Denmark, Italy win 3D team titles after storm destroys competition course

Torrential rain overnight flooded the competition venue at the Rinehart World Archery 3D Championships – but organisers pulled together an alternative course, and then the Danish women and Italian men won the world team titles in Terni.

“I was very amazed that they were able to switch venues around so fast just present this venue for us,” said Swedish barebow archer Stine Asell.

The city club’s own field, which was used for practice sessions earlier this week, was repurposed for Friday’s team quarterfinals, semifinals and medal matches.

“We weren’t expecting to be here but we knew what it was like,” added Astell. “Every venue is different. It‘s part of the game. We have different venues and different weather conditions, from freezing to really, really hot like today.”

The courses in Stronecone Meadows used so far for these championships have been at a much higher – and cooler – altitude.

A move down to the city brought sunshine, heat and matchplay upsets.

Both the top-seeded men’s and women’s teams were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Spain upset the Italian women, 115-113, in their opening match, while Norway kicked an off-the-pace France out of the competition, 124-115. Neither usurpers would advance further, though.

The men’s final would eventually see third-seeded host Italy defeat Spain, 117-107.

Denmark beat Asell’s Sweden to women’s team gold, 104-100.

“A flat range like this is just a little bit more like target [archery]," said Kirstine Klausen, the compounder on the Danish team. The triplet was completed by longbow archer Stine Hansen and barebow Kristina Bejder.

“We couldn’t do anything about the rain so we just had to do the best we could.”

There will be a change of venue once again tomorrow at these Rinehart World Archery 3D Championships – this one planned. The individual finals are scheduled to take place in the city of Terni’s beautiful historical amphitheatre on Saturday.

Champions: Terni 2022

• Men team: Italy (Marco Bruno, Giuliano Faletti, Giuseppe Seimandi)
• Women team: Denmark (Kirstine Klausen, Stine Hansen, Kristina Bejder)