Round 1 at Valbyparken and the Latitude 64 Copenhagen Open saw some players’ discs soar while others were brought down to earth as they struggled to negotiate the OB lines and the gaps between the groves of oak and birch trees.

With all the top seeded players teeing off in the early morning, when they dealt with the day’s only rain for the first few holes, it was USA’s Will Schusterick who seized the momentum and the lead with a smooth 1066 rated 12 down 55. Will must love playing in Europe because he’s picked up where he left off last summer when he won the Stockholm Open Major.

Two back of Will’s torrid pace and tied for 2nd at minus 10 are 19 year old Finn Leo Piironen and 2012 PDGA World Champ Paul McBeth. Joining them on tomorrow’s top card are a pair of American Tour-ists at 9 down, defending Copenhagen Champ David Feldberg, and Oklahoma southpaw Devan Owens. Lurking 4 off the lead at -8 are home course favorite KJ Nybo, Sweden’s Anders Swärd, 2009 World Champ Avery Jenkins and 2009 USDGC Champ Nikko Locastro. 

Among the ladies, USA’s Paige Pierce - who also won in Stockholm last year, turned in the opening round’s best performance, a 984 rated round of par 67.  Chasing her but with work to do are Sweden’s Ragna Bygde, the 3 time World Champ Val Jenkins, and Swiss Miss Natalie Holloköi.

In Masters division it’s an all European leader board with Latitude 64 honcho Tomas Ekström in first at -4, followed closely by fellow Swede Richard Kappling and Germany’s Jan Bäss. Another Deutschlander, Marvin Tetzel, shot 69 to lead the field of 5 juniors by 5.

Join us tomorrow as we bring you more coverage from Denmark. You‘ll also find live scoring at http://eleaderboard.dk/co2013.asp , cool photos by Martin Frederiksen at  https://www.facebook.com/frisbee.net  and tons of info at the event website www.cphopen.dk