Massimo Cremona, currently second in the FISTF world rankings, was in top form this weekend as he won the Grand Prix of Norway in Skien. In a thrilling final, he beat the world ranked no.1 Verhagen 5-4.

At the end of the first half, the score was still 1-1.

This was the second time that Cremona won this event, the first time had been in the edition of 2005.

Cremona won his group very easily, beating Italian Balboni 6-0, and Norwegian duo Sagafos 5-0 and Eikeland 11-1 to advance.

In the last 16, he again eliminated another Norwegian, Brekke, 4-1. In the quarter-final it was a rematch final of 2005 for Cremona where he had to show character to beat Norwegian champion Grorud 2-1. In fact, with just six minutes to go, he was 0-1 in arrears before overturning the result to 2-1 to reach the semi-finals.

In another tight match he eliminated Italy’s Galeazzi of Milan 3-2 before going to the final match.

Thirty two players from eight nations from Norway, Finland, Germany, England, Belgium, Holland, Italy and Malta took part in this Grand Prix.

On Sunday’s International Open, 29 players turned up. Cremona again won his group easily beating Norway’s Ellefsen 8-0 and Tore Myge 4-1 to advance. In the last 16, he eliminated Vulpes of Germany 12-1 before going out in the quarter-final 1-3 to Verhagen.

Next weekend Cremona will be taking part in the Grand Prix of Italy in Rome, where on Saturday he will take part in the team event with Perugia and then taking part in the individual event on Sunday.