Open division 2016 European Champion, Leo Piironen. Photo Credit: Eino Ansio.
The final round of the 2016 European Championships presented the competitors with a challenge well beyond keeping their heads cool and their discs hot under pressure. Not only were the continental titles at stake, the wrath of Freyr, Nordic God of weather, was also on display, with periods of rain and winds gusting up to 18 meters/second or 40 miles per hour. Many of the contenders watched their dreams of a medal fade on the gauntlet of exposed holes 3 through 8 next to the Gulf of Bothnia, where pars were at a premium and 10-foot putts required one’s complete concentration.
Moving day at the 2016 European Championships in Oulu, Finland was the calm before the storm. Many of the 200 players representing 21 nations took advantage of the idyllic sub-arctic conditions, however Scandinavian shooters, led by the powerhouse host Finland team, remain atop in all 7 divisions.
The strength and depth of the Finnish machine was on full display today during the opening round of the 2016 European Championships along the undulating fairways of beautiful Meri-Toppila DiscGolfPark in Oulu.
Pasi Koivu #41251 of Finland leads the Open division after Round 1.
