25 January 2011 - 2012 AAE Arizona Cup: World's top archers, Olympic hopefuls to compete

2012 AAE Arizona Cup: World's top archers, Olympic hopefuls to compete Phoenix (USA) – 25 January 2012   Over 250 of the top archers from around the world, including U.S. Olympic Team contenders, are invited to compete at the 23rd Arizona Cup on 22-25 March 2012. The AAE Arizona Cup remains one of the first outdoor archery tournaments of the season allowing competitors an early start. The venue will be the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, International Target Archery Range, in Phoenix, Arizona.   Recurve archers will compete at 70 metres while compound bow archers will shoot at 50 metres. Spectator parking and admission to the spectator gallery and vendor plaza browsing is free.   Ø Thursday, 22 March: Check-in, equipment inspection and official practice takes place in the afternoon. Competitors practice and visit with fellow archers and fans. Ø Friday, 23 March: The qualification round (2 x 72 arrows = 144 arrows), will take place in the morning and afternoon and will rank competitors for elimination round match play. Ø Saturday, 24 March: National teams, national mixed teams and open team rounds will be shot in the morning and afternoon. Recurve cadet individual elimination matches will also take place. Ø Sunday, 25 March: Open individual elimination matches in the same head to head format to be used at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and 2011 World Archery Championships in Torino.    USA Archery has announced $7,000 in prize money will be awarded as follows:   Ø 1st place: 1,000 USD in each of the four Individual Finals categories Ø 2nd Place: 500 USD in each of the four Individual Finals categories Ø 3rd Place: 250 USD in each of the four Individual Finals categories   Past competitors have included World Cup champions, Olympic medallists and World Archery Championships medallists, as well as the Pan American Games winning team from Mexico. Archers from the Americas and Europe, as well as youth archers, are expected to compete early in this Olympic year outdoor season. For USA archers, the AAE Arizona Cup is also the first senior, junior and cadet, USA Archery Team Qualifier Series event for 2012. The AAE Arizona Cup is an open tournament and nomination from a NGB is not required. Preliminary entry forms are due on 1 February 2012.   For more information and registration materials, visit www.arizonacup.com. World Archery is the sanctioning body for the AAE Arizona Cup as a World Ranking Event. Information regarding the senior, junior and cadet USAT Qualifier Series and Olympic/World Championships Team athletes and selection procedures can be found at www.usarchery.org.    Bob PIAN AAE Arizona Cup     Photos: 2011 AAE Arizona Cup, World Cup champions Erika ANSCHUTZ (USA) and Brady ELLISON (USA)