ISSF World Cup: Grimmel (DEN) and Wu (BRA) climb Bangkok’s podium…

Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil and Torben Grimmel of Denmark won today’s 10m Air Pistol and 50m Rifle Prone finals, at the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand. They have different backgrounds and motivations, but both set their sights on Rio 2016, after winning the first match of the season.

It was the last shot that decided today’s 10m Air Pistol Men final, as the winner of the 2015 Pan American Games Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil (23) and the 2014 Continental American Championship winner, Will Brown of USA (24), tied at the penultimate shot with 191.7 points.

The two shooters fought since the beginning of the final, stately climbing up toward the podium placements. When only two shots were left to fire, Brown held a narrow 0.3-point advantage on his Brazilian opponent, but as he shot a 10.2 to Wu’s 10.5, the two finished tied right before the last shot of the match.

The pressure of the final kicked-in: Brown scored a disappointing 9.7, while Almeida Wu zeroed and fired a winning 10.2, which allowed him to move in the lead and to secure the brightest medal with a total score of 201.9 points. Brown was left in second, with a score of 201.4 points.

“It’s amazing, I am extremely happy, hard work paid-off today.” Said the Brazilian athlete. “This is a very important year for Brazil and for Brazilian sports,” Wu added. “We have all eyes on us. Our national media started following us more and more in the lead-up to the Olympics. And this is crucial, especially for Shooting sport. I am happy to contribute to spread knowledge about our disciplines through my victories.”

“Winning the first international match of the year helps to build up confidence. I will continue to work, to be ready next August.”

Hoang Xuan Vinh, 41, from Vietnam, took Bronze with 180.1 points after fighting neck and neck against Wu and Brown. Kazakhstan’s Rashid Yunusmetov, ranked 22nd in the world in this event, was also going for a medal, but a 9.3 at his 16th shot cost him the podium. The 36-year old athlete placed in 4th with 159.3 points, just 0.7 points far from the medalists. Today’s turned into a disappointing final also for the winner of yesterday’s 50m Pistol Men event, India’s Jitu Rai (28). The Indian shooter started off the match with some strong scores, but then marked 8.8 and 9.9 on his 13th and 14th shots, dropping down in the placements and eventually taking the 5th place with 139.0 points.

At the following 50m Rifle Prone Men final, it was the 2000 Olympic Silver medalist Torben Grimmel of Denmark who finished in the spotlights.

Grimmel secured the brightest medal at the end of a thrilling duel against Australia’s 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist and reigning world champion Warren Potent, 53. With two excellent last shots of 10.3 and 10.7 points, the Danish athlete sealed the victory with a final score of 209.1 points, leaving Potent in second with 208.3 points. The 40-year old shooter came back atop of an ISSF world cup podium 8 years after his last victory in this event.

Grimmel (DEN) and Wu (BRA) climb Bangkok’s podium and set their sights on Rio 2016

“It feels great to be back,” Grimmel said. “I had a work accident, and I had to pass through back surgery twice, in 2010 and then again 2013. But luckily I have been able to recover well. That was odd-defying.”

“My aim for 2016 is to go to the Olympics and to do well there. And I am confident.” He added. “We are all training and competing for an Olympic medal. I would say there are 10 to 15 people out there who have what it takes to win the Games. It’s unpredictable.”

“I am trying to stick to my routines as much as possible.” Continued the Danish shooter. “At the Games, the targets, the people and the scores are more and less the same: the main issue is to cope with the pressure and peak at the right moment. I have already been through it, 16 years ago.”

Following Grimmel and Potent, it was Hungary’s 19-year old Istvan Peni who secured the Bronze medal with 187.3 points, only two days after finishing in third at the 10m Air Rifle Men event. “Wow! This is amazing, it’s a dream!” He said. “I’d prepared really well for the 10m Air Rifle event, in the lead up to this world cup stage. And that worked really well. I can’t believe that I made it to the podium also today. Shooting next to these Olympic medalists is definitely inspiring.”

Even more impressing, Peni beat the world cup titleholder and #1 in the world Michael Mcphail of USA (34), to finish upon the podium. Halfway through the final, the top-4 athletes were divided by one point only, and Peni managed to keep Mcphail 0.4 points behind him, winning the medal and leaving the American shooter in 4th with a score of 166.2 points.

The ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, continues tomorrow. The 10m Air Pistol and the 50m Rifle 3 Position Women finals will be broadcasted live on the ISSF website (www.issf-sports.org) at 11:00 AM and 13:15 (UTC+7), respectively.

Crowned in Denmark, Gao Lei And Li Dan Embrace The Role Of Olympic Favorites Heading Into Rio

Pocketing World titles in Men’s and Women’s Individual Trampoline on the final day of competition at the 2015 World Championships in Odense (DEN), China confirmed its supremacy heading into next summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (BRA).

Trampoline

Gao Lei smokes the competition, starting with his teammates

With nine months before the start of the Rio Olympic Games, Trampoline has found a new prince in Gao Lei. The 23-year-old Chinese gymnast, who until now has lived in the shadow of teammates Dong Dong, the 2012 Olympic champion, and Tu Xiao, the reigning World champion, took his first World individual title Sunday, asserting himself as the Olympic favorite.

With levels of talent deeper than a Trampoline bed, a gymnast like Gao first needs to defeat their own teammates before being permitted to take on the world. In advancing to the medal round, Gao had already won a major victory by eclipsing Dong, and Tu in the preliminary rounds. In finals, the Shanghai native nailed an exercise that included six triple saltos to grab the gold.
In exchanging his bronze from 2014 for silver this year, Uladzislau Hancharou (BLR) affirmed his position as a challenger for the 2016 Olympic crown. Hancharou, who turns 20 December 2, finished a few thousandths of a point ahead of bronze medallist Andrey Yudin. The battle for the podium was tight, with Japan’s Masaki Ito, fourth, and 2012 Olympic silver medallist Dmitry Ushakov (RUS) fifth, both less than half a point behind Hancharou.

Dong Dong and Tu Xiao

Li Dan returns to the top
China’s Li Dan has survived the ups and downs of a long international career and is once again World champion, five years after her taking first and only World individual title in 2010. The 27-year-old withstood the pressure of competing last in the Women’s final, delivering a magnificent routine worthy of her immense talent, something she has not always done in major international competition. Li’s dainty and difficult exercise was enough to overtake her teammate, 2014 World champion Liu Lingling, who performed a less difficult but no less eye-catching routine. Fourth in 2014, 34-year-old Tatsiana Piatrenia displaced 2012 Olympic champion Rosie MacLennan (CAN) to win bronze, her first-ever individual World medal after a dozen years on the international circuit.

Hard times for China’s Olympic champions

Neither 2012 Olympic gold medallist Dong Dong nor 2008 champion He Wenna advanced past the semifinal round of Sunday’s competition, a shock for Dong, who has stood on the podium at every World Championships and Olympic Games since 2007. The most successful gymnast since the legendary Olympic champion Alexander Moskalenko (RUS) was cast back down to earth by superior performances from younger teammates, who advanced to the two-per-country final in front of him. He for her part failed to finish her routine after hitting the padding surrounding the Trampoline.

First countries qualify for the Rio Olympic Games

China, Russia and Japan each earned the right to send two gymnasts to Rio to compete in Men’s Individual Trampoline, while Belarus and France each earned one spot as the first Olympic berths were allocated Sunday in Odense. In the Women’s competition, China, Belarus and Great Britain each won two places for their gymnasts at the Games.
Several other countries will battle for the final Olympic berths at the Pre-Olympic Test Event, to be held April 20 in Rio. In all, 16 men and 16 women will compete in Trampoline at the Games.

Gao Lei

Yang Song, the Tumbling Prince of Denmark

Already crowned World champion in 2011 and 2014, Yang Song (CHN) was the man to beat this year as well after dominating the qualification round. Unfazed by the pressure of a three-peat, Yang remained untouchable in a final in which three World champions were represented among the eight competitors. His flipping, twisting tumbling lines lifted him above the competition, while his teammate Zhang Kuo earned bronze. After helping his team win gold Saturday night, Russia’s Timofei Podust earned himself an individual silver, sandwiched between the two Chinese.

Double Mini-trampoline: Erin Jauch doubles down on World titles

If that was indeed Erin Jauch’s final routine at a World Championships, it was a great way to go out. The reigning World champion, who has been contemplating retirement, stuck her double layout full out second pass to earn her second consecutive World title in Women’s Double Mini-trampoline. Silver and bronze medallists Jasmin Short (GBR) and Lina Sjoberg (SWE) contributed to the stick party in finals as well, with Sjoberg, a former Artistic elite gymnast, earning Sweden its first-ever World medal in Women’s Double Mini.

2015 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships: For Russia, Something Is Golden In The State Of Denmark

Russia and China split the first four titles as finals began at the 2015 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Odense (DEN) Friday evening, watched by the Crown Prince of Denmark himself.

Trampoline

The big surprise: Russian men upset China

Odense must be a lucky city for Russians: The country had not won a World team title in Men’s Trampoline since 2001, the last time the World Championships were held here. By a hair — or more precisely, 0.04 — the Russian team (Sergei Azarian, Andrey Yudin, Dmitrii Ushakov et Mikhail Melnik) managed what had seemed unthinkable the day before: depriving the formidable Chinese team (2012 Olympic champion Dong Dong, 2014 World champion Tu Xiao and redoubtable competitors Gao Lei and Xiao Jinyu) of gold. Slightly less bouncy than he had been in qualification Thursday, Gao Lei lost precious thousands of a point in Time of Flight as he anchored the team, turning to silver what was expected to be gold.
Even more so than the Russians, first place appeared to be in Japan’s grasp for a moment, but a fall by veteran anchor Yasuhiro Ueyama ended their dream of winning. Belarus, with young star Uladzislau Hancharou, veteran Mikalai Kazak, Aleh Rabtsau and Artisom Zu — leapt to the occasion in taking bronze.
The Russian upset came a few hours after Azarian and Melnik combined to give the top performance in Men’s Synchro Trampoline qualifications, passing reigning World champions Tu and Dong, who were less than perfect in their exercises.

Chinese women on high again

By the time Liu Lingling stepped up to anchor China in the Women’s Team Trampoline final, all she had to do was complete her routine to assure her country the gold. No problem: as He Wenna and Li Dan had before her, reigning World champion Liu performed flawlessly, bringing gold back to China four years after its previous victory in the team event.
Not everyone was so fortunate. Canada was knocked out of contention after a botched routine from three-time Olympic medallist Karen Cockburn, who appeared in pain as she walked away from the Trampoline. Pamela Clark followed suit with a fall shortly after to cut 2013 World champion Britain’s title defense short.
Belarus (Maryia Lon, Palina Badyhina, Hanna Harchonak and Tatisana Piatrenia), third two years ago in Sofia, happily moved up a spot in the rankings, while Russia (Nadezhda Glebova, Victoria Voronina, Anna Kornetskaya and Yana Pavlova) claimed their first World medal in women’s team competition since 2009.

A royal visit from the Crown Prince of Denmark

In the city of fairy tale author Hans Christian Anderson, it was indeed a prince charming who awarded the first gold medal. The Chinese women, who won the World title in Women’s Tumbling, had the royal pleasure of receiving their medals from Prince Frederik of Denmark, who attended the competition Friday evening. “This is an important event for our country, as well as for the city of Odense, which is the reason I came for the final,” said the Danish prince, who has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2009. For Prince Frederik, Gymnastics is close to performance art: “These are athletes, but also artists,” he observed.

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark delivers the gold medal to the Chinese Women’s tumbling team

Women’s Tumbling: Three in a row for the Chinese

With the hardest tumbling pass being competed in Women’s tumbling today, two-time individual World champion Jia Fangfang banked China’s third consecutive World team title in Tumbling. Jia, Yang Yujie, Cai Qizi and Chen Lingxi finished half a point above the British (Lucie Colebeck, Rachel Davies, Ashleigh Long et Yasmin Taite), which recorded their best result since winning the World title in 2003. Russia, led by ageless two-time World champion Anna Korobeinikova (with Anastasiia Isupova, Natalia Parakhina, Viktoriia Danilenko) took bronze.

Men’s Double Mini-trampoline: Russia, who else?

After placing four men — Aleksandr Odinstov, Mikhail Zalomin, Alexander Zebrov et Andrei Gladenkov – among the top seven in the individual Double Mini qualification, Russia’s title in Men’s Double Mini was more of a confirmation than a matter of suspense. That didn’t make the final jump of two-time World champion Zalomin, which gave Russia a golden margin of 8.4 points, any less spectacular: With a brilliant stuck landing to a combination with a seemingly infinite number of twists, the grand master of Double Mini sealed the deal for his team.
The United States (Austin White, Austin Nacey, Alex Renkert and Garret Waterstradt) and Canada (Kyle Carragher, Denis Vachon, Jon Schwaiger and Douglas Armstrong), bolstered by excellent final passes from White and Schwaiger, respectively, tied for silver.

All about Tumbling, Double Mini-trampoline and Synchronised Trampoline Gymnastics

For gymnasts specialising in Synchronised Trampoline, Double-mini Trampoline or Tumbling, this week’s Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Odense (DEN) is about more than medals. In addition to World titles, qualification places for The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw (POL), the “Olympics for non-Olympic disciplines,” are up in the air.

Synchronised Trampoline
Synchronised Trampoline is double the fun — and double the risk — of its Olympic cousin Individual Trampoline. In Synchro, two gymnasts perform the same series of 10 elements while trying to remain mirror images of each other.
What makes the difference: When one gymnast falls out of sync with the other, regaining the rhythm is extremely difficult. “You have to feel each other,” says former World Synchro champion Dmitri Poliaroush, a member of the FIG Trampoline Technical Committee. “And that means knowing the other person’s weaknesses as well as strengths, and being able to modify yourself to stay at the same pace.

Who to watch: China’s Trampoline dynasty extends into the realm of Synchro. Many of the country’s best individual Trampolinists, including reigning Olympic champion Dong Dong and reigning World champion Tu Xiao, team up to form some of the world’s best Synchro pairs. While Dong and Tu have won three of the past four Synchro world titles and are favored to win another in Odense, in Women’s Synchro there will be at least one new World champion, as 2014 World gold medallists Liu Lingling and Li Meng are not jumping together this year.

Double-mini Trampoline

Double-mini gymnasts have to master two elements: A mount of where the gymnast approaches the Double-mini Trampoline at a run and then performs an acrobatic element, usually one or more flips, often with twists. Without stopping their momentum, the gymnast uses the Trampoline to rebound and perform a dismount — another flipping and twisting sequence — onto a landing mat. Gymnasts who don’t land inside the red square in the center of the landing mat lose between 0.3-0.5 points.

What makes the difference: The top gymnasts will perform triple or even quadruple somersaults as part of their mount or dismount, says Horst Kunze, President of the FIG Trampoline Technical Committee. Remaining centered and sticking the dismount are also paramount in Double-mini.

Who to watch: No one has been able to touch Russia’s Mikhail Zalomin at the World Championships for the past two years, mainly due to his capacity for twisting like a top and landing like a dart. In the women’s competition, the United States boasts the past two World champions in Erin Jauch (2014) and Kristle Lowell (2013).

All about Tumbling, Double Mini-trampoline and Synchronised Trampoline Gymnastics

Tumbling
Fast-paced and dynamic, Tumbling offers some of Trampoline Gymnastics’ most suspenseful moments. Gymnasts streak down the Tumbling floor, flying through single and double salto elements before their launching into their dismount, usually a grand finale of flips and twists. Tumblers perform two runs, one based on flipping elements, the other emphasizing twisting.
What makes the difference: This discipline, which was part of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932, offers a breathtaking spectacle that resounds in the area like the discharge of a machine gun. Tumbling is all about building momentum leading to the dismount, the hardest and most valuable element in a routine. “If you get a bit complacent, the minor errors can creep in and that’s what can lead to a stopped run,” says Kristof Willerton, the 2013 World Men’s Tumbling champion. The best in the world will perform elements with both flips and twists at the beginning, middle and especially at the end of their routines. The triple-twisting double layout and full-twisting triple somersault dismounts are among the hardest tumbling elements performed today.

Who to watch: Two-time Men’s World Tumbling champion Yang Song (CHN) is expected to fight for a third title against an international coterie of challengers, including Willerton, Dzmitry Darashuk (BLR), Tagir Murtazaev (RUS) and local favorite Anders Wesch (DEN). After an uncharacteristic mistake kept her off the podium at the 2014 Worlds, Chinese superstar Jia Fangfang will be out to prove herself again on the world stage. Same goes for Anna Korobeinikova (RUS), who dominated World competition from 2005 to 2010 and is making a comeback after becoming a mom.

Olympic Berths Up For Grabs As 2015 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships open Thursday in Denmark

The 2015 World Trampoline Gymnastics Championships begin Thursday in Odense (DEN), promising a high-flying spectacle where berths for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw (POL) will be up for grabs.
A record 344 athletes representing 40 nations from Argentina to Venezuela have registered to compete for the 14 World titles to be awarded in Individual and Synchronised Trampoline, Tumbling and Double-mini.

2015 TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ODENSE.

With 205 gymnasts (123 men and 82 women) scheduled to compete in the Individual competition, participation in Trampoline Gymnastics has reached new heights with the Odense Worlds, signalling a burgeoning interest in the discipline, which has been part of the Olympic programme since 2000.

Best-on-the-planet bragging rights are only part of the story in Odense, hometown of the famous storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. For the top gymnasts, Sunday’s final will mark the beginning of their own Olympic fairy tale. The top eight gymnasts in Men’s and Women’s Individual Trampoline competition will earn their countries a spot in the 16-gymnast field at next summer’s Rio Games. Thirteen other men and women will advance to Olympic Test Event to be held April 20, the second and final opportunity for gymnasts to qualify for the Games.

Three Olympic champions — Dong Dong (CHN, 2012), He Wenna (CHN, 2008) and Rosannagh MacLennan (CAN, 2012) — will contend for the Individual titles in Odense. They will be joined in the podium race by reigning World champions Tu Xiao (CHN) and Liu Lingling (CHN) and former Olympic medallists Jason Burnett (CAN), Dmitry Ushakov (RUS), Karen Cockburn (CAN) and Ekaterina Khilko (UZB).

The competition is no less important for gymnasts in the non-Olympic disciplines of Synchronised Trampoline, Tumbling and Double-mini. For them, the Odense Worlds are the only opportunity to qualify for The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw (POL), the quadrennial Olympic-style competition for non-Olympic disciplines.

In Synchronised Trampoline, Tumbling and Double-mini, the top eight countries from the qualification round will advance to The World Games. The last two places will be attributed by the FIG Executive and Trampoline Technical Committee, taking into account host country and continental representation requirements.

For the past 15 years, Odense has hosted several big Trampoline events, including the 2001 World Championships. “Odense is a sports city that obviously likes to bounce!” declared Slava Corn, Vice President of the FIG. “When we came here 14 years ago, Trampoline had just made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000. These Championships in 2015 are the biggest yet and the first major stop on the road to the Rio Olympic Games.”

“This is the fifth time in a generation that Trampoline athletes have come to compete in Odense,” said Flemming Knudsen, President of the Danish Gymnastics Federation. “Hosting events like the 2001 Worlds and FIG Trampoline World Cups have allowed us to develop the sport in our country while displaying Danish gymnastics on an international level.”

“Hosting the largest World Championships in the history of the discipline is a great honor for us, since we constantly work to attract great international sports events that give us a chance to tell the story about our transformation into a vibrant and modern city,” added Anker Boye, Mayor of Odense.

Competition in Odense begins Thursday with the beginning of the qualification rounds. The first finals will be held Friday evening in the presence of Prince Frederik of Denmark, who is scheduled to present the gold medals.

2015 TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ODENSE

With less than nine months before the Rio Olympic Games begin, the world’s top Trampolinists will make a big leap toward making their Olympic dreams come true at the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships Thursday through Sunday in Odense, Denmark.

The 31st edition of the World Trampoline Championships, the competition is also the first qualification for next summer’s Olympics. Half of the 16 men’s and women’s berths for Rio will be earned in Odense, while others will advance to the Olympic Test Event April 20 in Rio for a second shot at Olympic qualification.

In addition to Trampoline, which has figured in the Olympic programme since 2000, World titles in Synchronised Trampoline, Double-mini Trampoline and Tumbling are also up for grabs in Odense. For these three disciplines too there is something extra to be earned in Denmark: Qualification places for The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw (POL), the “Olympics for non-Olympic disciplines,” are also up in the air.

Return of the Olympic champions
Three Olympic champions continue to bounce among the top contenders. China’s Dong Dong, a three-time World champion (2009, 2010 and 2013), was also Olympic champion in 2012, four years after having taken bronze in 2008. His compatriot He Wenna, the 2011 World champion, won Olympic gold in 2008 and bronze in 2012. The reigning Olympic champion, Canada’s Rosannagh MacLennan, was also crowned World champion in 2013.

Canada has another star in 2003 World champion Karen Cockburn, who has not won an individual World title since but owns three Olympic medals (bronze in 2000, silvers in 2004 and 2008). Ekaterina Khilko (UZB), the bronze medallist from the 2008 Games, and Jason Burnett and Dmitry Ushakov (RUS), silver medallists in 2008 and 2012, respectively, also know what it’s like to stand on the Olympic podium.

The big leap toward the Olympic Games is happening this week in Odense

China, an enduring dynasty
No team in Odense is as supercharged as China, which boasts five gymnasts who have won World titles in Individual Trampoline and two who have won Olympic gold as well. In the Men’s competition, 2012 Olympic champion Dong Dong and reigning World champion Tu Xiao will try to hold off the charge of younger teammates Gao Lei and Xiao Jinyu for the coveted two gymnasts per country spots in the medal round. Making the final would signal that they are still the best China has to offer in Men’s Trampoline, but Gao has proven especially dangerous the past two seasons, having beaten both his rivals several times already in World Cup competition.

All four of the Chinese women in Odense have the potential to win the World title — indeed, Li Dan (2010), 2008 Olympic champion He Wenna (2011) and Liu Lingling (2014) already have. Zhong Xingping, meanwhile, was World runner up in 2013.

The age-proof veterans
Age is just a number for top contenders Nikolai Kazak, 38, Karen Cockburn, 35, Ekaterina Khilko, 33 and Tatsiana Piatrenia, 34. Still at the top of their abilities, each of these 30-somethings could play spoiler to the favorites. Canada’s Cockburn, the most decorated Olympic Trampoline gymnast in history, is aiming to qualify for what would be her fifth Olympic Games in Rio, as is Uzbekistan’s Khilko, the Olympic bronze medallist from 2008. Belarus’s Piatrenia won a World title in Synchro Trampoline in 2003 and proved she’s still relevant by winning the Loulé World Cup, the finale of the 2015 FIG World Cup series, last month in Portugal. With Synchro partner Uladzislau Hancharou, Kazak won World silver in 2014, 20 years after making his World Championship debut for Belarus.

Croatia’s Giovanni Cernogoraz pockets the Trap Men Gold, the last medal of the ISSF World Cup Final in Nicosia

With the Trap Men title awarded to the 32-year old from Novigrad (CRO), the ISSF World Cup Final in Shotgun events goes in the books. Great Britain claimed the 1st place of the medal standings, where also Italy, San Marino and Croatia recorded at least 1 Gold medal.

Today’s Trap Men event closed the ISSF World Cup Final in Shotgun events, the final competition of the 2015 ISSF season, held at the Nicosia Olympic Shooting Center in Latsia (CYP) since October 15th.

The reigning Olympic Gold medallist in this event, Croatia’s Giovanni Cernogoraz, finally pocketed the 1st place, after his previous best result was a 6th place in Maribor (SLO) in 2012.

The 32-year old from Novigrad faced 45-year old Italian shooter Giovanni Pellielo in the Gold medal match, after they both concluded the semifinal round with the best score: 14 hits. In the medal match, they both missed one targets in their first two series, but as Pellielo missed again in his third one, Cernogoraz shuttered all of his last nine clays, topping the two-time Olympic Silver medallist and claiming what for him is the first Gold of the 2015 ISSF season.

“The six semifinalists were all very good shooters. So the level of the competition has been very high since the very first moment. I gave everything I had and it ended well.” Said Cernogoraz at the end of the match.

Then, he talked about his program in the following months. “This was my last competition for this year, I’m going to take a month off now and in December and January I will start with an intensive athletic training. In the end of January, then, I will go back to shooting again.” He concluded.

After placing 2nd at the 2015 ISSF World Championship in Lonato (ITA), Pellielo just finished one hit shy of the 1st place also here at the Nicosia Olympic Shooting Center. Anyway, he was pretty satisfied with his performance. “If this is the defeat, I’m ok with that. We are the best Trap shooters in the world, and it’s nice to find myself always battling with these guys.”

In the other medal match, more than two finals was required to determine the Bronze medallist, as Alexey Alipov and Massimo Fabbrizi concluded the regular round with 15 hits out of 15 targets. In the following shoot-off, Fabbrizi missed first, but only on his 23rd clay. Eliminated after the 15 semifinals targets, Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Erik Varga placed respectively 5th and 6th with 12 hits each.

With the five Shotgun globes awarded, Great Britain maintained the top of the medal standings it claimed after the first day of competitions, when Amber Hill and Steven Scott won the Gold medal in the Skeet Women and in the Double Trap Men event, respectively.

Croatia’s Giovanni Cernogoraz pockets the Trap Men Gold, the last medal of the ISSF World Cup Final in Nicosia

The three remaining Gold medals were awarded to Italy’s Gabriele Rossetti in the Skeet Men event, to San Marino’s Alessandra Perilli in the Trap Women one, and to Croatia’s Giovanni Cernogoraz in the Trap Men event.

Italy also received a Silver medal thanks to Giovanni Pellielo, who finished 2nd in the Trap Men final, while the United States of America failed to reach the highest step of the podium, concluding with just 1 Silver and 1 Bronze, signed by Vincent Hancock and Morgan Craft.

The People’s Republic of China, Slovakia and Thailand all won 1 Silver medal each, while the other four Bronze medals was awarded to Denmark, Spain, India and Russia.

For a detailed wrap-up of the competition with tables and medallists, please visit: http://www.issf-sports.org/news.ashx?newsid=2436.

Gal Makes It A Reem Acra Double At Odense

Dutch star, Edward Gal, made it a back-to-back double when coming out on top at the opening leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western European League at Odense in Denmark today. Last season he rode to victory at this event with the gelding Glock’s Undercover, but this time around he triumphed with the stallion Glock’s Voice, pinning the host country’s Anna Kasprzak and Donnperignon into runner-up spot and Agnete Kirk Thinggaard and Jojo AZ into third.

It wasn’t the easiest of victories however, as Glock’s Voice showed some tense moments during his winning test. “He felt better today, but he was still a bit nervous”, said the 45-year-old rider who includes the 2010 FEI World Cup™ Dressage title amongst his many achievements. “He felt good at the start, but he got edgy as we went along. However it was better than the Grand Prix. It was his first indoor show, so all things considered it was a good result”, the Dutchman said this evening.

Far from certain

The outcome was far from certain after Kasprzak won yesterday’s Grand Prix on a mark of 73.860. Gal was a close second on 73.380 while his fellow-countryman, Hans Peter Minderhoud, lined up third with Glock’s Romanov on 73.320. Sweden’s rising star, 28-year-old Emilie Nyrerod, filled fourth spot with Miata ahead of Kirk Thinggard in fifth. Perhaps the biggest turnaround in terms of finishing spots today was that of Ireland’s Judy Reynolds, who rocketed up from 12th of the 20 starters in the Grand Prix to fill fifth place at the end of the Freestyle.

The 33-year-old German-based Irish athlete was holding the lead on her score of 74.425 at the halfway stage of the competition. Her 13-year-old brown gelding has been showing ever-improving form as the pair have climbed up to 54th in the world rankings over the past year, and this was the first major show for Vancouver K since they just missed out on Olympic qualification at the FEI European Championships in Aachen in August. Reynolds remains determined to make the cut to Rio through any other possible route, and has planned a consistent campaign of the Reem Acra series over the coming months.

She was deeply disappointed with yesterday’s Grand Prix performance, and worked hard to turn that around. “The arena is very atmospheric and I was caught unawares when he backed off going into the corners. I was much better prepared for that reaction today”, she explained after posting a mark of 74.425.

Lead overtaken

Her lead was overtaken by Nyrerod who was third into the arena after the break. The Swede has been making a significant impact this summer, earning high praise for her contribution to her country’s victory in their home leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage series at Falsterbo in July, before making another big impression at the Europeans in Aachen. Her score of 74.800 today moved her out in front until Kasprzak seriously raised the bar with a mark of 77.100. However the Danish rider knew her result left the door open for Gal.

“It wasn’t quite our day today. He (Donnperignon) was really good yesterday, but today he didn’t have the same feeling in the warm-up. We started well, but there were a couple of misunderstandings and it made him tight, which came out in the piaffe. I need to improve my choreography, I know that”, Kasprzak said.

When Kirk Thinggaard posted 76.250 with the lovely Jojo AZ who always makes his job look like a whole lot of fun, only Gal was left to threaten Kasprzak’s advantage, and in the end the Dutchman did it despite some difficult moments during the test.

“The atmosphere in the stands got to horse, and he wasn’t as smooth as he can be. Sometimes he reacts weirdly, but you know sometimes the weird horses are the good ones!” he pointed at the post-competition press conference. “With performances like that, sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose” he added, having clinched victory with a mark of 78.800.

For further information on the first leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western European League series check out website http://jbkhorseshows.dk/DK.aspx

The second leg of the series will take place in Lyon, France on Friday 30 October 2015. For all information on the French fixture go to website http://www.equitalyon.com

Edward Gal makes it a Reem Acra double at Odense

Result:

1, Glock’s Voice (Edward Gal) NED 78.00;

2, Donnperignon (Anna Kazkprzak) DEN 77.100;

3, Jojo AZ (Agnete Kirk Thinggaard) DEN 76.250;

4, Miata (Emilie Nyrerod) SWE 74.800;

5, Vancouver K (Judy Reynolds) IRL 74.425;

6, Glock’s Romanov (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 74.350;

7, Blue Hors Hotline (Daniel Bachmann Andersen) DEN 73.750;

8, Batuta (Goncalo Carvalho) POR 73.000;

9, Di Lapponia T (Paulinda Friberg) SWE 72.200;

10, Radetzky (Marjan van der Jagt) NED 71.175;

11, Daintree 3 (Kathleen Keller) GER 70.800;

12, Fabienne (Nathalie Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein) DEN 69.925;

13, NOHS Daijoubo (Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez) ESP 69.475;

14, Rainbow Dancer 4 (Anne Lene Holmen) NOR 68.550;

15, Zircoon Spring Flower (Jennie Larsson) SWE 62.700.

Louise Parkes

Gearing Up For Gothenburg As Reem Acra Western European League Gets Underway

Dressage riders all across Western Europe are polishing up their pirouette, piaffe and passage ahead of the opening leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 League which gets underway at Odense (DEN) this weekend. The series, sponsored by Beirut-born New York fashion designer Reem Acra, will see the best riders from the region join their counterparts from the Central Europe, North America and Asia/Pacific qualifiers in the race for a place at the Reem Acra Final which will be staged in Gothenburg (SWE) next March.

The defending double-champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, who scored back-to-back wins in Lyon (FRA) in 2014 and in Las Vegas (USA) earlier this year, will be looking to make it three-in-a-row this time around. However the sparkling duo, who have raised the bar as never before in this most technically demanding of equestrian sports, will have to be in tip-top form if they are to succeed. Because a legacy of the tremendous success that has seen them set – and reset – world records with remarkable regularity since they burst onto the international stage four years ago, is that the standard of competition has improved beyond recognition as others work to emulate the British pair’s level of excellence.

It is six years now since top Dressage judge, Britain’s Stephen Clarke, said that the scoring system may have to change because “100 percent won’t be enough!” to reward top horse-and-rider partnerships in this sport. That was on a remarkable night when the now-retired super-stallion, Totilas, produced a breathtaking performance with The Netherlands’ Edward Gal in the saddle. And Dujardin’s Valegro has pushed the envelope even further over the intervening years.

Familiar with super-stardom

The FEI World Cup™ Dressage series is familiar with super-stardom, and owes much of its ever-increasing popularity to the decision to allow “Freestyle” performances take centre stage. Performing difficult and demanding movements to music has truly engaged audiences all around the world ever since Dutch athlete, Anky van Grunsven, became the first mistress of the art, initially with the brilliant Bonfire and later with Salinero.

During her 13-year FEI World Cup™ Dressage winning spree that began in 1995 and ended in 2008, the now-retired rider lifted the trophy on nine occasions, and The Netherlands heads the leaderboard for most wins in the series with a total of 12.

One of the most remarkable athletes of the modern era however is Germany’s Isabell Werth who was only 23 years of age when winning the first of her two FEI World Cup™ Dressage titles riding Fabienne in Gothenburg way back in 1992. It was 15 years later when she did it again in Las Vegas, this time partnering her much-loved Warum Nicht, and it is testament to her great skill and enormous character that she continues to blaze a trail at the top of the sport and is one of the most decorated equestrian athletes of all time.

Favourite for a top spot

Favourite for a top spot in Odense this weekend however may be Dutchman Edward Gal, who has rarely missed a podium placing at a major event in recent years. The man who took three gold medals with Totilas at the 2010 world championships in Kentucky (USA) brings out Glock’s Voice, the horse with which he helped take team bronze at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) just over a year ago. With his 2012 Olympic ride, Glock’s Undercover, Gal has finished third at the last three Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals and, currently number three in the world rankings, he is always a major force to be reckoned with.

However his life-partner and fellow-countryman, Hans Peter Minderhoud, may prove a strong opponent with Glock’s Romanov, while the Danish contingent also look super-strong. Anna Kazprzak should be well-recovered from the injury that kept her out of the later stages of competition at the FEI European Championships in Aachen in August.

Her horse, Donnperignon, kicked her in the chest after the veterinary inspection at the German fixture, but the talented 25-year-old rider struggled valiantly through the early stages before having to retire. Agnete Kirk-Thinggaard and Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein will also be amongst the squad flying the Danish flag, and there will be plenty of Irish interest as Judy Reynolds, who has rocketed up the world rankings over the last year, lines out with Vancouver K. The 33-year-old Irishwoman, who lies 54th in the world rankings, has an enthusiastic bunch of followers and her success has inspired a dramatic spike of interest in the sport in her home country.

New York fashion designer Reem Acra hugs champion Charlotte Dujardin after the British rider and her wonderhorse Valegro successfully defended their title at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014/2015 in Las Vegas (USA) last April. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Road to Rio

For many athletes, the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015/2016 Western European League will pave the road to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Horses and riders will gain more experience and hone their skills ahead of the great event, and audiences across Europe will enjoy the best of top sport as a result.

Following Odense, the Western European League continues at Lyon (FRA), Stuttgart (GER) and Stockholm (SWE) in November before moving on to Salzburg (AUT) and London Olympia (GBR) in December. Amsterdam (NED) opens the New Year followed by Neumunster (GER) in February and ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in March.

The FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final visits Gothenberg for the eighth time when the doors of the Scandinavium Arena open from 23 to 28 March 2016, and all eyes then will once again be on the multiple world-record-breakers and reigning Olympic champions, Dujardin and Valegro, who were pushed so very hard by Germany’s Kristina Broring-Sprehe and Desperados at the FEI European Championships this summer when they came out on top in the Freestyle by a narrow margin of just 0.25 percent.

It’s all part of a recipe for a winter of fabulous sport, with Reem Acra Dressage at the heart of it.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat! Watch it all LIVE on http://www.feitv.org

Louise Parkes

Thailand’s Butdee Shines On Gripping First Day As 39 Bouts Of First-Class Boxing Open The AIBA 2015 World Championships

Following a spectacular finale to the afternoon’s preliminary bouts courtesy of American Joshua Temple’s big hitting, the crowds flocked to Doha’s Ali Bin Hamad Arena for the first evening of AIBA World Boxing Championship action.
Earlier in the day, Thailand’s Chatchai Butdee had turned up the heat with some lightning-fast footwork to overcome the experienced Ukrainian Mykola Butsenko, and he will now face Denmark’s Frederik Lundgaard in the next round.

Thailand’s Butdee shines on gripping first day as 39 bouts of first-class boxing open the AIBA 2015 World Championships

“I am satisfied with my performance but I hope to do better in the upcoming match,” said Butdee. “The difference between us was the tactic I used today with a lot of attacking.”

In one of the surprises of the day, Boe Warawara of the Pacific islands of Vanuatu defeated Turkmenistan’s 22 year-old Yakub Meredov, delivering the country’s first ever victory in the history of the championships.

It proved to be a successful day in the ring for Azerbaijan, too, with 18 year-old Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Rufat Huseynov putting his quick footwork to good use in overcoming Morocco’s Imad Ahyoun. Earlier in the day, Lorenzo Sotomayor Collazo had given Azerbaijan their first win, against Canada’s tough Arthur Biyarslanov.

Among the favourites for the middleweight title, Ireland’s 2015 European Games champion Michael O’Reilly won his contest against Ukraine’s Valerii Kharlamov, while Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Champion Bektemir Melikuziev took less than two minutes to knock out Georgia’s Zaal Kvachatadze.

Wednesday will see 44 preliminary bouts take place across the two sessions, with the winners in the flyweight, lightweight, welterweight, light heavyweight and super heavyweight categories advancing to the last 16 in Doha.

Netherlands’ promising lightweight Enrico La Cruz is in top form but he will face veteran Italian Domenico Valentino in one of the most anticipated battles of day two. Ukraine’s AIBA Youth World Champion Oleksandr Khyzhniak will tackle Algeria’s two-time Olympian Abdelhafid Benchabla in the pick opf the light heavyweight match-ups.

Australia’s Sam Gilmour wins ISAF Youth Match Racing Worlds

Sam Gilmour and Team Australia have won the ISAF 2015 Youth Match Racing World Championships held out of Swinoujscie, Poland.

With the Petit Final and Final held on the last day of competition it was a hard fight for the race to the title as well as occupying the final podium spot.

There were a few concerns about accuracy of weather predictions as only 7 knots were expected but thankfully there were 8-9 knots of breeze with the Race Committee setting courses in the channel in Swinoujscie.

The top four teams, Joakim Aschenbrenner (DEN), Gilmour, Marcus Ronnberg (FIN), and Nevin Snow (USA), assembled at the briefing in the morning and picked their boats. Competing in the Petit Final – Match 1 were Ronnberg and Snow with the first to two wins taking the final podium spot.

Gilmour Celebrations

Aschenbrenner vs. Gilmour was Match 2 racing in the Final with a best of five, first to three wins.

Petit Final – Match 1 started first with Ronnberg vs. Snow. In the Qualifiers Snow finished second with nine points and Ronnberg was fourth with eight points. Both began by taking penalties at the start line for being over early but that didn’t hinder either team. Ronnberg held control of the match all the way around the course. Snow kept up and sailed well but never managed to get out from under Ronnberg. This continued in Match 2 as Team Finland took the race win and third overall and meaning Team USA had to settle for fourth.

Final – Match 2 Aschenbrenner vs. Gilmour was the second start of the day.

Aschenbrenner was first in the Qualifiers with 10 points and Gilmour was third with nine points. As in the Petit Final, the pre-start for the Final was tight and aggressive with both Aschenbrenner and Gilmour over the start early. Gilmour won Flight 1 and Flight 2.

Flight 3 ended abruptly at the top mark when Gilmour deliberately failed to give Aschenbrenner room at the mark, the boats made significant contact, and Aschenbrenner was not only squeezed into the mark but got tangled in it causing the boat to stop completely. Gilmour, having already received two penalties in the pre-start with one outstanding, was given a double penalty and a black flag by the Umpires giving the Danish sailor the win.

Sam Gilmour wins ISAF 2015 Youth Match Racing World Championships Final

In the fourth flight Gilmour did not make the mistakes he had made in the prior flight to confirm himself and Team Australia as the 2015 ISAF Youth Match Racing World Champions.

The event was completed with a closing ceremony and prize giving at the town square where teams and locals alike gathered to congratulate the winners and an amazing week of match racing.

FEI European Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships: Orange Is The New Gold As The Netherlands Top The Medal Table

The Netherlands have topped the medal table for the first time at a major international Para-Equestrian championships after the day of the dancing horses at the FEI Para-Equestrian Dressage European Championships in Deauville (FRA) today.

As the freestyle competition rounded off three days of thrilling competition, the first gold of the day went to World Freestyle champion, and the new European Individual champion, Rixt Van Der Horst of The Netherlands on Uniek N.O.P. Van Der Horst scored an impressive 79.000% to take her first European Freestyle title ahead of defending title-holder and reigning Paralympic champion Natasha Baker of Great Britain, and Germany’s Steffen Zeibig.

A delighted Van Der Horst said: “I feel fantastic. It was a fantastic ride. It was freezing cold outside and I couldn’t move my legs so my horse was really doing it for me. I had a little more confidence and it was good and I wasn’t nervous. The pressure was off after yesterday and I tried to enjoy my Freestyle. I’m very proud of my whole team and my horse and we’ve improved so much in the last year. Now we’re preparing for Rio!”

Van Der Horst’s teammate Frank Hosmar continued his excellent weekend by taking his first major championship Freestyle gold in the Grade IV competition. Riding Alphaville N.O.P. he scored 79.950 to take the honours, just ahead of Great Britain’s defending champion Sophie Wells and Germany’s Carolin Schnarre.

After only his second major championship gold medal Hosmar said: “It’s really wonderful with that amazing horse that he is. He didn’t make any mistakes and I’m so pleased with him. In the warm-up he was good so I was confident that it was possible. Yesterday was my first gold medal and this is the second. I feel good about Rio but it’s a year away and we have to keep the horses healthy.”

And there was another great victory for Austria’s Pepo Puch in the Grade Ib competition. On Fine Feeling S, he scored 77.750% to take his second title of the championships ahead of Great Britain’s Lee Pearson and The Netherlands Nicole Den Dulk.

Speaking after his medal ceremony Puch said: “I didn’t expect a second gold medal so it’s amazing for me, it’s fantastic. Especially today my reins got longer and longer and I had no chance to catch them in trot so I was really without steering but my mare knew the way.

“This weekend was really hard mentally. On one side I felt my horse was good and everyone is really friendly and I know this place, but after the vet inspection on Thursday (when Puch’s horse was held over for re-inspection on Friday morning) I think it’s time for a holiday.”

In the Grade III competition Germany’s superstar rider Hannelore Brenner regained her European Freestyle title after six years riding Women of The World to score 77.950%. In doing so she beat Susanne Sunesen of Denmark into second place and The Netherlands Lotte Krijnsen into third, Krijnsen’s second podium finish on her major international event debut.

Denmark’s Stinna Tange Kaastrup, former World Grade Ib champion and 2011 European freestyle gold medallist, scored double bronze at the 2013 Europeans. She will be looking to get back on top at the three-day FEI European Para-Dressage Championships 2013 in Deauville, France, which start tomorrow. (Liz Gregg/FEI)

Brenner said: “I am very happy and she was really wonderful to ride. It is an honour to have that horse and ride her. I have the feeling that every year she is a little bit better, I don’t know why and I don’t know how, but we work every day and she has to work and then has time to relax and I think she is a happy horse.”

The final medal of the day went to multi European, World and Paralympic champion Sophie Christiansen of Great Britain in the Grade Ia Freestyle finale. Riding Athene Lindejberg to a score of 80.700% – the highest score of the event and the only 80+ score – she saw off her closest competitor and teammate Anne Dunham, who ended in the silver medal position, with Italy’s World Freestyle champion Sara Morganti taking the bronze, a relief for her after just missing out on a medal in the Individual.

“I came out of the arena thinking I could not ask Athene for any more”, Christiansen said. “She was absolutely fab and she doesn’t really like noise and music so I was a bit wary of today and I think my music got turned up from the sound check. She’s amazing and even if I hadn’t won I couldn’t have done any more. That makes it 21 gold medals now at World, European and Paralympic level. I’ve still yet to beat Lee Pearson though.

“The whole competition has given me so much confidence in my mare and the new team. My trainer Linsay Coleridge-Smith is amazing, and we work perfectly together and she also knows when to give me a telling off. This was meant to be a rehearsal for next year and Rio, so it’s quite a good one.”

The weekend though belongs to the Dutch team who top the medal table with four gold medals, ahead of Great Britain’s three. It’s the first time at a major championships that the British team has failed to top the medal table and Dutch Chef D’Equipe Joyce Heuitink was clearly delighted with that result.

“I am thrilled,” she said. “It has been an amazing championships. After the World championships last year where we won 10 medals out of 11, this year we said that was impossible to do again, but throughout the year every show proved we were on the right track and we did a little bit better at every show. The feeling was good but you never know at a championship. Frank and Rixt have been amazing and Lotte was my reserve and she did an amazing job winning two bronze medals.”

The riders will now head home eager to see how all the results from these championships affect the world rankings ahead of qualification for next year’s Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. On the strength of these championships, it’s clear that it’s going to be a spectacular event.

The Netherlands’ Frank Hosmar continued his excellent weekend by taking his first major championship freestyle gold in the Grade IV competition with Alphaville N.O.P. to help the Dutch to the top of the medal table. (Jon Stroud/FEI)

Facts & figures

75 athletes from 20 nations competed at the FEI European Para-Dressage Championships 2015 in Deauville (FRA).

14 countries entered teams – three more than in 2013. They are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden.

Six nations were represented by individual riders: Czech Republic, Israel, Latvia, Portugal, Switzerland and Slovakia.

The Netherlands topped the 2015 medal table in Deauville with four gold, one silver and four bronze medals, to Great Britain’s three gold and eight silver.

Great Britain topped the 2013 medal table with seven golds at the JSYK FEI Para-Dressage Championships in Herning (DEN).