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The 2011 AAE Arizona Cup USAT ranking and FITA World Ranking Tourney is now complete. In spite of windy practice and ranking days and a cold wet team round day. The tourney was a huge success! The ASAA can look forward to the 2012 AZ Cup with great anticipation. It is a pleasure to host archers, family, friends and spectators from around the country and the world. Hosting the AZ Cup is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our community and conduct an event worthy of the archer hard work and commitment.
Inside the 2011 AAE Arizona Cup Blog: The Arizona Cup is a tradition that is a wonder to all that are new to AZ target archery. This report provides insight into this year’s event in hopes that more will contribute their time and attention to this great event.
Tournament prep in the weeks leading up the Cup included 80 new target stands and 40 new target matts that provided ample no frame behind the target face. The purchases provided for the new individual 80 cm 6 ringed targets with 6 arrow ends of the 50 meter compound round and two short distance for the recurve four distance FITA. Score flip card were made by Paseo Vista Archery as a fund raiser and were used for top of target number, cumulative score cards for compound matches and end score and set points score cards for recurve. The field was groomed for several week ends prior to the Cup to remove weeds. The range and parking lot were striped and roped to define and organize. The purchase of new targets and stands allowed the ASAA to sell used target matts and stands a clubs and archers. By doing so, clubs are able to better conduct programs with FITA quality equipment.
A grant secured by USAA with AAE’s input secured a $10K Easton Foundation grant that helped purchase targets, flip cards and a gathering tent. Also new this year was a tandem outdoor brightness, high contrast monitor system that was connected to the USAA/Easton Foundations results team equipment to display the leader board.
The tournament registration reached capacity for the one shooting time tournament. 262 archers from 10 countries ultimately took part. Team rounds featured many World Archery Americas FITA member association teams. The registration fee was $150 for a four day tournament, an average of $37.50 per day. The USAA has made a distinction between Senior Junior and Cadet USAT qualification at all USAT events. As a result, youth participation at the AZ Cup has become a major group. This year Para archer participation was down as Para compound archer focused on 70 meter and not 50 meters.
The Crowne Plaza Phoenix continued to serve as the host hotel. This year airport/hotel ground transportation was added and the hotel offered a limited hotel/field shuttle. The Crowne Plaza provided a meal plan and a welcome and departure reception. The Crowne has been the host hotel since 2003. Some have wondered if there is a closer hotel worth considering. To date, the Crowne Plaza Phoenix continues to be the closest affordable full service hotel to BASF. Full service is a necessity for a world ranking event with international archers. Most importantly the Crowne Plaza staff is well versed in the needs of the archers including early breakfast.
Vendors included AAE, Lancaster, B Stinger, BCY, US and International Archer, SMR enterprises and Kowboy Kookin. All shared space around the plaza tent with tables and chairs.
The tournament provides bottled water. This year a water station was set up in the middle of archers canopies. The archers were given a coupon for their first bottle of Arrowhead water. The archer were required to bring back their empty water bottle to get a new bottle of water. The system worked great and there as not litter problem as there was in years past. Trash cans were located in the parking lot as they tend to attract bees. In spite of the distance trash as not an issue.
This year’s format utilized the 50 meter ranking round, team and individual elimination rounds for compound archers. All 50 meters allowed senior, junior and cadets to all take part in the team rounds and championship round. The recurve shoot a four distance FITA and used individual faces and 6 arrow ends at the two short distances in keeping with the world championship format. The compound archers shot 2x72x50 meter rounds and were re assigned targets by ranking for the second round. Unfortunately the multitude of archer score card errors made the ranking process lengthy and delayed the progression of the tourney. Since the AZ Cup was the first major tournament to use the new compound round, world records were set.
There was compound bow Para archer participation in the raking round. Para recurve shoot the 4 distance FITA. Para compound shot a 2x72x70 meter rounds. Archers agents were key in allowing the Para archers to do what they do.
Team round day featured an unofficial open team rounds that all that shoot the senior distances. All senior distance archers were invited to take part in as part of their entry fee. Official National teams and Mixed team rounds took place. An unofficial cadet recurve mixed team round was managed by coach Gary Yamaguchi and was a huge success. Team round day was challenging with the wind, rain, and cold. It was a strange sight to see snow on the mountains north of Ben Avery.
Sunday Individual elimination round day was a delight. Cool temperatures, warm sun and light breezes. The rain took a toll on the electronic scoring equipment an electronics and the USAA 5 member results crew had to scramble from start to finish to keep the system operational. Drug testing as a world ranking tournament also took place.
Judges were all Continental or higher level. Tech Delegate: Sergio Font/Cuba, Chair of Judges: Tom Green/USA, Judge from Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile, Canada, California and Arizona. Judges were coordinated by the technical delegate.
Staff included Connie and Waylon Hunt, Cathie and Dean Kieborz, Lynn Van Patter, Malcolm Loomis, Sandra and Danielle Reynolds, the Yamaguchi s, Paseo Vista and Desert Sky Archery club members, Arthur Para, Barbara and Andy Larrick, Wayne Davidson, Lindsay Pian, Mike Cullumber and many more.. Over the past 22 years there have been four AZ Cup tournament administrations. Remarkably, all four took part in this year’s AZ Cup. Sheri Rhodes (1989 to the mid-90s in and around ASU, team round coordinator) Terry and Diana LaBeau (late 90s in Tucson, field crew from dawn to dusk), Mike and Vivian Koistinen (early 2000s at Ben Avery, breakfast and lunch kookin and sales) and Bob and Janice (late 2000s and early 2010s, Director and Administration)
The AZ Cup strives to provide for the professional, international archer and the US recreational archer. Tournament extras beyond the scope of typical national events include world ranking, FITA international technical delegate, invitation letters and visa assistance, event program, commemorative trading pin, bottled water, archer id with name and ranking round target number, archer id with ranking number, continental and international judges, official national/mixed and open team rounds, officials credentials with lanyards, Antigua dri fabric tournament polo shirt and hats with embroidered commemorative emblem, vendor plaza and gathering tent with tables and chairs, spectator canopies and bleachers, full complement of at target flip score boards, airport hotel and hotel field ground transportation, hotel welcome and departure receptions, unofficial cadet recurve mixed team rounds, 74 targets, electronic leaderboard display, USAA drug testing, multiple swivel mounted FITA wind socks, separate field and spectator area speakers with music, alternate shooting medal matches, 22 year tradition, Sonoran desert.
Proceeds from the Arizona Cup fund ASAA projects and efforts including support of clubs, and the JOAD program, AZ Duel in the Desert team, tournament hosting encouragement, AZ world team members, support of camps and seminars. All in an effort to help grow and improve the quality of target archery in Arizona. This year the ASAA invested in the AZ Cup to allow the AZ Cup to continue to serve the Arizona archery community. With the help of volunteers, the AZ Cup can continue to help for years to come. Typically the AZ Cup breaks even upon of receipt of 200 entry fees.
Stuff:
Title Sponsorship, prize monies and awards presentation: AAE and tourney sponsors: Easton, BStinger and BCY
Ben Avery Shooting Facility, Arizona Game and Fish Department: Facility, weed control, water truck, cord covers, trash cans, bleachers, handicap parking signs, traffic cones, snake and be control, security, Drug Testing Facility.
Quad and trailer for field dragging and getting around: Mel Nichols
Golf Cart to get around: Dean Kieborz.
20x50 gathering tent, AAE, USAA and ESDF
Officials and team meeting trailer: Speck family
Mobile Mini office: Via Andy Larrick
Score flip cards and target numbers: Paseo Vista Archery Club
Cadet recurve mixed team rounds: Gary Yamaguchi
350 chairs: Classic Party Rentals
Port a lets: Jack Pot Sanitation, 6 units belong to AZ, we rent two or more wheelchair unit.
Target stands: MVP Tello construction
White tail target and back up bags: American Whitetail
Target faces: Maple Leaf Press
Results team and scoring and timing equipment: USA Archery and Easton Foundations
Drug testing: Lindsay Pian and USAA funding. Testing and drug sampling took place at the AZ GFD headquarters bldg..
USAA Sponsors: Easton Foundations, Hoyt, Easton Technical Products, Tax Masters, B Stinger, Nike, United Airlines and the title sponsor of the AAE Arizona Cup, Arizona Archery Enterprises
ASAA: All other equipment
Visit www.arizonacup.com for all available result since 1989. The 2012 AZ Cup may take place with the AZ Game and Fish Departments Expo at BASF, a huge event that attracted over twenty thousand visitors this year. Planning and execution of the AZ Cup is a yearlong effort.
There are lots of improvements we would like to work on. More new targets, filling low spots in the canopy area, permanent electrical, at shooting line archer name placards, on site medical…in general more and better. The ASAA invites volunteer help to keep the archer entry fees affordable for the recreational archer. The best way to learn about tournaments is to volunteer. Wanted: Field crew chief, field crew, transportation coordinator, awards ceremony coordinator. Questions and to volunteer, email ASAA president Mike Cullumber mcullumber@cox.net or any ASAA board member.
Interested? |
