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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
Samsung Super League News : Delight Despite Disaster For
France In Final!
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In
a gripping conclusion to the inaugural Samsung Super League series,
France suffered a heavy defeat in Barcelona today but still claimed
the league trophy by a ten-point margin.
The
Irish had to settle for joint-second in the final standings after
an emphatic victory in this leg by Germany whose final rider,
Ludger Beerbaum, never had to jump a fence while the Italians,
clinging desperately to the bottom of the leaderboard, rose manfully
to the occasion, avoiding relegation when adding an extra 12 points
to their total as double-points were awarded.
Sweden
however must compete in the second division next season as, despite
a brave struggle by Malin Baryard, Helena Persson, Royne Zetterman
and Helena Lundback their equal-fourth placing today was not good
enough to save them.
Few
could have predicted the Barcelona result as the Spanish squad,
taking part as host country but not entitled to Super League points,
slotted into runner-up spot. The Italians, so very weak thoughout
much of the series, shared third with Belgium while Sweden and
Britain divided fifth, Holland was sixth, the Irish were seventh
and the normally brilliant French came last.
Even
more remarkably, the Dutch, Italians and Germans shared the lead
on a zero score at the end of the first round when France, Sweden,
Spain and Belgium were next in line with just four faults each.
The British carried eight into round two but the Irish were already
in trouble, bringing up the rear with 16 on the board at the halfway
stage.
The
absence of so many of their top riders had left them vulnerable
and when Harry Marshall’s opening 12 faults from his Gijon
Grand Prix winner Splendido was discarded they still had to count
four-fault results from both Lt Shane Carey and Cian O’Connor
along with the eight collected by Nations Cup debutante Marie
Burke.
A
clear round from Carey and Killossery second time out brought
some improvement to the Irish position but with eight more to
add when both Marshall and O’Connor each lowered a single
pole this time, their finishing score of 24 was always going to
leave them well down the order.
The
French meanwhile were badly hampered by a second-round fall for
Bruno Broucqsault when he got it all wrong at the double, and
having to count 12 faults from Laurent Goffinet and Flipper d’Elle,
eight from Hubert Bourdy and Eve de Etisses and four from Florian
Angot and First de Launay they were obliged to add 24 further
penalties to their first-round tally to complete on a total of
28.
The
Dutch also fell apart in the second round when both Eric van der
Vleuten (Audi’s Jikke) and Jan Tops (Roofs) left two fences
on the floor and Albert Zoer (Lowina) and Gert Jan Bruggink (Joel)
each made a single error to finish with 20 but the Italians were
seriously impressive, clearly driven to give their very best under
extreme pressure.
Massimo
Grossato (Loro Piana Elkintot), Vincenzo Chimirri (Askoll Rosa)
and Roberto Arioldi (Loro Piana Le Mato) had all jumped clear
first time out while Bruno Chimirri (Landknecht) had two down
and all four riders faulted just once at their second attempt
to leave Italy on level-pegging with Belgium.
Stanny
Van Paesschen and O de Pomme had provided the Belgian discount
score when picking up 16 faults in his opening effort but a clear
round next time out added to four faults each from Ludo Philippaerts
(Parco) and Jos Lansink (AK Caridor Z) left them on a concluding
total of 12.
All
four Swedish team members faulted once in round two to leave them
with 16 faults along with Britain’s Michael Whitaker (Abrisca),
Scott Smith (Cabri d’Elle), Richard Davenport (Luc) and Robert
Smith (Marius Claudius) but the Spanish only had to add Jesus
Garmendia Echevarria’s single error with Espoir de la Haye
to finish with eight on the board and that was good enough for
second place.
The
Germans showed just how effective they could have been throughout
the Super League if they had chosen to send out their big guns.
Today they were in a league of their own, Lars Nieberg (Adlantus
As), Marco Kutscher (Montender) and Christian Ahlmann (Coster)
never touching a pole to seal the cleanest of victories and promoting
their country from fifth to joint-second with the Irish at the
end of this tough, eight-round series which has seen so many twists
and turns since it kicked off at La Baule five months ago.
France
however are deserving winners of the 2003 Samsung Super League,
having committed themselves wholeheartedly and graciously to this
new concept in Nations Cup jumping which has helped to bring the
sport to a whole new level.
FEI
President HRH The Infanta Dona Pilar de Borbon joined the 6,500
spectators at the sun-soaked Real Club de Polo de Barcelona to
enjoy this final leg of this exciting series which has captured
the hearts and imagination of riders and spectators alike. Eight
Super Teams, eight Super Venues but only one Samsung Super League
title and - this time around - it is VIVE LA FRANCE!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
website for the SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE FINAL IN BARCELONA is www.csiobarcelona.com.
Result:
1.
Germany – 0 faults: Lars Nieberg/Adlantus As FRH 0+0, Marco
Kutscher/Montender 0+0, Christian Ahlmann/Coster 0+0, Ludger Beerbaum/Gladdys
S DNS+DNS.
2. Spain – 8 faults: Rutherford Latham/Galoubette Mondain
0+0, Jesus Garmendia Echevarria/Espoir de la Haye 13+4, Cayetano
Martinez de Irujo/Delon Va 0+10, Christophe Francois/Oxford 4+0.
Equal 3. Italy – 12 faults: Massimo Grossato/Loro Piana Elkintot
0/4, Vincenzo Chimirri/Askoll Rosa 0/4, Bruno Chimirri/Landknecht
8+4, Roberto Arioldi/Loro Piana Le Mato 0+4.
Belgium – 12 faults: Maurice Van Roosbroeck/Le Coup C 4+16,
Stanny Van Paeschen/O de Pomme 16+0, Ludo Philippaerts/Parco 0+4,
Jos Lansink/AK Caridor Z 0+ 4.
Equal 5. Great Britain – 16 faults: Michael Whitaker/Abrisca
4+4, Scott Smith/Cabri d’Elle 4+0, Richard Davenport/Luc
0+4, Robert Smith/Marius Claudius 4+8.
Sweden – 16 faults: Malin Baryard/H&M Butterfly Flip
0+4, Helena Persson/Classic H 4+4, Royne Zetterman/Richmond Park
4+4, Helena Lundback/Mynta 0+4.
7. Holland – 20 faults: Eric Van der Vleuten 0+8, Jan Tops/Roofs
0+8, Albert Zoer/Lowina 0+4, Gert Jan Bruggink/Joel DNS+4.
8. Ireland – 24 faults: Harry Marshall/Splendido 12+4, Marie
Burke/Chippison 8+8, Lt Shane Carey/Killossery 4+0, Cian O’Connor/Waterford
Crystal 4+4.
9. France – 28 faults: Florian Angot/First de Launay 0+4,
Laurent Goffinet/Flipper d’Elle 4+12, Bruno Broucqsault/Dileme
de Cephe 4+35, Hubert Bourdy/Eve de Etisses 0+8.
SAMSUNG
SUPER LEAGUE LEADERBOARD
1.
France – 53.53
Equal 2, Ireland and Germany – 43.75
4. Great Britain – 43.0
5. Belgium – 30.5
6. Holland – 29.0
7. Italy – 25.83
8. Sweden – 23.33.
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE – NATIONAL PRIDE, INTERNATIONAL PASSION!
EIGHT
SUPER TEAMS, EIGHT SUPER VENUES BUT ONLY ONE SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE
TITLE!
You
can access all the latest Samsung Super League news and information
on website www.samsungsuperleague.com and don’t forget that
Biographies on all Riders competing in the series are available
at http://bios.horsesport.org.
Want
to know more? You can check the full rules for the Samsung Super
League Series on the FEI website, section reference – rules
http://www.horsesport.org/fei/reference_03/ref_03_02.html.
The
Samsung Super League consists of the eight most prestigious horse
shows at which the world’s eight best national teams compare
their merit. The Super League is connected to the Samsung Nations
Cup Series through a promotion/relegation system at the end of
each season.
Samsung
Electronics, one of the world’s largest electronics companies,
is committed to supporting international sporting events thereby
returning corporate profits to the public and working towards
a more harmonious and equitable society.
www.horsesport.org
.
