At the end of the cross-country test held today at the CCIO 4* – S in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, the Swiss Robin Godel took first place in the provisional standings with Grandeur de Lully CH . For the time being, the leading trio is completed by the Habs Maxim Livio and the German Ingrid Klimke, respectively associated with Api du Libaire and Equistros Siena just do it. In terms of teams, France (87.1) now leads the way, closely followed by Switzerland (87.2), while Sweden (113.6) is currently in third place.
Third day of competition at Pratoni del Vivaro and second act of the CCIO 4* – S which hosts the Nations Cup contested by representatives of nine flags, the cross-country event ended in the middle of the afternoon. After the introduction of the test, the dressage having taken place over two days, the sixty-three couples in the running today faced a course of 3550 meters made up of twenty-eight obstacles for thirty-seven efforts. . Designed by the Italian Giuseppe della Chiesa, it was not a walk in the park and saw several twists and turns, starting with the abandonment of the German Ingrid Klimke who held the first two places in the ranking provisional after the first test. Having noticed a sudden irregularity in the gallop of her faithful accomplice SAP Hale Bob OLD (Old, Helikon x Noble Champion), the rider chose to dismount rather than continue her race. Ridden by Karim Laghouag, Triton Fontaine (SF, Gentleman IV x Nightko) did not appear in his best shape, pushing the Nogentais to throw in the towel after being refused at the start of the course. No longer able to count on only three assets in the Nations Cup, the Habs no longer had the right to make mistakes.
Last to jump out of the starting box, Ingrid Klimke was not distracted by the disappointment of her first attempt. This time in the saddle on Equistros Siena just do it (West, Semper FI 4 x Weltrat), with which she was at the top of the provisional classification before the cross, the German finished with a few seconds of time exceeded and view relegated to third position. Victim of an impressive fall last weekend in Badminton, Maxime Livio proved that in this sport, the wind can change direction from one competition to another. Associated with Api du Libraire, his partner at the European Championships in Avenches last September, the Saumurois, up to then third in the provisional standings, finished his race with only two time points exceeded, which enabled him to seize pole position at the end of his passage. He was finally dethroned by the Swiss Robin Gaudel, author of a maxi with Grandeur de Lully CH (ChS, Grecco de Lully CH x Apartos) and moved up four places.
Credited with 0.8 and 2.0 time points respectively, Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold*HDC (SF, Birkhof’s Grafenstolz x Verglas) and Christopher Six on Totem de Brecey (SF, Mylord Carthago x Quouglof Rouge) occupy the fifth and sixth places in the provisional classification.
The only Tricolore to compete only individually, Héloïse Le Guern, who is participating in her second competition at this level, has also passed her cross-country test. Arrived flawlessly over the obstacles with 3.6 points of time exceeded, she is now in fourteenth position with Canakine du Sudre Z (Z, Felton du Mont x Duc du Murier).
France is in the lead
Already deprived of the performance of their best asset, Germany, which took first place in the provisional classification yesterday, finally finished out of the race after the elimination of Anna Siemer and FRH Butt’s Avondale (Han, Nobre x Heraldik ). Eighth yesterday, the Swedish team achieved a real reassembled by finishing today on the third step of the podium with 113.6 points behind Switzerland, promoted by one rank thanks to the excellent journeys of their team-mates, all of whom returned without fault within the recommended time limit. The team currently totals 87.2 points. As for the Habs, the good performance of Thierry Touzaint’s musketeers enabled the team to take the lead in the provisional standings with 87.1 points.
Only 0.1 point separates France from Switzerland in the Nations Cup standings. Everything can therefore be played out tomorrow during the show jumping test scheduled for 10:30 a.m. which will make it possible to decide between the athletes and the teams in the running.
