23 Jul 2008 at 18:58 | Published by: JJM | Views: 8805 | News search

Probably the most difficult competition course in Finland, the old felt course of Pietarsaari, served as the venue for Finnish felt championships 2008. The scores of all players were some 10 points per round higher than they usually are at felt courses of a more typical level of difficulty.

The obstacles were mostly near minimum size allowed by rules, the long wooden lanes bent by ten frozen winters, and the high hills required uncommonly precise force control. Of the 66 participants in the competition, only four players survived without taking a full pot of 7 points at least once in the competition.

People generally enjoyed the course, however — but someone suggested that we should invent a new colour code for scores between 40–49, so the score table wouldn’t look so totally black. Only four players achieved a total score written with some other colour than black.

The favourite song of the weekend was “What a feeling!” (Irene Cara / Flashdance), sometimes hummed by a player when finishing another hopeless round somewhere around 50 points...

Junior player Aki Sillman was by far the best player of the tournament, with average score 35.33. Silver in juniors went to Matias Röj with average 41.00, and bronze to Oskari Vihervaara with average 45.50.

women: 2nd Yvonne Bartley, 1st Mirva Juhola, 3rd Heidi Granath

Mirva Juhola completed a “hat trick”, by winning gold at Finnish championships of all three playing systems. Her average score was 45.33 at this most challenging felt course. Only one point behind Juhola came silver medalist Yvonne Bartley, with average 45.50. Bronze went to Heidi Granath with average 53.50.

men: 2nd Niko Tamminen, 1st Mikael Tarvainen, 3rd John Mittler

Winner in men’s competition was a local player Mikael Tarvainen, with average score 38.00. Silver medal was taken by Niko Tamminen (a very potential national team candidate for Odense 2009), with average 39.17.

Defending men’s champion John Mittler had a historical chance to become the first player since 1977 to get a medal with a black total score in men’s competition. He missed this historical opportunity by one point, taking bronze with average 39.83.

all photos by Arto Borg

» results of Finnish felt championships 2008, old course of Pietarsaari
» photo gallery of the competition
» results of Finnish felt championships 2006, modern course of Mänttä
» photo of the felt course in Pietarsaari, FI

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