Finland first time world champion!

  The temperature went up a few degrees although the finals took place in the Visegrad Castle, down on the Danube side. During the day the top eight teams played today in men, women and junior men. There was not any junior women competition. Each team has one barebow, one recurve and one compound archer. They each shoot one arrow per target. The quarterfinals were played on eight targets, hence 24 arrows and a maximum of 144 points. The semifinals and finals had four targets, 72 points.   Men Germany played on the three gold finals today, this time against Finland. The Finnish athletes have the particularity to place their barebow shooter at the end of the rotation, while most of the teams have him at the beginning. Finland opened the final with 5-6-2, while Germany had 2-4-4. The first target, with a high, steep angle at 40 metres for barebow or 45 metres for recurve and compound was a difficult one.   The second target is the short distance one (10-15m), but with a very small target face. Germany scored 4-6-5, while Finland did 6-6-3 to take the lead 28-25. Then Finland did 5-5-4 and Germany 3-5-5. Finland had a comfortable lead 41-37.   The last target was at 50m for barebow, 60m for recurve and compound, with again a high, steep angle. MEYER-LAUBE-RORHBERG finished with 2-5-6 and a total of 50 points. The no. 5 seed Finnish TARHALA-HAAVISTO-AHJOKIVI concluded with 6-5-4. Total of 56 and a surprising but well-deserved gold medal for Finland!   Italy started the bronze medal final with 3-4-4, while Sweden had 4-3-5 to take the lead 12-11. The Swedish athletes continued on a solid fashion with 5-6-6, while the Italians shot 6-5-6! Sweden kept its one-point advantage 29-28.   Italy performed well on the third target at 20-25m target with 6-6-5. Sweden caught a tough break on this target with a 2 followed fortunately by two 6s. Italy turned the lead around, 45-43. JANSSON-LUNDIN-OTTOSSON finished with 3-5-5. SEIMANDI-GIORCELLI-FRANGILLI concluded with 4-4 and 4 that just gave the Italians a one-point victory, 57-56! This is also the 29th world or Olympic medal for Michele FRANGILLI (ITA)!   Women Sweden and Germany played for the gold medal. Sweden started on the 40-45m target with 2-4-5, while Germany had 2-5-0 giving a four-point advantage for Sweden, 11-7. Germany did better on the second target with 4-6-6, while Sweden had 2-6-5. Germany closed the gap at 23-24.   BJERENDAL-DANIELSSON-BJORKLUND continued with 4-6-4 on the third end, while the Germans kept shooting better with 6-5-6. Germany came from a 4-point deficit to a 2-point advantage, 40-38!   RICHTER-WIESE-JENTGES concluded with 3-4-3 on the difficult fourth target (50-60m with a steep, high angle). Sweden did 2-4-3, Germany won the gold medal 50-47!   The bronze medal in the women category was played between Italy and France. The Italians started with 3-4-5. The French team did 2-4-1. That was a strong lead for Italy after the first target, 12-7. France did a little better with 3-6-4 in the second target, but Italy was more consistent with 5-5-5. The Italians increased their lead 27-20.   In the third end, Italy kept it consistent with 5-5-5, while GAUTHE-VOLLE-FERRIOU did 3-5-3. Italy kept flying in the score sheet, 42-31. The French team finished honourably with 4-4-4, but the Italians had an easy way home. The World Games 2009 winner STROBBE did a 2, TELANI had 4 and the double world field champion TOMASI ended the match with a 3. Final score 51-43.   Junior Men The gold medal final was between Germany and Italy. Opening arrow for Germany was a 4 from their barebow shooter, then a 5 and a 5. The barebow archer from Italy did 3, the compound shot a perfect 6 and the recurve another 6! Italy led 15-14.   Italy continued with 5, 5 and a 6. Germany did 4-6-5 on the short distance target. Italy increased the lead to 31-29.   DORER-OSWALD-ALTHOFF then shot on the third target at 20-25m. They achieved a 4-5-4. The Italians then shot 4-6-4 to increase their lead by one more point 45-42.   Unfortunately for Italy, the barebow shooter SPANO shot a miss in the last target. Then MUCCI did a 5 and MORELLO a 4. Germany had a chance to come back but could they take it? They started with 5, then a 4 and another 4. The No. 1 seed Germany again pulled a come-back victory, 55-54!   Slovenia started the junior bronze medal final against France. The first target had a very high angle at 40m for barebow and 45m for recurve and compound! The Slovenians started with 4-4-4, while the barebow Frenchman had a 6 (!) and his teammates a 4 and 3. France led 13-12.   France was up first at the next target with distances of 10 and 15m. France was consistent with 4-5-5, while Slovenia did 4-6-4. France kept the lead 27-26.   The French kept increasing their lead on the third target (20-25m) with 4-4-5, while Slovenia had 4-3-5. Score was 40-38.   However, France shot first in the last target (high angle again at 50-60m) with 3-2-4! They gave the Slovenians a chance. The first archer had 4 or 3, the others a 3 and a 4! The judge had to check the first Slovenian arrow! The 4 was confirmed and the score moved to 49-49! Shoot-off!   The shoot-off took place on the fourth target as well. Slovenia did 4-3-2 this time. France scored 2, 4 and a 4! Bronze medal for France!   Stay tune tommorow for the individual finals!   World Archery Communication Didier MIEVILLE