03 Aug 2016 at 13:32 | Published by: Ida | Views: 14611 | News search

The best female and male player on felt: Sandra Walker and Aki Sillman  (Photo by )

After the miniature championship in June, the recently repaired concrete lanes in Vaasa offered players great opportunities to play well at the beginning of July. The favorite duo, Aki Sillman (Kungälvs BGK) and Kosti Salonen (Tantogårdens BGK), kept the lead right from the start also in these championships. Sillman and Salonen played very smoothly and the gold medal chase was tight. Before the final round the difference between the top two was only three shots for Salonen. Eventually Salonen took the victory with four shots (average 28.29). He also scored 24 in one round! Third place went to home course man Tom Ahlberg, Botnia. In the senior men division the winner was no surprise when minigolf master Marko Nuotio (SMGK) won. Team mate Ari Ahrenberg lost with four shots. Botnia player Harri Ojala took bronze after winning another Botnia player Timo Kammonen.

On concrete it was the women’s turn to take care of the entertainment and excitement when Manse team mates Greta Wedman and Ida Hiltunen played for win. Wedman started great and raised lead to others. Little by little Hiltunen started to spurt and took the lead with one shot before last round. Both played a bit nervously and leader of the competition changed repeatedly. Lane 17 was pivotal when Wedman managed with one shot, Hiltunen with two. Wedman took the lead again and won gold with this one shot!

In Lahti 63 players started on felt. This competition was the last chance to show skills and lust to be part of the national team in upcoming Senior European Championships. In veteran men’s division the overpowering victory went to Markku Sillman once again! In senior men’s division the fight was really tough when Jouni Suominen, TaRGS, defied Jukka Reunavuori, Manse, after a bad black first round. Reunavuori scored 30 in two last rounds and won. After two lanes replay (playoff) between Marko Nuotio and MG-Aces player Juha-Petri Kujansuu the podium completed by Kujansuu. Seija Björk, SMGK, was unbeatable in senior ladies. Silver to Nina Mustonen, TaRGS, and bronze to Minna Sola, Manse.

In ladies division Sandra Walker led after first day and continued playing great on Sunday. She won the division with nine shots and was the best woman of all. In the end of the last round Mirva Juhola, TaRGS, became lame for a moment, took a big number on lane 15 and offered Ida Hiltunen chance to win silver. In the end, Hiltunen got silver and Juhola bronze. Aki Sillman got two contestants from MG-Aces: Tero Vaahtio and Jussi Heino in men’s category. These three players took a good lead already on Saturday and after the fourth round they all had the same amount of shots. Vaahtio couldn’t answer to Sillman and Heino’s playing and was the third one winning his first medal on felt. Both Sillman and Heino played great but in the end, Sillman was better with two shots. Aki Sillman won also the title of the best male felt player!

Thanks to Ida Hiltunen for contributing to this article and for providing the picture.

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