Archery to take centre stage in Las Vegas
Lausanne; 3 February 2015: World Archery today began its final preparations for what is set to be a spectacular weekend in Las Vegas with the iconic location showcasing the first-ever World Archery Gala, the Indoor Archery World Cup Final and the record-breaking Vegas Shoot 2015.
The weekend will begin with the inaugural World Archery Gala on Friday 6 February, where Athlete of the Year awards will be presented in the four international competition divisions: the Olympic recurve bow style (men and women) and compound (men and women) – which is in included in the World Games.
Nominees included:
- Marcus D’ALMEIDA (BRA): Youth Olympic and Archery World Cup Final silver medallist
- Aida ROMAN (MEX): London 2012 Olympic Games silver medallist
- Erika JONES (USA): Cali 2013 World Games Champion
Fans around the world were invited to vote for their favourite international archers of 2014 from a shortlist of 20 through December and January, submit photographs and recommend people who give up their time for the sport for exceptional recognition.
Awards will also be presented to the international coach and athlete newcomer of 2014 during what will be a momentous evening designed to recognise not just sporting excellence but the fans and volunteers who make such valuable contributions to the ever-growing sport.
The Indoor Archery World Cup Final will take place on the evening of Saturday 7 February. History was made last month during the third stage in Nîmes as Dutch World Champion, Mike “The Flying Dutchman” SCHLOESSER, shot a perfect score of 600 during qualification – a feat which has never been achieved before – reflecting the intense competitive quality of the sport.
The Vegas Shoot – the largest indoor archery tournament in the world – will culminate on Sunday 8 February after three days of intense competition in which nearly 3,000 amateur and professional archers are expected to take part. A tense and unique finale will see the top professionals compete in a sudden-death shoot-off for a generous prize pot.
Last year’s event broke records for participation and 2015 will see another 20 percent increase in competitor numbers. It is a result of archery’s continued exposure in films like The Hunger Games and The Hobbit, with fans inspired by pop culture now progressing from recreational to competitive athletes in the sport. The junior women’s category is the fastest-growing competition division at The Vegas Shoot.
Watch all three evenings of sport live on Archery TV:
- World Archery Gala: http://youtu.be/tX6yZxq7S6M
- Indoor Archery World Cup Final: http://youtu.be/6h_MpIXkH7A
- The Vegas Shoot Pro Shoot-off: http://youtu.be/5BLytxmfxak
World Archery President Prof Dr Ugur ERDENER said: “I am very excited about this weekend’s events in Las Vegas, particularly our first World Archery Gala.
“We asked the public to vote for their favourite athletes of 2014, submit nominations for exceptional volunteers and share their best photographs. It is these fans and athletes that contribute so much to our sport and we wanted to ensure that their voice was heard and they were internationally recognised for all that they do. I am sure this inaugural World Archery Gala will be a spectacular celebration of everything that makes our sport grow, and continue growing.
“The huge participation numbers at this year’s Vegas Shoot, another large increase from a record-breaking 2014, is clear evidence of this expansion. It is the open entry status of the event and the rest of the Indoor Archery World Cup that makes it so special: recreational archers of all levels competing alongside, interacting with, and being inspired by their sporting heroes.
"Even those elite athletes seem to have reached a new level in 2015. The emergence of our men’s Olympic Champion OH Jin Hyek and his colleagues from some of Korea’s top professional archery teams on the indoor circuit has pushed the standard of the recurve competition higher again, while Mike SCHLOESSER’s perfect score in Nîmes last month was simply flawless. I have no doubt we will be treated to some world-class performances next weekend.
"One thing I am sure of: the popularity of the Indoor Archery World Cup aptly demonstrates the global appetite for our sport."