Archery World Cup Returns in Santo Domingo!

Beautiful Santo Domingo!      This year’s Archery World Cup comprises four stages that allow the athletes to qualify for the Final in Copenhagen. The World Cup aims to consistently enhance its competitions by showcasing the events at some of the world’s most spectacular locations. The archers will go from Santo Domingo, to the beaches of Porec and Antalya, the modern down-town Shanghai and the historical canal in Copenhagen. Only the top four archers per category will make it to the Danish capital, where archery will be part of the “Danish Year of Sport 2009”. Denmark will host more than 50 international sports events and the Archery World Cup Final will take place just before the Olympic Session and Congress.   Who will enjoy the trip to the Copenhagen Final?   Recurve Men The 2008 World Cup winner is IM Dong-Hyun (KOR). He is on his prime years while many of his contenders in 2009 are either young talent or very experienced archers. Among the upcoming athletes, one will see in Santo Domingo the Mexicans Juan Rene SERRANO and Eduard VELEZ SANCHEZ and Poles Rafal DOBROWOLSKI and Jacek PROC. Moreover, some of the major future stars include Romain GIROUILLE (FRA), Brady ELLISON (USA), Crispin DUENAS (CAN), Mauro NESPOLI (ITA), and an Indian team that needs to confirm the sparkles one has seen from them in recent years. It is time for Rahul BANERJEE, M. S. CHAMPIA and Jayanta TALUKDAR to reach the summit! Experienced archers include Al WILLS, Laurence GODFREY, Simon TERRY (GBR), three times Olympian Vic WUNDERLE (USA), five times Olympian Butch JOHNSON (USA) and no less than six times Olympian Ilario DI BUO (ITA), who won the World Cup stage in Santo Domingo last year!   Recurve Women The 2008 World Cup winner Justyna MOSPINEK (POL) is glad to return to outdoor competition together with her regular teammates, Malgorzata CWIENCZEK and three times Olympian Iwona MARCINKIEWICZ. The most impressive trio set to compete in Santo Domingo is probably the one from Italy. After another world title added to a huge collection at the recent indoor world championships, five times Olympian Natalia VALEEVA will lead again her two young, talented teammates Elena TONETTA and Pia Carmen LIONETTI. Talking about experience, Alison WILLIAMSON (GBR) has also five Olympic appearances, Khatuna LORIG (USA) counts four, and Berengere SCHUH (FRA) competed in her second Games in Beijing—winning a team bronze medal. The young generation is represented by five athletes that were also in China last year, Ana Maria RENDON, Sigrid ROMERO and Natalia SANCHEZ from Colombia as well as Aida ROMAN and Mariana AVITIA from Mexico.   COGHLAN (AUS) last year in Santo Domingo    Compound Men The current World Cup title holder and world champion, Dietmar TRILLUS (CAN) will compete in Santo Domingo, together with his teammate Kevin TATARYN. As usual this category shows a lot of familiar faces who are all threats for victory:   Ø The 2008 World Cup finalists Patrizio HOFER (SUI), Patrick COGHLAN (AUS) and Sergio PAGNI (ITA) Ø The 2007 World Cup winner Jorge JIMENEZ (ESA) and finalists Braden GELLENTHIEN (USA), Roberval DOS SANTOS (BRA) Ø The first World Cup winner in 2006 Reo WILDE as well as finalist that year Dave COUSINS (USA) and Peter ELZINGA (NED)   The best local hope is in this category, namely the 2006 cadet world champion, Paris GOICO DE LARA. Last but not least, Martin DAMSBO (DEN) starts his quest to qualify for a World Cup Final at home.   Compound Women The 2008 World Cup winner Jamie VAN NATTA (USA) will also defend her title in Santo Domingo, where she won last year. The 2008 finalists Amandine BOUILLOT (FRA) and Ivana BUDEN (CRO) also take the trip to Dominican Republic as well as the 2007 world champion Eugenia SALVI (ITA). Their main contenders are Luzmary GUEDEZ (VEN), Jhanu HANSDAH (IND), the sisters Almendra and Linda OCHOA (MEX), recent indoor world bronze medallist Erika ANSCHUTZ (USA) and one of the Danish hopes for a home finalist Camilla SOEMOD!   In 2009, the events feature FITA Rounds in qualifications followed by the usual, ferocious single-elimination matches! Moreover, for the first time in history, a Mixed Team competition is included in the World Cup!   Join us for Stage 1 of the Archery World Cup 2009 in Santo Domingo as of Tuesday 31 March!   Didier MIEVILLE FITA Communication