14 July 2010 - Sunny, 35 degrees, a hot day on the field!

Sunny, 35 degrees, a hot day on the field! Visegrad - 14 July 2010   The more than 230 competitors of the World Archery Field Championships in Visegrad, near Budapest Hungary, shot their unmarked courses today. Dave COUSINS (USA) shot the highest score with 418 points.  After some torrential rain at the World Championships Llwynypia 2008 and the World Games Kaohsiung 2009, the athletes competed today under a sky as blue as the Danube on a postcard, a heavy sun and 35 degrees Celsius. The parts of the tracks in the forest, and its shadow, were greatly appreciated although this sometimes meant steep hills and mosquitoes. All in all, a very competitive day of field archery and the rest of the week is set for more of the same.   Today the archers all played on 24 unmarked targets (unknown distances from 5 to 60 metres), shooting three arrows per target with a maximum of 6 points per arrow. Tomorrow, they will complete the qualifications with another course of 24 targets—this time with known-distances.   Recurve Men Although the three-time field world champion Michelle FRANGILLI (ITA) shot a miss with his very first arrow of the day, he finished tied at 379 points with Jon SHALES (GBR). That is an average of 5.26 per arrow. The 2009 World Games winner Vic WUNDERLE (USA) was just behind with 378. Another favourite, Sebastian ROHRBERG (GER) achieved 375 points, one point more than Marco SERI (ITA). Alan WILLS (GBR) earned 368.   Recurve Women The 2004 and 2008 world champion Jessica TOMASI (ITA) led after the first day of qualifications with 357 points (4.96 average). The 2001 and 2009 World Games winner Carole FERRIOU (FRA) had 349, just two points ahead of Naomi FOLKARD (GBR). Elena RICHTER (GER) had 340 with a good advantage on Amy OLIVER (GBR), 333 points. Then the gaps were tight until the 9th-placed Christine BJERENDAL (SWE) photo who had 324. Elin KATTSTROM (SWE), Marina PRELIPCEAN (BEL) and Nathalie DIELEN (SUI) photo stood in between.   Compound Men Dave COUSINS (USA) photo had the highest score of the day with 418 points out of 432. That is a 5.81 average on each shot, out of 6 points. Jeremy THIERRY (FRA) was a surprising 2nd with 410, one point ahead of Dejan SITAR (SLO). The three times world champion and World Games winner Morgan LUNDIN (SWE) had 406, closely followed by the current world champion Rod MENZER (USA) and Slavko TURSIC (SLO) with 404. The 2009 World Games winner Kevin WILKEY (USA) and Silvio GIORCELLI (ITA) had 400.   Compound Women Anne LANTEE (FIN) and Lucy HOLDERNESS (GBR) had 392 points, while Ivana BUDEN (CRO) and Francesca PERACINO (ITA) achieved 390. Ulrika SJOWALL (SWE) followed with 385, slightly ahead of the 2009 World Games winner Petra GOEBEL (AUT) and Gladys WILLEMS (BEL).   Barebow Men Pasi AHJOKIVI (FIN) had 362 points to top the barebow men category. Two usual suspects were following: Martin OTTOSON (SWE) with 359 and Guiseppe SEIMANDI (ITA) with 358.   Barebow Women The podium of the 2009 World Games was sitting in the same order on top of the day’s ranking. Eleonora STROBBE (ITA) was 1st with 343 points, Christine GAUTHE (FRA), 2nd with 334, and Monika JENTGES (GER), 3rd with 323.   Junior Categories Florian DORER (GER) was 1st in Recurve Junior Men with 338 points. Zoe GOBBELS (BEL) led the Recurve Junior Women with 346 points. Sean ELZA (USA) had a superb 398 in Compound Junior Men, while Aja JANEZIC (SLO) did 375 on the junior women side. Kalle PUMAN (SWE) had 345 in Barebow Junior Men.    Men Team Each team has one archer from each category (the best one is automatically selected for the qualifications). After the first day, Italy led with 1137 points, ahead of Sweden 1124 and Germany 1115.   Germany was on top of the juniors with 1050.   Women Team On the women’s side, Italy also led with 1090 points. They had a big gap over Great Britain, 1056, and Sweden, 1019.   There is only an exhibition competition for the Barebow Junior Women, therefore no junior women team competition.   World Archery Communication Didier MIEVILLE