The city will play host next summer to the Youth Archery World Championships, a six-day event that will determine which athletes advance to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010. Then, from 2010 to 2012, Ogden will be a stop on archery's World Cup circuit.

Besides generating an estimated $2 million for Weber County's economy, "these events will attract more attention to Ogden as a recreational hub in the West," Mayor Matthew Godfrey said Friday.

That has been one of Ogden's goals since the 2002 Winter Olympics. City officials point proudly to the array of recreation-oriented companies that have established a presence, among them Amer Sports' winter sports divisions, clothier Descente North America, goggle maker Smith's Optics and surfboard maker Kahuna Creations.

The expansion into archery was eased by the fact that Ogden's recreation orientation was well known to Jim Easton.

A past president of the International Archery Foundation and a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1994, Easton owns a Salt Lake City-based company that is a primary supplier of arrows and other archery equipment. And the Easton Sports Development Foundation he started will serve as the local organizing committee for the four events.

"This is a real coup for Ogden," said Easton. "They were cooperative and generous and they have a group of 600 people from the 2002 Olympics who volunteer for other events they have in the Ogden area. That's just a great asset, having people who are motivated and interested."

Easton said the competitions generally will attract 500 archers - and another 250 coaches and officials - testing their mental control and physical accuracy on a playing field sporting more than 100 targets.

"It's going to be a big event," he added, noting that most preliminary rounds will take place at Weber State University, with the finals moving to the streets of downtown Ogden.

Ogden landed the events with assistance from the Utah Sports Commission, the agency charged with building on Utah's Olympic legacy by attracting more national and international sports competitions.

"Ogden represented our state extremely well as the host of the downhill skiing and curling competitions for the 2002 Winter Olympics, so we're confident these events will be no exception," said Sports Commission President Jeff Robbins.

Utah's record of post-Olympic accomplishments is impressive, said Easton, who is familiar with the IOC's desire for host cities to extend the spirit of the Games by using facilities for years to come.

"It's a great legacy," he said. "I want to pass that along to the IOC and say, 'Here's an example of how a city took good advantage of the opportunity to host the Olympics.' "

mikeg@sltrib.com