16-22 July
- Number of athletes: 383 (226 recurve, 157 compound) from 52 countries
- Where to watch: Live on World Archery’s YouTube and Facebook (except USA) platforms, Olympic Channel; live or delayed highlights on NBC Olympic Channel (USA), Claro Sports (Mexico and Colombia), Eurosport, Fox Sports, Sky New Zealand and more (check local listings).
Schedule
- Tuesday 17 July: Compound and recurve qualification
- Wednesday 18 July: Early round individual and team matches
- Thursday 19 July: Individual and team eliminations
- Friday 20 July: Mixed team eliminations
- Saturday 21 July: Compound finals
- Sunday 22 July: Recurve finals
Defending stage winners
Individual: Kim Woojin, Korea; Kang Chae Young, Korea; Demir Elmaagacli, Turkey; Sarah Sonnichsen, Denmark (not returning)
Team: recurve men – France, women – Korea, mixed – Korea; compound men – USA, women – USA, mixed – USA
5 storylines you should know
1. Anyone can qualify. This season is a little different than those previous because whoever wins in Berlin makes it to the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final. Demir Elmaagacli, who did win this stage in Berlin in 2017 and who has been to the last three Finals, is mathematically eliminated from qualifying for Samsun on points.
It is truly a case of win and in for Demir. (Although, of course, Turkey also get a host nation spot to the event – and could pick him to fill it.)
2. Sonnichsen out. After not finishing the tournament in Salt Lake City and an exceptionally brave post on social media detailing her health struggles, world number four Sarah Sonnichsen has elected to skip Berlin.
It means the competition’s last winner won‘t return and Sonnichsen won’t qualify for the World Cup Final. But some things are more important – get well soon, Sarah.
3. Continental practice. This is the last international before the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Korea’s recurves return to the circuit after missing Salt Lake and teams like Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Iraq are represented.
(Not so) bold prediction: Korea, Chinese Taipei and India will feature heavily in the Berlin finals schedule.
4. Brady Ellison. The winningest archer in the history of the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final finished second at stage one in Shanghai and is sixth in the rankings ahead of Berlin, behind the three automatic qualifiers and two more athletes on points.
He is not yet safe for Samsun and will likely need a top eight finish in Berlin to make his ninth consecutive World Cup Final.
5. On the bubble. Who’s rooting for Malaysia’s Khairul Anuar Mohamad, sitting in eighth in the recurve men’s ranking, or Roberto Hernandez of El Salvador in 16th in the compound men’s list?
Khairul last qualified for the World Cup Final in 2013.
Roberto has just missed out a couple of times, and El Salvador last had representation at the event back in 2011, courtesy Jorge Jimenez.
Weather forecast
Decent, summer weather for Europe is planned for Berlin. After a windy stop at the last stage in Salt Lake City, something slightly calmer is all the archers will be hoping for.
And they should get that. Mostly still and overcast, Berlin could be perfect shooting weather. Although some rain at the end of the week is not out of the question.
Forecast via Accuweather.
The fourth stage of the 2018 Hyundai Archery World Cup takes place in Berlin, Germany on 16 to 22 July.
