"Towards Torino 2011": Press Conference at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy

"Towards Torino 2011": Press Conference at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy Rome (ITA) – 7 June 2011
The Italian Archery Federation (FITARCO) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the World Archery Championships 2011 Torino held a press conference on 1 June 2011 at the conference hall of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy. The 46th edition of the World Archery Championship 2011 to be held in Turin in July was  presented. The event will be a qualifier for the Olympic and Paralympics Games 2012 in London.
At the press conference were present, together with technical delegates and archers of the Italian national team, the Secretary of CONI Raffaele PAGNOZZI, the Vice President of CONI and President of Italian Paralympic Committee Luca PANCALLI, the President of FITARCO Mario SCARZELLA, the president of the Torino 2011 Organising Committee Tiziana NASI and the Vice President of FITARCO Sante SPIGARELLI, commissioned by the Federation to organise the Italian Championships in Rome in October 2011.
The first speech was made by Raffaele Pagnozzi, who congratulated FITARCO on the 50 years jubilee with the hope that the World Championships in Turin will be a prelude to another important event, the Olympic Games in London: "From '96 Atlanta Olympics up to now, Italian archery has always won medals at the Olympics. The work you are carrying out is commendable and collaboration with Ferrari I'm sure will be fruitful and serve the benefit of all archers. I hope that in Turin, there will be the results we expect and that the Italian team will be among the first eight teams to win the Olympic Quota".
Next to take the floor was Luca PANCALLI. He was especially pleased to be able to see on the same site both the World Archery and Para-Archery Championships: "We are building a great international image of the country with the organisation of World Championships for the disabled together with the able-bodied athletes. I would like to thank 'le Fiamme Azzurre', who assumed silver medallist at Paralympics in Beijing, Marco VITALE. This event brings us back to Turin, where we experienced one of the best editions of the Paralympic Winter Games. I congratulate the President Mario SCARZELLA for electing Tiziana NASI as President of LOC. The Paralympic Italian Committee will always be the first in line and ready to roll up their sleeves to help athletes make the most."
Tiziana NASI, after greeting on behalf of Rocco CRIMI, the Executive of the Prime Minister’s board of sport, who unfortunately could not be present at the Hall of Honour of the Olympic Committee as was planned, focused on the management issues of the championships: "We have been working for a long time and we are a cooperative team, able to overcome the difficulties that this great event involves. Only a month is left until the beginning of the competition and these days will put everything in place to ensure that the organisation is impeccable."

Mario SCARZELLA, after thanking the authorities present at the meeting, especially the Air Force and the Blue Flames teams, expressed his confidence to the athletes: "I thank you for the trust that is given to our federation, it is true that we went on the podium in the last four Olympics, but it was our athletes who must be honoured and they deserve our gratitude. The boys are training and preparing for an international competition to earn a starting spot in Turin. The next meeting will be the second stage of the World Cup in Antalya next week and then we will meet in Cantalupa technical centre to define the team. In London, eight teams will qualify: paradoxically, seeing the number of teams that will compete in Turin, I realise that it will be more difficult to get the qualification at the World Championships than a podium in London. The synergy with the Italian Para-Archery Committee has enabled us to bring the World Archery Para Championships to Turin, winning to Edinburgh, as we had already won the challenge with Paris. I am sure that this synergy will be equally valid when we compete for the most important event in Rome 2020."
Ardingo SCARZELLA, Competition Manager of the World Championships, presented great numbers of the event: "It will be the biggest World Championships ever held in the history of archery. There will be all the best national teams and many newcomers. In Turin we have 87 nations, 653 athletes, 310 technicians and attendants. 239 athletes will compete which is  more than in the World Championship 2009 in  Ulsan, Korea and 123 athletes more than in 2007 in Leipzig, Germany, the last World Championships valid for the access to the Olympics. It is also a record for the Para-Archery World Championships, with 39 nations, 275 athletes and 139 technicians. In practice we will have a 2-week notice in Piedmont about 1400 field presences. In the early stages of qualification, there will be 68 men's and 51 women's teams, only the top eight will qualify for London 2012. To enter the qualifying rounds is already a great result, but then we must reach the quarterfinals to earn the Olympic Quota. The last note was about the final party of the event, typical of archery, to be held in the Castello del Valentino."
The Technical Director of the Paralympic Sector Marco PEDRAZZI said he was optimistic about the possibilities of London through the 2011 World Championships in Turin: "We will have 14 athletes competing in various categories: standing and wheelchair both recurve and  compound. Unfortunately there are no blind people, who have joined our national assets, but I'm sure that with the pressure that is creating Italy in the international arena soon they will come to compete at the World Championships. At the last international trip to Bangkok we faced the strongest teams in Asia and we performed well. In Turin it will not be easy to be first on the medal standing, but we can bring home our medals."   A trio of Paralympic athletes was present at the Hall of Honour. A well-known athlete, Oscar DE PELLEGRIN said: "We are at the height of preparation. I do not imbalance, but I think it is better to concentrate on performance rather than medals." Elizabeth MIJN, European champion in mixed team agreed with DE PELLEGRIN: "We worked well and for a long time. I believe that the results will demonstrate it. To compete at home is always an advantage and I hope that the affection of the public will be a great support." The last to speak was Marco VITALE from 'le Fiamme Azzurre': "It will not be easy, but we will do our best to bring Italy on the podium."
Marco GALIAZZO, Olympic gold medallist in Athens 2004 and team silver in Beijing 2008 with Ilario DI BUO and Mauro NESPOLI, said that he hopes to be advantageous to compete at home: "As in any international competition we will give our best to maintain a high level of Italian archery. The World Championships are held in Turin, and this is an added value. It will give us the impetus to do even better than usual. In Athens, my first Olympics, I won once and it was beautiful. The difficulty, however, is to confirm, and in Beijing we have succeeded as well. These World Championships are very important because it is a direct ticket to the Olympics in London. We cannot fail. I have never won a world title, so I'll try to put all myself to get this trophy. It is since this winter that I prepare for this competition and I want so much to do well."
The seven times Olympian Ilario DI BUO hopes to rely on his experience: "Physically the age archery is what it is; I'm not in great shape. Mentally, however, I still have much to state. My experience in the field can be useful at times when we must make choices."
Among the Italians who aspire to a starting berth in Turin there is also the female athlete Pia LIONETTI: "We are still in the running to earn a place and we remain focused on the World Championships, which will make us understand at what level we arrive. The Korean opponents are always strong, but lately we have been taking our revenge."
Representing the compounds, but not with Olympic ambition since this division is not competed at the Olympic Games, there was also the winner of the 2009 and 2010 World Cup Finals Sergio PAGNI: "I won the World Cup twice, so I will try to confirm in Turin and win, knowing that it will not be easy. Turin hosted me well at the European Indoor Championships in 2008. I hope it will be so again."
50th Anniversary of FITARCO and Italian Championships 2011 in Rome In the end of the press conference, the Vice-President of FITARCO Sante SPIGARELLI presented the Jubilee FITARCO Italian Championships, which will be held from 30 September to 2 October in two different locations.
The stages of qualification and elimination rounds will be held on Thursday, 30 September and Saturday, 1 October at the Municipal plant "Palafitarco" of Torpagnotta (Close Source Laurentina), assigned to the Federation by the City of Rome. There also, on Saturday, 1 October, will be hosted the Trophy Roma Capitale, a competition for the visually impaired archers.   The finals of the championships will be held in the heart of Rome, at the Circo Massimo. "A location that seems to be made for our discipline and that will be proposed as avenue for Rome 2020."
The banquet of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of FITARCO will be attended by the archers who have brought honour to Italy in the international arena over the years. It will be held at the Sheraton Golf Hotel.   Source: Turin 2011/FITARCO Edited by World Archery Communication