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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
FEI
Eventing World Cup
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Polish
Rider Andrzej Pasek wins first leg of FEI Eventing World Cup's
new season at Nichelino (ITA)
Poland's
Andrzej Pasek, 29, won the opening leg of the FEI Eventing World
Cup's second season riding the 9-year old chestnut gelding Redan
(owned by Erika Ratti). Despite the heavy rain, deep mud and generally
appalling weather conditions, he took the lead from the very beginning
scoring a remarkable 39.10 points (73.91%) after Dressage. He
went clear in Jumping and had neither fence nor time penalties
in the Cross Country. This performance is all the more remarkable
as Pasek placed 2nd in the two-star event riding Bujwid delle
Ombre. Andrzej, who currently trains in Italy preparing for next
year's Olympic Games in Athens, is a regular visitor at Nichelino,
where he competed last year placing 18th in the World Cup class
and winning the two-star competition.
Second
on the winners' podium is Marie Christine Duroy of France, riding
the 13-old gelding Selle-Français Crazy Love and who, like
Pasek, added to further penalties to the 43.40 points she had
earned after Dressage (71.09 %). Marie Christine is one of the
world's most experienced Eventing riders who has been competing
for over 30 years and was on the French team which took the 4th
place at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Italy's
own Fabio Magni on Loro Piana Vent d'Arade and Marissa Cortesi
of Switzerland on Peppermint III came in equal 3rds with 49.60.
Magni, currently 74th of the FEI Eventing Riders' Rankings, is
Italy's reigning national champion and Marissa won the same title
in her country in 2000 and 2001.
The
remarkable result (51.50) of the Japanese rider Yoshiaki Oiwa,
27, on Voyou du Roc should be given special notice. With 7 min
25 he performed the competition's second best Cross Country, 0.4
seconds better than the winner, and scored a clear Jumping round.
This is Oiwa's best result ever in a three-star competition.
47
of the 70 starters completed the competition.
A
special tribute and a warm thank you goes to all those involved
in this inaugural World Cup qualifier, be they organisers, riders
or officials. Indeed, given the difficult meteorological conditions,
it was decided to hold the Jumping test on Saturday rather than
on Sunday as originally planned. Despite the logistical problems
caused by such a change, all complied and did their best to continue
the competition in a true spirit of horsemanship and fair-play.
The
next qualifier of the FEI Eventing World Cup will take place from
12 through 14 March 2004 at Tallahassee, FL (USA).
www.horsesport.org
.
