The wind can be good. The wind can be bad. Stephane Clamens, the winner of today's Trap Men final knows it very well. The 42-year old France shooter comes from Mentone, a city on the Cote d'Azur, the French coast. There, he's working as a sailing instructor. No surprises when he says: “I knows how to deal with the wind”. And that helped him to win today's final in Granada, Spain, where the wind affected the targets, both during the competition and the medal match.
Today it was about the wind, and about the shoot-offs. Clamens, made it to the semi-final with 123 hits, after passing through a 7-way shoot-off after the qualifications. Then, he hit 13 targets in the semi-final, and had to pass through another shoot-off to access the Gold medal match. Clamens made it again, and met the home shooter Alberto Fernandez in the duel for the brightest medal.
In spite of the wind, Clamens hit 13 targets and climbed atop of the podium, beating the 2010 World Champion Fernandez, who scored 12 targets and finishing in second.
“This is a great satisfaction for me. It hasn't been easy with this wind, today. But I am kind of used to it.” Clamens said.
“I came here with the Mediterranean Games in my mind. I did not perform at my best there. I shot a 21 on my last series, loosing a medal chance. So, when I arrived here, I tried to zero in, to concentrate, to build up some confidence, and it worked!” The winner explained.
The Bronze medal went to Russia's 2004 Olympic Champion Alexey Alipov, who finished on the podium beating the second Spanish finalist Jesus Seranno in the Bronze medal match 14 to 13 hits. Ireland's Derek Burnett ended up in fifth place with 12 hits in the semi-final, loosing his medal chances in a shoot-off against Serrano. USA's first-time finalist Casey Wallace closed the match in sixth and last place with 11 hits in the semi-final.
“Yes, it has been a tough match.” The Gold medallist Clamens commented “Conditions can be difficult here in Granada. But I like it. I like this range: the last time I had been here, I won a Silver medal (at the 2007 European Championship, ed.). I am looking forward to the next one, now.”
And “the next one” will be in 2014, at the ISSF World Championship to be held here in Granada, where Clames will try his best to secure a title which is still missing from his medal showcase. Wind or not.