SECOND ROUND COMPLETE
There has been quite a change at the top of our challenge for the #PrecisionPoint SNGLRTY Prize For Precision after the latest world archery event in Shanghai. After the first round, I was worried that the early leaders would romp home. Their accuracy seemed unassailable. After the second round, it is evident that this will not be the case.
This is the first time I have watched this competition unfold so at each step it like peeling a new layer of onion for me. But after the first two events I am more excited than ever because it looks like there will be many different leaders until the very end. That will keep my interest.
Why Such Big Swings
Why do I make such a bold prediction? After the first round we had Jean-Charles Valldont and Laura van der Winkel leading the tables. They were showing incredible accuracy, and one tends to just extrapolate such brilliance if a bit ignorant. Now suddenly after the second round it is all change at the top. China’s China’s Li Zhongyuan and An Qixuan are at the top of the table. Jean-Charles Valldont has dropped to fifth and Laura van der Winkel is now eighth. There is plenty of movement at the top, and that is what I like in competitions.
This volatility could just reflect the performance of the athletes. Or that was my assumption until I spoke with someone with a bit more experience of Archery. They pointed me to the rules of the SNGLRTY Prize For Precision. These made interesting reading for me for a two reasons. First, as the sponsor I should have an understanding of how the prize is won, but it also explained why we can expect the leaders to change rapidly.
DEVIL IN THE DETAIL
Why do I say that? Well if you read the, thankfully very short, rules for this competition above you will notice a few things. First this is only for Hyundai Archery World Cup Stages (AWCS) and Hyundai Archery World Cup Finals (AWCF) events. Next, it is only for the recurve discipline in 2023 and the compound discipline in 2024. Finally, and most importantly I think, the tally is taken for both qualification and individual match play. Why is that so important you may ask?
The key here is that we are simply counting the total number of 10’s across all arrows shot for individuals, whether in the qualification process, shoot-offs and competition. Much like in other sports, many of the best archers do not need to qualify for each competition, so they start with a disadvantage for the #PrecisionPoint prize because they will not shoot so many arrows at each competition.
In theory, if someone has a long qualification process, that is pushed to many shoot-offs through their competition weekend and then gets to the finals, and maintains high accuracy of bulls eyes could easily jump to the top of the leader board. That is what makes this competition more interesting and will (I believe) cause lots of changes at the top of the tables.
After the Last Event
What ever the cause the last event in Shanghai certainly mixed it up. The leaders changed and the top ten for both the men and women were mixed up. In order to get into the lead of the men’s table, our current leader Li Zhongyuan hit 75 bulls eyes over the weekend for a total of 130 over the 2 competitions so far. The ladies’ leader An Qixuan currently has 106 10’s over the two weekends but is being closely chased by Penny Healey. You can see one of Li’s magnificent shots in the #Precision Point video below.
Where Next?
The third stage of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup takes place between 13-18 June 2023 at Medellin, Colombia. This is the seventh time the Colombian city has hosted a stage.
Seven of the eight winners over the first two stages of this year’s international tour were first-timers. While these rookies have stolen the spotlight, big names have consistently flirted with the upper-middle positions. What better place for the old guard to return than Medellin, 10 years on from hosting its first stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup.
And, without doubt this will cause a big change to the leader board for the Prize for Precision.
