May 2017 - Editorial: Preview Masters World Championships 2017
The entry list of the annual Masters World Championships (24 and 25 June 2017) is decided according to the SMAI throwing qualifications. This years competion will be in in Iceland. This is for the 17th time that this events takes place!
In almost every age class there will be competing several world champions. About 136 athletes (men and women) will be competing in all classes. The Netherlands are represented by two top athletes: Hans Lolkema and Wybe Zeilstra.
Some athletes will be hoping for a spot while being on the wating list (Eric Snow, World Champion 2015 is on this list. Eric already threw a 64 feet
with the light WFD! I think that is equal to the existing World record M 54 -59).
This class, men 55 -59, is very competitive with Rick Kramer defending his title. Fellow competitors Hans-Dieter Dorow, Mark MacDonald, Myles Wetzel are all former World Champions.
Yet again this year, the competition in this class looks to be a continuation of the European rivalry between World Champion Hans-Dieter Dorow (Germany) and Scotland’s World champion Mark MacDonald. Also in this class Jurgen Stickelbrock, from Germany, and Canadian Todd Turnbull.
Class 45 - 49
With many Dutch’s second farthest throws of the last years to his credit, along with a fantastic title win in Mount Loon (New Hampshire, USA) last year,
Dutch pro athlete Hans Lolkema will compete in his first Masters World Championship. Lolkema showed already his form this month in winning a Dutch competition over younger pro athletes.
His opponents include multiple World champions Michael Dickens (USA) and Jason Young (Scotland) setting the stage for a fiercely fought battle.
Other highly ranked athletes include Germans Uli Muller and Andreas Deuschle (both third and second place winners in respectively 2009 and 2014 World Championships).
Hapy Mayer (USA) and Mark Wechter (USA) will try to take valuable points for the top spots. And of course Frisian Wybe Zeilstra the former Dutch master who improves every year. Wybe scored a very good 6th place in last year's World Championships.
No Masters World Championships without the man from Japan, Kengo Kubota, since 2008. And last but not least, Markus Komischke (Germany) who prepared very well for this competition.
The Germans are, after the US atheletes, the biggest nation to compete: 13 athletes (including women). Other German speaking nations include Switzerland ( 3 athletes) and Austria (1 athtlete).
Class 50 -54
Former World champion Berle Conrad (Canada), thus obviously a solid big meet competitor, will have some stiff competition from US athletes Thom VanVleck and Brent Abbott with other strong US contenders in this class. Alf Grasnick (Switzerland) and Bernd Wolf (Germany) complete this class.
Class 40 - 44 has some strong contenders, Kevin Dupuis (USA), Joey Grieshaber (USA), Mark Valenti (USA) and Matthew Wanat (USA) but not a defending or former World Champion.
Jens Schwan and Mirko Weinmann will be representing Germany on their first World Championships.
Class men 60 - 64 has the most World titles, Bill Leffler, Al Stagner, Frank Henry and Mark Buchanan. These athletes have around 16 World titles combined! So speaking of competition!
Class men 65 -69 has also some former World champions, Wayne Staggs (USA) and Larry Sisseck (USA), can the other competitors step forward and take the crown from those top athletes?
Over 70 class men has German Hanshugo Sürth and Bill Rogers (USA) both former World Champions battling to regain their title. Or will one of their fellow competitors walk away with victory?
So it will be an exciting competition in beautiful Iceland. Good throwing and may the best win!
The entry list of the annual Masters World Championships (24 and 25 June 2017) is decided according to the SMAI throwing qualifications. This years competion will be in in Iceland. This is for the 17th time that this events takes place!
In almost every age class there will be competing several world champions. About 136 athletes (men and women) will be competing in all classes. The Netherlands are represented by two top athletes: Hans Lolkema and Wybe Zeilstra.
Some athletes will be hoping for a spot while being on the wating list (Eric Snow, World Champion 2015 is on this list. Eric already threw a 64 feet
with the light WFD! I think that is equal to the existing World record M 54 -59).
This class, men 55 -59, is very competitive with Rick Kramer defending his title. Fellow competitors Hans-Dieter Dorow, Mark MacDonald, Myles Wetzel are all former World Champions.
Yet again this year, the competition in this class looks to be a continuation of the European rivalry between World Champion Hans-Dieter Dorow (Germany) and Scotland’s World champion Mark MacDonald. Also in this class Jurgen Stickelbrock, from Germany, and Canadian Todd Turnbull.
Class 45 - 49
With many Dutch’s second farthest throws of the last years to his credit, along with a fantastic title win in Mount Loon (New Hampshire, USA) last year,
Dutch pro athlete Hans Lolkema will compete in his first Masters World Championship. Lolkema showed already his form this month in winning a Dutch competition over younger pro athletes.
His opponents include multiple World champions Michael Dickens (USA) and Jason Young (Scotland) setting the stage for a fiercely fought battle.
Other highly ranked athletes include Germans Uli Muller and Andreas Deuschle (both third and second place winners in respectively 2009 and 2014 World Championships).
Hapy Mayer (USA) and Mark Wechter (USA) will try to take valuable points for the top spots. And of course Frisian Wybe Zeilstra the former Dutch master who improves every year. Wybe scored a very good 6th place in last year's World Championships.
No Masters World Championships without the man from Japan, Kengo Kubota, since 2008. And last but not least, Markus Komischke (Germany) who prepared very well for this competition.
The Germans are, after the US atheletes, the biggest nation to compete: 13 athletes (including women). Other German speaking nations include Switzerland ( 3 athletes) and Austria (1 athtlete).
Class 50 -54
Former World champion Berle Conrad (Canada), thus obviously a solid big meet competitor, will have some stiff competition from US athletes Thom VanVleck and Brent Abbott with other strong US contenders in this class. Alf Grasnick (Switzerland) and Bernd Wolf (Germany) complete this class.
Class 40 - 44 has some strong contenders, Kevin Dupuis (USA), Joey Grieshaber (USA), Mark Valenti (USA) and Matthew Wanat (USA) but not a defending or former World Champion.
Jens Schwan and Mirko Weinmann will be representing Germany on their first World Championships.
Class men 60 - 64 has the most World titles, Bill Leffler, Al Stagner, Frank Henry and Mark Buchanan. These athletes have around 16 World titles combined! So speaking of competition!
Class men 65 -69 has also some former World champions, Wayne Staggs (USA) and Larry Sisseck (USA), can the other competitors step forward and take the crown from those top athletes?
Over 70 class men has German Hanshugo Sürth and Bill Rogers (USA) both former World Champions battling to regain their title. Or will one of their fellow competitors walk away with victory?
So it will be an exciting competition in beautiful Iceland. Good throwing and may the best win!