17 April 2008 - Duel between Europe and Asia in the Finals!

Duel between Europe and Asia in the Finals!
Porec - 17 April 2008
 
Two raising stars in the world of Archery, Romain Girouille (FRA) and Rahul Banerjee (IND), will face each other on Saturday in the Recurve Men gold final. In Compound Women, the veteran Nichola Simpson (GBR) will be facing Amandine Bouillot (FRA) for another undecided match!   The elimination matches were competed on Thursday up to the semi-finals. Below our live commentaries of the selected matches.  
Recurve Men 1st round: THIRY Nico (BEL) – KUO Cheng Wei (TPE)
Kuo, who managed second place in Santo Domingo two weeks ago and won the Ulsan stage last year suffered an upset. The unknown Belgium, Thiry, won 109 – 108.
 1st round: RAI Tarundeep (IND) – YONG Fujun (CHN)
Fourth at the World Cup Stage 1 in Santo Domingo, Rai struggled to get through the first round here in Porec. His opponent had a fair amount of experience, including a 3rd place in the Shanghai World Cup stage in 2006. They tied at 110, but the Rai then took the edge in the shoot-off, 10 to 8.
  1st round: Lee Chang Hwan (KOR) - Wan Ab Aziz W. M. K. (MAS)
First upset in the Recurve Men Bracket of the the World Cup Stage 2 in Porec. Wan Ab Aziz, from Malaysia, beat one of the Koreans, Lee, 114-112. 
  2nd round: TSYREMPILOV Baljinima (RUS) – PIATEK Piotr (POL)
The 2007 World Cup Winner, Tsyrempilov had a good test versus Piatek. The Russian stared with six arrows in the 9 ring and the Pole shot one point better, scoring 9-8-9-10-10-9. Tsyrempilov managed to come back with 9-X10-9-9-9-9 while Piatek shot a 7 with his seventh arrow (and then X10-9-X10-9-9). The match ended tied on 109. On the first shoot-off arrow they both scored 9 then Piatek achieved the upset: 10 to 9!
 2nd round: DI BUO Ilario (ITA) – GALIAZZO Marco (ITA)
Di Buo won the 2008 World Cup Stage 1 and Galiazzo is the Olympic Champion. What an Italian duel! Di Buo didn't start very well: 9-8-10-9-10-8 for 54 pts while Galiazzo shot 9-10-9-9-10-9 for 56 pts. He continued strong with X10-9-10-X10-9-9 to clinch the match 113-108.
  2nd round: RUBAN Viktor (UKR) – CHENG Chu Sian (MAS)
The no 1 seed, Ruban had a lot troubles. He tied the match at 108. Then his first arrow in the  shoot-off was just outside the 10 ring, but Cheng also managed a 9. Then they both shot a 10. With the final arrow of the shoot-off, Cheng scored a 9 but Ruban shot a perfect X10!
  3rd round: GIROUILLE Romain (FRA) – KIM Jae Hyeong (KOR)
Both archers were tied in the first end, scoring five 9s and one 10. Then Girouille scored 9-8-9-X10-9-10 for 110 pts. The Korean shot 9-8-9-10-9-9. One of the Korean’s 9 was extremely close to a 10. The judge had to go to the target and after verification, he confirmed it was a 9. Girouille won by one point 110-109.
 Quarter-final: RUBAN Viktor (UKR) - GIROUILLE Romain (FRA)
The match was supposed to be interesting and… it was! Both archers started with a 27 and then 55. Girouille then took a 1-point lead 82-81. He didn’t give in at the end shooting 10-9-10 while Ruban shot 9-X10-8. Girouille won 111-108!
  Quarter-final: TALUKDAR Jayanta (IND) – IM Dong Hyun (KOR)
A great match as well! Both arhers started with a 28, then Talukdar scored 10-8-9, while Im had 9-10-10. The Indian came back in the third end with 9-9-10 compared to the Korean’s 9-9-9. However, Im didn’t lose another point as they scored 9-10-10 and 10-9-10 in the last end. Im won 113-112!
  Quarter-final: PARK Kyung-Mo (KOR) – CHENG Chu Sian (MAS)
The match was tied at 57 points at the half. However, the Malaysian lost all hopes with a 7-7-8 in the third end. Park then led 85-79 and clinched the match 110-107.
 Semi-final: GIROUILLE Romain (FRA) – IM Dong Hyun (KOR)
Im got a great start with 30 points, whereas Girouille shot 8-10-9. The Frenchman answered with a perfect 30, but Im was not impressed, scoring a 10-X10-9. Girouille kept the pressure with 10-10-9 and managed to catch up to the Korean who shot 10-9-8. The score was tied at 86. Im finished with 9-9-X10 but the Frenchman did even better: 10-X10-9 to clinch the match 115-114!
  Semi-final: PARK Kyung-Mo (KOR) – BANERJEE Rahul (IND)
Both archers stared with a 26 then Park had a good group of arrows but not in the right spot on the target: 9-8-8. Banerjee took the lead 54-51 and did not let go: 81-79 and a final score of 110-107. The younger brother of Dola (2007 World Cup Winner in Recurve Women) will meet Girouille in the final of the 2008 World Cup Stage 1 in Porec!

  Compound Women 1st round: KAZANTSEVA Anna (RUS) – GIANOPOLOU Angeliki (GRE)
Kazantseva, who has participated twice at the World Cup Finals and who won the first ever World Cup Stage in Porec in 2006, had a lot of trouble in her first round. She tied 104 with Gianopolou but then won the shoot-off 10 to 9.
 2nd round: ZORMAN Tanja (CRO) – BOUILLOT Amandine (FRA)
The young Croatian gave it a good fight but the Frenchwoman, seeded no. 2, was too much for her. Zorman started with a 54 and then a 58 (9-9-10-10-X10-X10). Bouillot opened a gap in the first end with a 59 and controlled the match with a 56 (10-9-8-9-10-10). Final score 112-115.
  2nd round: AGUDO Fatima (ESP) – GALES Andrea (GBR)
The no. 3 seed suffered an upset. The match ended tied at 111. In the first arrow of the shoot-off both archers scored a 10. Then they both shot a 9. Then Agudo only managed an 8, while Gales earned a “liner” 9 to clinch the mach.

3rd round: VAN NATTA Jamie (USA) – LAURILA Anne (FIN)
The Finn started really well against the heavily favoured American. Laurila led 59-56 after the first end. The Finn could not continue quite as strongly, scoring 8-8-10-10-9-10 for 55 pts. However, Van Natta had a lot of trouble in the second end: 9-X10-7-X10-8-8. Clearly not enough to come back in the match. Laurilla created a big upset 114-108!
  3rd round: BUDEN Ivana (CRO) – GONCHAROVA Sofia (RUS)
Goncharova has a great record but Buden was the local favourite! The Russian had the best start with 9-9-9-9-10-9 for 55 pts and the Croatian had 9-9-9-9-10-8 for 54 pts. The match was close until the tenth arrow: Goncharova followed with 10-9-9-9 and Buden with 7-9-X10-X10. With the last two arrows the Croatian put on the pressure with 10-9 and the Russian could only respond with an 8-7. Buden won 109-107 and the second favourite is out of the competition!
 Quarter-final: BUDEN Ivana (CRO) – LAURILA Anne (FIN)
These two underdogs nevertheless provide a great quarter-final. Laurila had a good lead after the first end, 28-24. However, she lost it immediately in the second end, scoring 8-9-8 compared to Buden’s 10-X10-9. The score was tied at 53. Then Buden gained the advantage: X10-8-9 compared to 8-10-7. The score was 80-78. Once again the leader could not hold it! Buden shot 10-9-8 while Laurila shot 10-10-9. The match ended tied on 107. In the first arrow of the shoot-off, they both scored 9! Finally Buden scored another 9 and Laurilla shot a perfect arrow (X10) to clinch the match!
  Quarter-final: BOUILLOT Amandine (FRA) – HUNT Nicky (GBR)
The match was tied at 52 at the halfway mark, then Bouillot shot a perfect 30 to take a two-point advantage, 82-80. Hunt tried to strike back in the last end with X10-10-9 but Bouillot held on with 10-9-9 to clinch the match 110-109.
 Quarter-final: SIMPSON Nichola (GBR) – KAZANTSEVA Anna (RUS)
Another very close match! Simpson led 53-52. Then Kazantseva shot a 7 in the third end to lose one more point. The veteran Simpson led 80-78 and clinched the match 109-107 against the winner of the 2006 World Cup Stage here in Porec!
 
Semi-final: BOUILLOT Amandine (FRA) - GALES Andrea (GBR)
Bouillot is starting to gain some good experience of high level matches and it showed in this semi-final. She was led 28-27 but then tied at 54. She fought back with a 9-9-9 while Gales shot 9-9-8. Both followed with two 10s before the last arrow, so anything was still possible. Bouillot managed another 9 - enough to edge Gales’ 8 and advance to her first final!
  Semi-final: LAURILA Anne (FIN) - SIMPSON Nichola (GBR)
Another great match! Laurila had the best start and led 29-28. She continued with 8-10-9 to lead 56-54. Simpson came back in the third end: X10-9-10 compared to Laurila’s 9-10-9. The Brit then scored X10 and 10 to tie the match win one arrow remaining. Simpson shot a 9 and Laurila an 8. The British “master” goes to the final!

Didier Miéville / Ludivine Maitre Wicki
FITA Communication

NB: X10 and 10 are both worth 10 points. X10 were mentioned for information whenever possible. The arrows are mentioned in order whenever possible.