Wroclaw 2014: what you need to know for World Cup stage four

A few archers are secure, with qualification spots already secured over the first three World Cup stages. But in year of near-unprecedented parity across the competition divisions, nearly anyone competing in Poland has a shot at the Final. 

Check the current 2014 Archery World Cup Rankings, what the qualification situation is – and find out what you need to know about Wroclaw 2014 below. 

Five… facts about Wroclaw this year

There are 310 athletes and 111 officials from 53 countries here at Wroclaw 2014. Check who’s competing. Individual winners at a World Cup stage pick up 25 World Cup ranking points – which, in three categories this year, should be enough to secure a World Cup Final place… even without any points on the board before the tournament.  It’s the second time this city has hosted an Archery World Cup stage – and they’ll hold one again in 2015.  The World Games will take place in Wroclaw in 2017, and include compound and field archery competitions. The last World Games were in Cali, Colombia, last year.  Korea aren’t here. They’re training for the Asian Games. 

Four… black and white predictions 

Germany will win a recurve individual or team medal. Whether its Florian KAHLLUND, one of the women or their women’s team, the Germans have been so successful this year. 

Either Crispin DUENAS and Brady ELLISON will both qualify for Lausanne, or neither will. We compared these two top Americas archers last week – and both are within striking distance of a Lausanne 2014 Finals berth. 

Tatiana SEGINA will collect an individual medal or be knocked out by an archer from the Americas. The young Russian won the Europeans in Armenia two weeks ago, and will compete with many of the same athletes in Wroclaw. 

It will rain throughout qualification and eliminations but be sunny for the finals… or… No alternative. Here’s hoping for some sun! 

Three… interesting team changes 

Netherlands: VAN DEN BERG and DE BAKKER are taking a break this trip, while VAN DEN OEVER and DIELMANS pick up some valuable competition experience. 

India: Deepika KUMARI’s on the team again, after spending that time training at home. The more interesting change is that she’s shooting with her old bow. The one that won her a trio of World Cup Final silvers. 

France: Amelie SANCENOT’s flying the French team’s compound women’s flag. (See below for why that’s important.)

Two… key storylines 

Brazilian Marcus DALMEIDA will likely qualify for Lausanne 2014. If he does, archery’s already booming popularity in Brazil will explode – and we’ll do a huge feature on the young boy from the favelas who is already one of Rio’s host nation’s top medal hopes. 

Sophie DODEMONT – the indoor world champion compound archer from France – announced her intention to retire from international archery last week. Currently, France are ranking number one in the mixed team. Only the top ranked team is invited to compete at the Final, and only the USA can mathematically overtake them. So with DODEMONT gone, who’s going to pick up the slack? 

One… way to follow Wroclaw 2014 

With World Archery: see official news, photos and features from Wroclaw on WorldArchery.org, with coverage on Facebook and at @worldarchery on Twitter, throughout this week. Compound and recurve finals are live this Saturday and Sunday on Archery TV, free, online and on demand.

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