Mister Perfect sets new qualifying world record in Shanghai

On Koningsdag in the Netherlands – the public holiday on which the Dutch celebrate the birth of their King, Willem-Alexander – Mike Schloesser posted his very own regal performance on the Shanghai qualifying field.

He increased his own ranking round world record by a point.

The previous world-best mark was set at a regional tournament in the Netherlands. The new one on a much bigger stage… The opening leg of the 2016 Hyundai Archery World Cup season.

“It always feels good to shoot a record, but it feels even better to do it here,” said Mike. “And I only put three arrows out. It’s not a lot.”

“I had one where I was thinking about something else. My pin was in the nine and it went accidentally where I aimed. It was a good shot only I wasn’t paying attention.”

That arrow drifted wide in an otherwise perfect 36-arrow half. Schloesser’s back stretch was also made up of five ends of perfect 60s, and a 58. He had an arrow land just outside the 10-ring, to the left and just out, and put a second one next to it.

“I could definitely shoot more, because I made some stupid mistakes. I’m always trying to do better, but this was great and I’m really happy with it,” he said. Mike, with teammates Peter Elzinga and Thomas van Eil also shot a European record with their team qualifying score: 2130.

“It’s a pretty cool way to celebrate King’s Day,” he said.

Mister Perfect set the indoor qualifying world record at a perfect 600 in Nimes in 2015. He’s just three points off doing the same outdoors. Those three points, though, each represent a gigantic step.

Mike’s 717 in Shanghai was followed by a 712 from reigning World Archery Champion Stephan Hansen. Three USA archers – Alex Wifler, Steve Anderson and Reo Wilde – slotted in behind, on 712, 711 and 710. Their combined score was also a world record, for the team ranking round.

Over the past three years, which are also Hansen’s three appearances in Shanghai, he’s averaged a cool 712 on the field, with 711 in 2015 and, one year prior to that, 713.

Though Hansen has remained consistently top-scoring through the last three years, the rest of the field, too, has been improving. In 2016, an incredible 37 compound men broke the 700-point mark. That’s 15 more than in ’15!