Odense 2016 preview: Compound men

The 2016 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final runs 24/25 September in Odense, Denmark.

It features 32 of the world’s best archers, the top qualifiers over the year’s three stages in Shanghai, Medellin and Antalya, plus host nation representatives in the recurve men’s, recurve women’s, compound men’s, compound women’s and mixed team divisions.

All the previews:

• Recurve men
• Recurve women
• Compound men
• Compound women

qualifers

(The seed for the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final is given in brackets after each athlete’s name. Average arrow figures are taken from 70-metre ranking rounds and matches at world ranking events in the last 24 months.)

MIKE SCHLOESSER, Netherlands (1)

In medal matches at all three of the 2016 stages of the Hyundai Archery World Cup tour, Mike took gold in Shanghai then twice finished fourth. It’s been more than two years since the world number one has finished outside the top 10 at an international event.

He’s also top seed – and the athlete with the top average arrow – in Odense.

In matchplay off the finals arena in 2016 Mike averaged more than 148 points out of a possible 150. In medal matches, that dipped to 141.

Average arrow: 9.82

DEMIR ELMAAGACLI, Turkey (2)

A surprise winner in 2015, Demir returned to the podium at the first stage of the 2016 season, taking silver in Shanghai. (Number one in Odense, Schloesser, beat him there.)

He’ll have to go some to defend his crown, but has seeding and experience on his side for his second Hyundai Archery World Cup Final outing.

Average arrow: 9.69

REO WILDE, USA (3)

Seven Hyundai Archery World Cup Finals made since the inaugural event in 2006, which he won, for Wilde. Since Mexico (the first time around), Reo has shot in each of the editions from 2011-2016, taking a further two silver medals and a bronze.

The 42-year-old lost to Turkey’s Elmaagacli in their first match in Mexico City in 2015 – and faces another Turkish athlete first in Odense. Will Reo be upset by a first-timer from the nation – Cagiran – for a second year in a row?

Average arrow: 9.68

DOMAGOJ BUDEN, Croatia (4)

Just 19 years of age, Domagoj bagged his first senior podium finish in 2016. The bronze medal in Antalya, won by beating out Mike Schloesser, came at his fourth Hyundai Archery World Cup stage competition.

Buden was a world cadet champion in 2013 and has won youth medals in outdoor, indoor and field archery disciplines.

Average arrow: 9.62

SERGIO PAGNI, Italy (5)

The Sultan of Smooth was the first archer to successfully defend an Archery World Cup Champion title – when he won Copenhagen 2009 and Edinburgh 2010 in back-to-back years. He followed those gold medals up with third-place finishers in 2011 and 2013, then was absent from the line-ups in the following two years.

Returning to the season-ending event in Odense, following a first-place at stage two, Pagni already won the Vegas Shoot early on in 2016.

Average arrow: 9.69

EVREN CAGIRAN, Turkey  (6)

Elmaagacli paved the way for the Turkish compound men with the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final win in 2016, and Cagiran – and teammate Samet Can Yakali – followed in his footsteps in 2016. (The pair contested gold at their home leg in Antalya.)

Cagiran won in Turkey, plus took silver at the World Archery University Championships in June.

Average arrow: 9.56

SEPPIE CILLIERS, South Africa (7)

Cilliers had not shot in an world event since the World Archery Championships in Turin in 2011 until he turned up in Shanghai to open the 2016 season. The South African archer finished sixth there then fifth in Antalya. It was enough to secure a Hyundai Archery World Cup Final berth – his first.

Seppie has a 100% record in shoot-offs, was a bronze medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and owns a shop called Magnum Archery.

Average arrow: 9.66

MARTIN DAMSBO, Denmark (8)

The 2013 Archery World Cup Champion was the highest qualifier from Denmark, finishing eighth and one place outside an invitation to the Final. The host nation received its customary spot, though, and Damsbo was rightly given the place.

An international archer since 2010, Martin finished third at stage two of the international circuit in 2016 – and Odense is his original home town!

Average arrow: 9.73

Storyline

This line-up has everything.

Pagni is a two-time champion at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final. Reo has made seven. Elmaagacli is the defending crown holder – and Cilliers, Buden and Cagiran are all first-time finalists.

In 2015, the top four seeds all lost their first matches. One year on, will the brackets prevail?

The gold Final?

Our prediction: Mike Schloesser, Netherlands /Demir Elmaagacli, Turkey

In Mexico City in 2015, Elmaagacli had the element of surprise – and it was a surprise when he upset Reo Wilde in his first match to spring a run at his first Hyundai Archery World Cup Final. Odense is his second appearance, and though his quality on field is no longer a surprise, he does hold the second seed in the event.

Mister Perfect has the highest average of the eight men competing – and deserves the win.

Advantage: Schloesser

See someone else winning? Let us know on Twitter, @worldarchery is the handle.