News
Swiss supremacy in Helsinki
Nov 6, 2014
Olympic champion, Steve Guerdat, led a Swiss victory gallop at the second leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League in Helsinki, Finland yesterday.
A new venue presented a real challenge for both horses and riders due to restricted space. But Guerdat and the gelding with which he claimed individual gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the enigmatic Nino des Buissonnets, used that to their advantage and left the result beyond doubt with a superb run when second-last to go against the clock. Last man in was Martin Fuchs, and he steered PSG Future into runner-up spot ahead of Pius Schwizer in third. The Swiss were understandably buoyant at the end of the day.
As the 30th Helsinki Horse Show moved to the Helsingin Jäähalli, the city’s oldest indoor ice rink, course designer, Frenchman Frederic Cottier, had to be at his creative best. Guerdat explained, “the arena is quite tight, the length is ok but if it was three or four metres wider then it would be easier.” Making the cut into the jump-off was not an easy task as there was no room for adjusting stride patterns throughout the 12-fence track. With 15 through to the timed round however the 7,000 spectators were guaranteed an exciting battle, and it more than lived up to expectations.
Third to go, it was young Brazilian star, Marlon Zanotelli, who set the early target with a great round from Extra van Essene in 36.18 seconds. Pius Schwizer swept way into the lead with his eight-year-old Sixtine de Vains who stopped the clock on 35.33. Now it was a matter of who could beat that, and although Frenchman Kevin Staut, with another eight-year-old Ayade de Septon et HDC, gave it his best shot as did Germany’s Christian Ahlmann with Cornado ll, it took last week’s winners, Jur Vrieling and VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P., to oust the Brazilian from pole position when crossing the line in 35.78 seconds.
The Dutchman’s chances of doing a back-to-back double were instantly dashed however by Guerdat’s super-smooth run with Nino who was in his element as he soared home in 34.96 seconds. And when fellow-countryman, Fuchs, gave chase with PSG Future and sealed runner-up spot when crossing the line in 35.10, there were big smiles all round in the Swiss camp.
Source FEI press release