10 takeaways: Qualification at Terni 2015

Two days of 48 arrow-rounds, making 96 shots in total, decided the qualification rankings for athletes at the Terni 2015 World Archery 3D Championships. 

Each of the gender competitions for the four competition categories – compound, barebow, longbow and instincitve – were then cut to the top 16 archers.

Here are 10 things to take away from qualification in Terni…

1. Stunning scenery

Waterfalls, the result of a man-made project started in Roman times to divert rivers in the area, provides the backdrop for these 3D worlds. The Marmore Falls have made for some stunning archery images.

See photos

2. New Champion

The defending compound men’s world title winner did not enter Terni. Dave Cousins’ qualification in a tight field, at the 2013 3D worlds, was 1029. The top 2015 score was 993, via Austria’s Nico Wiener. Tougher courses in 2015?

3. Heigl’s chart-topper

Austria’s Silvia Heigl led the instinctive women’s qualification, topping the leaderboard by 14 points with 680. “It’s my first time representing Austria,” she said. “I didn’t expect this.”

4. Leagues ahead

Ferenc Molnar of Hungary led the instinctive men’s ranking round with 840. His closest challenger was Italian Enzo Lazzaroni on 824 – then there was a 46-point gap to the rest of the field!

5. Home soil, top start

Italy’s Irene Franchini’s 969 was head and shoulders above the next seven qualifier, who had between 917 and 906 points.

6. NOC visits

Italian National Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malago, who said that Terni was a “spectatular location for the competition and the great show of the archery village in the city centre”, visited World Archery First Vice President Mario Scarzella on venue. The NOC’s Secretary General, Roberto Fabbricini, is also scheduled to attend.

7. Defending champion

David Garcia Fernandez: “I’m here as world champion and I know it is difficult to repeat that performance, but I will try to do it. There are many strong opponents from Italy and France.”

His ranking round was as good a start as David could hope for: Number one for the Spaniard, ahead of experienced Italian Giuseppe Semandi. A home nation athlete – Cinzia Noziglia – did top the barebow women’s qualification, though.

8. Longbow leader

Unique in the World Archery competition stable for including longbow events – it’s an opportunity for the 65 male and female athletes in the bowstyle to collect world titles. The opening stages of the Terni competition were fierce.

Robin Gardeur and Jose Luis Iriarte Larumbe topped men’s qualification, separated by just a point, on 773 and 772. The women’s was much clearer: Spain’s Encarna Garrido Lazaro had a 56-point advantage over Italy’s Giula Barbaro at the top.

“I was longbow women European 3D Champion at Sassari 2010, another beautiful competition in Italy,” Encarna said. “Today everything was perfect. I’m hoping to shoot at my best tomorrow. My goal is the podium.”

9. Eliminations structure

The top 16 over qualification, in each category, progress to a 12-peg elimination round, which then cuts to the top eight. Those eight then shoot a further elimination round, with the four highest scorers seeded for the Terni 2015 finals.

10. One thing to remember…

After each stage of competition at Terni 2015, the scores are reset to zeo. So – as long an athlete makes the cut, each day is a new day, and the podium really is anyone’s game!

Competitions