15 July 2010 - World Games winners WUNDERLE and STROBBE on top!

World Games winners WUNDERLE and STROBBE on top! Visegrad - 15 July 2010   The 2009 World Games winners Victor WUNDERLE (USA) and Eleonora STROBBE (ITA) topped the men’s recurve and the women’s barebow after the two days of qualifications. Jessica TOMASI (ITA), Dave Cousins (USA), Ivana BUDEN (CRO) and Pasi AHJOKIVI (FIN) also led the way in their respective categories.   Sunny, 31 degrees Celsius! The archers were glad that the temperature dropped a few degrees, but they found other serious opponents, the mosquitoes, especially on the recurve track. The athletes nevertheless completed their course of 24 targets, sometimes tricky despite the known distances, and their scores were added to the results of yesterday.   Recurve Men Victor WUNDERLE (USA) and Michelle FRANGILLI (ITA) imposed their superior shooting today. They respectively scored 364 (5.06 average per arrow) and 363 to finish the day tied in points at 742 (average of 5.15 per arrows). WUNDERLE earned the 1st place thanks to a greater amount of 5s and 6s. Sebastian ROHRBERG (GER) had 349 for the day, and 724 in total, meaning that he lost 18 points against the two other favourites. Jon SHALES (GBR) dropped even further, at 4th place with a total of 721 points. He was followed by Marco SERI (ITA), 715, Herbert DORNHOFER (GER), 714, and Alan WILLS (GBR), 713.  The top 16 archers only made it through to the next day and the finallists will be decided at the end of tomorrow! The scores, however, will start again at 0.   Recurve Women The 2004 and 2008 world champion Jessica TOMASI (ITA) photo shot again the best score of the day in this category. With 340 points (4.72 average), she reached a total of 697 over the two days with a comfortable advantage over her opponents. Amy OLIVER (GBR) climbed to the 2nd place with a nice 335 today. In total, she achieved 668 points during these qualifications. Naomi FOLKARD (GBR) and Elena RICHTER (GER) made 320 points today. The British athlete had some points in hand from yesterday, so she kept her 3rd place with 667 points. The German was 4th with 660, followed by the surprising Christine BJERENDAL (SWE)—but she has a big archery name—with 658, and Carole FERRIOU (FRA) photo, 653.   On average, the recurve athletes lost 0.2 point per arrow compared to yesterday, although the distances to the targets were known. This means that the recurve course today was technically more difficult. This is what field archery is all about!   Compound Men Dave COUSINS (USA) was head and shoulder above the rest over the last two days. With 418 and 420 points, he totalled 838 and a 29-point margin over his closest fellow competitor. That has been never seen in Compound Men! Over the two days, he had a steady average of 5.82 per arrow. The 2009 World Games winner Kevin WILKEY (USA) had 409 points today and was tied at 809 points in the general ranking with Slavko TURSIC (SLO). Dejan SITAR (SLO) had 398 points for a total of 807, followed by the current world champion Rod MENZER (USA), 805, Jari HAAVISTO (FIN), and the famous Morgan LUNDIN (SWE), 803. The last one above 800 was Jeremy THIERRY (FRA) with 801 points.   Compound Women With a 399 today, Ivana BUDEN (CRO) climbed to 1st place with 798 points in total (average 5.48). Lucy HOLDERNESS (GBR) was 2nd with 774, tied in points with Gladys WILLEMS (BEL). The leader of the first day, Anne LANTEE (FIN), did 378 and ended up on 4th place with 770. Roberta TELANI (ITA) finished with 765, the 2001 target world champion Ulrika SJOWALL (SWE) had 764 and the 2009 World Games winner Petra GOEBEL, 763.   Barebow Men Pasi AHJOKIVI (FIN) kept his leadership. He scored 330 for a total of 692 (4.58 average). The 2009 World Games winner Giuseppe SEIMANDI (ITA) had 327 for 685, while Martin OTTOSON (SWE) did 325 for 684. The current world champion Massimo Sergio CASSIANI (ITA) photo had the best score of the day, 335, and moved up to the 4th place overall with 677 points.  Barebow Women Like yesterday, the podium of the 2009 World Games stayed on top of the overall ranking. Eleonora STROBBE (ITA) reached 663 points (4.6 average) with an impressive 320 points on the day. Christine GAUTHE (FRA) had 632 and Monika JENTGES (GER) 618. The current world champion Becky NELSON-HARRIS (USA) finished 6th with 580 points.   Junior Categories Florian DORER (GER) finished 1st in Recurve Junior Men with 661 points. Zoe GOBBELS (BEL) led the Recurve Junior Women with 662 points. Sean ELZA (USA) reached a very good total of 792 in Compound Junior Men, while Aja JANEZIC (SLO) got to 731 on the junior women side. Robert MALLON (GBR) overtook Kalle PUMAN (SWE) with a total of 650 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 two days of qualifications, Italy led with 2223 points, ahead of Sweden 2177and Germany 2150.   The first eight teams advanced to the team event on Saturday.   Germany was on top of the juniors with 2001, slightly ahead of France, 1998, and Italy 1963.   Women Team On the women’s side, Italy also led with 2125 points. France came back on 2nd position with 2044, while Germany finished 3rd with 2026.   There is only an exhibition competition for the Barebow Junior Women, therefore no junior women team competition.   Tomorrow, the individuals will do a track of 12 targets to cut the field from 16 to 8 athletes. Then the elite eight will shoot on eight targets to select the four finalists. Finally, these will play semifinals on a match format over 4 targets. A big day of intense competitions is awaiting the athletes!   World Archery Communication Didier MIEVILLE