Beginners guide to the Hermosillo 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final

The champions of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup – the sport’s annual international competition circuit – will be crowned at the season’s grand finale on 9-10 September in Mexico.

Only 32 archers, eight in each of the four championship categories, have made it to the 17th Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Hermosillo.

Athletes could secure a spot by winning one of the circuit’s four stages – in Antalya (Türkiye), Shanghai (China), Medellin (Colombia) and Paris (France) – or by climbing high enough in the Archery World Cup Ranking with consistent finishes across the season to make it as a points qualifier. Mexico receives one spot in each category as host nation.

The four archers who win in Hermosillo will secure the title of Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion and a record 30,000 CHF cash prize.

Three of the reigning title holders (Kim Woojin, Mike Schloesser and Sara Lopez) return to the finals roster in 2023. Those three archers, plus Brady Ellison, have combined for 20 total circuit trophies since the event was launched in 2006.

Hermosillo is the hometown of Mexican Olympic medallist Alejandra Valencia, who is likely to attract the largest crowd – in a country already known for its passionate archery fanbase.

Schedule

• Thursday 7 September: Match draw (streamed delayed live on Friday)
• Friday 8 September: Practice
• Saturday 9 September: Compound finals
• Sunday 10 September: Recurve finals

Venue

Competition at the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final takes place in a temporary spectator stadium constructed in the Plaza Zaragoza, next to the Palacio de Gobierno (government palace) in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, in the northwest of Mexico.

Line-up

The archers listed in bold are the top seeds and will be placed at either end of their match bracket. A match draw, held on Thursday and streamed on Friday, in Hermosillo will determine the positions of the other archers.

Winning records

Athletes who have won multiple titles since the circuit’s launch in 2006. Those competing in Hermosillo are listed in bold.

• Seven trophies: Sara Lopez (Colombia)
• Five trophies: Brady Ellison (USA)
• Four trophies: Kim Woojin (Korea), Mike Schloesser (Netherlands)
• Three trophies: Ki Bo Bae (Korea)
• Two trophies: Braden Gellenthien (USA), Sergio Pagni (Italy), Jamie van Natta (USA), Yun Ok Hee (Korea)

Equipment

Athletes at the Hyundai Archery World Cup compete in either the recurve or compound events, which correspond to the type of bow they use.

Recurve bows are the modern evolution of traditional bows. The limbs curve away from the archer at the top and bottom of the bow, which is what gives the ‘re-curve’ its name. The bows feature sights and stabilisers that help the archer to aim and release an arrow accurately.

The recurve events are currently included on the programme of the Olympic Games. 

Compound bows use a system of pulleys and cables, making them a more mechanically efficient and inherently accurate type of bow. The strength required to pull the bow is at its maximum at the start of the process, decreasing the further the bow is drawn back, which makes it easier to hold while aiming. Archers also use mechanical release aids and sights with magnified lenses to further increase accuracy.

World Archery applied for compound’s inclusion on the LA28 Olympic programme in 2022.

Competition format

Eight archers compete in each category at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final, with the winner decided on the outcome of a matchplay bracket.

Each of the four competition sessions consists of eight matches: four quarterfinals, two semifinals, a bronze and a gold medal match. An archer must win three consecutive matches to be crowned Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion.

Rules: Recurve

Recurve archers shoot over a distance of 70 metres at targets measuring 122 centimetres in diameter, aiming to hit a 10-ring measuring just 12.2 centimetres in diameter – or about the size of an orange. Recurve matches are decided using the set system.

The goal is to accrue six set points. A set consists of three arrows and the maximum score is 30 points. At the end of each set, the archer with the highest combined arrow score is awarded two set points. Both archers receive one set point if the score is tied.

An archer can win a match quickly – with a score of 6-0 or in ‘straight sets’ – by winning three sets in a row.

Rules: Compound

Compound archers shoot over a distance of 50 metres at targets measuring 80 centimetres in diameter, with the four outer rings removed, aiming to hit a 10-ring measuring just eight centimetres in diameter. Compound matches are decided using cumulative scoring.

The goal is to acquire the most number of points over a certain number of arrows. Matches last for 15 arrows and are split into five ends of three arrows. The maximum score is 150 points and each match takes about 15 minutes.

Rules: Tiebreak

If a recurve match is tied at 5-5 after five sets or a compound match is tied on total score after 15 arrows then a shoot-off decides the winner. Both archers shoot a single arrow and the arrow that lands closest to the centre of the target wins the match.