Twenty -four US World team members traveled and competed in the World Indoor Archery Championship in Aalborg, Denmark.

Six Arizonans, four archers and two coaches took part as members of the USA team.

• Kathy McCart, Senior Recurve

• Lindsay  Pian, Junior Recurve

• Brady Ellison, Junior Compound

• Aprilyn Witt, Junior Compound

• Mark Penaz, Head Coach

• Alexander Kirillov, Coach

The top 2 archers in each category along with the staff were funded by the NAA.

The Arizona State Archery Association’s Board of Governors continued their on going support of self funded Arizona World Team members by donating $250 each to Junior Compound, Brady Ellison and Senior Recurve, Kathy McCart.

Monday arrival: 

The team arrived on Monday afternoon after meeting up in Chicago and flying together as a team.

Travel started on Sunday afternoon and after crossing 8 time zones, they arrived Monday afternoon.

Two junior team members did not receive their equipment from SAS/United airlines until Tuesday.

Shuttle buses transported the team to the host hotel where they were promptly processed, photographed and received their credentials that they must wear to enter the field of play.

Then it was time to get to know your team mates.   Coaches held at the first tournament team meeting and dinner buffet.                                                                                                                       

Tuesday Un-official Practice Day:

The day was used to help become accustomed to the time zone change.

The team practiced individual and team rounds on Tuesday PM, and toured the venue as it was being set up.

The range was full of the world best archers including Olympic medalists and World Champions.

Half the day was spend getting organized and some were able to take a walk to the center of town.

The missing equipment was sought and found with the help of the team leaders, a junior parent and a trip back to the airport.   A 24 hours delay!

Wednesday Official Practice:

The archers practiced in the AM or PM depending on their category with a mid day 2 hour lunch break

It was an impressive sight to see all the teams in their uniforms.

The organizers efforts were first rate.

That evening the opening ceremonies took place with the march of the athletes, speeches by dignitaries including Aalborg Mayor, Demark Archery Association, FITA President and the Prince of Denmark.

A dance troop entertained with an modern expression of the story of William Tell.

Thursday Qualifying 600 round:

Breakfast started at 5:30am so the morning competitors could arrive early to be ready for warm up at 8:00 AM.

Once scoring began the tension and excitement engulfed the venue.

Lunch and then the afternoon session went through the same routine.

By days end,  ALL 24 USA Team members qualified for the elimination round, unprecedented!

Congratulations to all Team USA archers and staff!

Arizona Qualification Rankings:

• Brady Ellison    3^rd

• Lindsay Pian    3^rd

• Aprilyn Witt        4^th

• Kathy McCart    9^th

Friday individual and preliminary eliminations rounds up to the ¼ finals:

The elimination process determines the championship.

In the ¼ final, three Americans competed against other.

At this level of competition, one arrow shoot-offs take place often.

Individual World Indoor Championship Arizona Results:

• Kathy McCart 8th Recurve Senior

• Lindsay Pian 7^th Recurve Junior

• Brady Ellison enters the semi-finals to be held on Saturday.

• Aprilyn Witt enters the semi-finals to be held on Saturday.

Friday team preliminary eliminations, evening:

The team rounds were wonderfully successful.

All the US Teams made it into the semi-finals except the US Recurve Mens team who lost with a last end one point that was called out by a judge.

It was a long day with the men recurve and women compound teams finishing well after 9 PM

Saturday Individual semi finals:

Fantastic!

Brady Ellison won his way to gold medal match with a one point win over France

Aprilyn Witt went against fellow American Erika Anchutz. 

Aprilyn’s match went to a “three” shoot off arrows decided by closest to the center for Erika.

Saturday Individual Matches:

Aprilyn shot for the Bronze medal against Slovenia for a 4^th place finish.

Brady won the Gold against Croatia.

The individual medal champions ceremony included an exotic modern dance number prior the awarding the medals.

Sunday Team Championship:

As with the individual matches, there were many shoot-offs, one arrow by each team member in 1 minute.

One Cinderella story, the US Jr. women's recurve team seeded 6^th, won the World Indoor Team Championship Bronze Medal overcoming the 3rd and 5th seeded teams.  A side bet between one girl and her Dad was added incentive to the team winning.  He would shave his head if the girls won the medal.  He did!

Montanan, Aaron Tedford, qualified in 18^th place then, with solid focus on shot execution, Aaron won the Individual Recurve Bronze Medal.

This year was the first time an American individual Jr. has won a recurve bow World Indoor Championship Medal!

The US Jr. women's compound team did all they were asked to do including winning all their team matches, but were not awarded a gold medal “because there were only three teams”.

The US Jr. men's compound team won team gold.

The US Senior women's recurve team made it to the bronze medal match against Poland and finished in 4^th place.

The Arizona members of the 2005 World Indoor Championship team finished individual or team top four in the world, not bad.

• Brady Ellison, US Team Jr Compound Gold Medal

• Aprilyn Witt, US Team Jr Compound Match play winner, 1^st place

• Lindsay Pian, US Team Jr Recurve Bronze Medal

• Kathy McCart, US Team Sr Recurve 4^th place

Closing Ceremonies:

Their was a flag procession, lowering of the FITA flag and the Danish Flag, speeches and transferring the FITA Flag to Luxemburg, who will host the 2007 World Indoor Tournament.

Closing Banquet:

The practice range at the venue and lunch area were transformed into a nicely decorated, dimly lit, discothèque with buffet.  Teams sat al together at long Tables.  Food was good as the buffet was descended upon by all.  There was plenty of food.  Dancing followed.  The US team led the Cotton Eyed Joe line dance. 

Most opted to leave at 11:00pm to pack and get ready for another early morning.  Final Scores, Scorecards were given to the Team Leader.

FITA certificates were issued to top eight finishes in each division.

Monday:

Traveling home started at 8:00am in Aalborg and arrived in Phoenix around 8:30pm.  There was a 9 hour time change for a total travel time of around 21 hours.

Bow cases did not arrive.  Some bow cases arrived at 3:30am on Wednesday delivered to the door by the airlines.

Whew!

Lessons:

• To conduct a first rate tournament, you need lots of volunteers.  The Aalborg organization numbered 120 volunteers. It helped that the tournament fell on a 5 day holiday so volunteers were off from their regular job.

• The tournament hosted a 24 hour web cam of the tournament so many around the world were able to get a feel of the tournament.  Perhaps more tournaments can have web cams.

• JOAD clubs should practice OR match one arrow shoot-offs as well as team round three arrow shoot-offs by learning to shoot quickly without panicking (10 seconds per arrow, During the Bronze Medal match, USA Jr. Recurve Female Team, Lindsay Pian shot her last end three arrows in 30 seconds to beat the clock.  The USA Jr Recurve Male team lost a one arrow tie-breaker shoot off pressured by time and a yellow card violation.

• JOAD clubs should teach yellow card team round 1 meter line and arrow in quiver procedure.

• World Championship pressure is intense.  Some will shoot below their average, some will rise to the occasion and have a nothing to lose attitude. There is no substitute for experience and all of the juniors gained much needed international experience.

• There is not much to do, but watch the tournament and cheer on the team when traveling to a world championship. If you want to see the "sites", you need to stay after the tournament closing or arrive before the tournament begins.

• Juniors need to be responsible for being on time, gathering together all they need to compete and commit to representing their team and US with pride.

• JOADs should learn to shoot in a noisy environment with people yelling their names, cheering for and against, varying drum cadence, etc.  This is accepted practice and is not considered poor sportsmanship.  Compare it  to Basketball free-throw shooting.

• This is the most successful, Indoor Championships that the US has ever had.  Congratulations to the Team Leaders, Archers and Coaches.