Following four qualifying rounds held in Shanghai, Medellin, Antalya and Wroclaw over the last five months, the eight archers have qualified for four individual competitions, while two mixed team events will also take place.

Following the success of last year's Final held under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the two-day event will further showcase changes made over recent years as part of a bid to increase excitement levels in the sport, as well as to attract a new generation of fans.

In addition to music and a match-format allowing a far greater number of ties to come down to a deciding "shootout", this will involve a mixed team competition, an event which World Archery President Uğur Erdener has claimed could soon be added to the Olympic programme.

This follows the success of the archery competition at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing last month, when, after witnessing first hand a thrilling girl's individual final decided by the very last shot, the sport was praised by, among others, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

Marcus Dalmeida, the Brazilian considered the "Neymar of Archery" in the next Summer Olympic host nation, won a silver medal in Nanjing and will be bidding to go one better this time around after a superb debut year on the World Cup circuit.

Fresh from success at Nanjing 2014, this weekend is a major step for Brazilian teenager Marcus Dalmeida on the road to Rio 2016 ©World Archery




The 16-year-old, ranked second in the World Cup standings, will face stiff competition from the likes of United States' two-time World Cup Final champion Brady Ellison and South Korea's London 2012 Olympic Champion Oh Jin Hyek, who will face each other in the first round.

Oh, winner of last year's Final in Paris, will - in the absence of compatriots, including reigning world champion Lee Seungyun, who are focusing on preparing for the Asian Games on home turf in Incheon later this month - lead the Asian charge, while leading qualifier Rick Van Der Ven of The Netherlands will head the European challenge after winning the final qualifying leg in Wroclaw.

In the women's event, meanwhile, the South Korean participant is world number two ranked Jung Dasomi, winner of the World Cup leg in Medellin.

London 2012 silver medallist Aida Roman of Mexico should feature highly, while there will be two archers apiece from China and Germany.

The Chinese will led by world number one Xu Jung and the Germans by Elena Richter, winner of the Shanghai leg of the Series.

Roman will also feature in the mixed team competition, where she and partner Luis Velez will be firm favourites to get the better of the young home pairing of Florian Faber and Iliana Deineko.

Mexico will be favourites to take recurve mixed team honours over Switzerland
©World Archery



But, before these competitions, using the Olympic-standard recurve bow, get underway on Sunday (September 7), compound events, using a different bow that utilises a cable and pulley system, will take place tomorrow.

Traditionally a stronger nation in the compounds rather than the recurve events, the United States will provide the leading contender of the men's side, in the five-time World Cup Finalist Reo Wilde, while a strong French challenge will be led by the winner of the Seb Peineau and PJ Deloche, respective winners of the Shanghai and Wroclaw legs.

In the women's event, meanwhile, Colombia's Alejandra Usquiano will look to defend the title she won 12 months ago, with a leading rival expected to be compatriot Sara Lopez, the 15-arrow-match world record holder.

Two-time world champion Albina Loginova, 2013 World Games winner and world number one Erika Jones of the US, and Edinburgh 2010 World Cup finalist Linda Ochoa will also feature, while Jones and Wilde will mount a formidable American duo in the mixed team event.

They will face Clementine De Guila and Patrizio Hofer of Switzerland.