All-Schloesser showdown in Marrakesh first round

“I travelled all the way to Marrakesh to shoot against my son,” said Bas Schloesser, letting out a laugh and a shrug.

Bas, father of Mike, the archer who drilled, engraved and laminated his name into the history books when he shot the first ever perfect-600 indoor ranking round at the World Cup stage in Nimes last year, usually stands behind his son when he’s shooting. The Schloessers, Bas and wife Vera, travel to every event within driving distance of their home in the south of the Netherlands. They are, without a doubt, Mike’s biggest fans.

After seeding 27th in Marrakesh, Bas got a first hand look at his son’s shooting, right next to him on the line.

“For me it was an easy one, I knew I would lose it,” Bas said. “But still, it tingles a little bit to try to get close to him. But after two arrows I let him go.”

The father put up a valiant fight, shooting 140 points, the son dropped a perfect 150 out of 150 for the 15-arrow indoor match. (One of the two shot in the phase, the other posted by Mike’s Dutch teammate Peter Elzinga.)

“It was a lot of fun. I didn’t go easy on him, not at all,” said Schloesser junior. “We train a lot together and we sometimes have competitions against each other. Usually he has a handicap and gets a couple of extra points.” 

“Not this time, though.”

The pair said that although they’ve competed against each other in national or local events in the Netherlands before, the match in Marrakesh was their first meeting at a major, international event.

With those 15 arrows shot, it was time for Bas to get back to where he’s used to being when Mike’s competing.

“For the rest of the competition,” confirmed Mister Perfect, “he’ll be behind me.”

3 More matches we watched

Marcos  / Sonnichsen 

After shooting qualification with someone else’s bow (while they were shooting with it, too), Sarah Holst Sonnichsen got her own kit back on Saturday night in Marrakesh, just in time for the eliminations.

The 11th seed – impressive given the situation – upset Janine Meissner in the first round before meeting 2015 Archery World Cup Finalist, outdoors, Andrea Marcos, from Spain. The match was tighter but the result the same: Sonnichsen through, 144-141.

Winner: Sonnichsen

Koenig / Rieger  – recurve men 2R

An evenly-balanced match-up between 10th-seed Thomas Koenig and Germany’s Cedric Rieger, who was seventh over the ranking round. Cedric went 4-0 up before both young men shot a set of 30. Koenig won the back two to make it 5-5 and, after watching Rieger shoot an excellent 10 in the tiebreaker, took his time to match him in the spot.

It went to a measure, and Rieger’s way. But it was really, really tight.

Winner: Rieger

Schuh / Lionetti  – Recurve women QF

Neither of the two experienced Berengere Schuh and Pia Lionetti had dropped a single set point through the first two rounds of the competition and heading into their quarterfinal match up. Berengere, an indoor archery world champion back in 2003, kept her clean sheet intact… through two sets of the clash.

The pair drew with sets of 29 points in the third, before Schuh posted 29 in the fourth to send two-time Olympian Lionetti packing.

Winner: Schuh