18 Jul 2011 at 22:50 | Published by: JJM | Views: 19051 | News search

2nd Sibelius Park MGK, 1st Manse RG, 3rd Botnia MGK.  (Photo by Manse RG 2011)

Manse Ratagolf will represent Finland at European Cup 2011 in Vergiate, after winning the team competition of Finnish beton championships at their home course in Tampere, with total score 909 (average 30.30). Sibelius Park MGK was in tied points with Manse RG before the final round, and lost the battle for gold by a margin of 5 points only. Botnia MGK was third in the team competition, 33 points behind Manse RG and 5 points ahead of Taivallahden RGS in 4th place.

The best player’s trophy went to the local minigolf wizard Oskari Vihervaara, who won gold in juniors class with score 169 after 6 competition rounds (average 28.17). The high level of game in juniors category was completed by two other local players Eetu Ikola 172 (avg 28.67) on silver, and Aapo Pessi 179 (avg 29.83) on bronze, followed by 4th Matias Röj of Botnia MGK at 181 (avg 30.17) and 5th Juuso Tasku of Manse RG at 182 (avg 30.33).

The untypically classy junior competition (by Finnish standards, and certainly many other standards too) showed the fruit of junior work done by Manse Ratagolf. A heavy task and economical burden, which some other top teams in Finland (most notably Sibelius Park MGK chairmanned by Harry Grönlund) historically try to avoid as much as possible, along all the years and decades, because of economical reasons. In Finnish minigolf, the best thing what a person can do to promote his minigolf career is to be born in Tampere, or move there, to receive career sponsorship from the economically strong and relatively unselfish minigolf club Manse RG.

Tantogården player Kosti Salonen won gold in men’s category, as usual when the game is beton, but he lost the best player’s trophy to Vihervaara by 2 points with his score 171 (average 28.50). Aki Sillman took silver in men with score 174 (average 29.00), after a tied score and 6 lanes of sudden death play-off against Tommi Lantta.

Top three in women:
1.   194 (avg 32.33)   Mirva Juhola
2.   197 (avg 32.83)   Asta Korpi
3.   200 (avg 33.33)   Seija Björk

» full results of all categories and teams
» photo gallery

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