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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
Samsung Super League
They're Under Starters Orders...........
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Great
Britain got the best starting position for the opening leg of
the Samsung Super League series when the draw was made in La Baule
tonight (Friday 9 May).
The
British were drawn last of the eight competing teams and, on this
occasion, it was the Germans who were out of luck as they will
be first into the arena at 2pm next Sunday.
The
order of go is as follows:
Germany
Holland
Sweden
Italy
Ireland
Belgium
France
Great Britain.
German Chef d’Equipe, Sonke Sonksen, was philosophical about
the fact that his team will run first. "We are not lucky,
but if the teams are in the same order for the prize-giving on
Sunday we will be happy then!" he said.
Mr
Sonksen recalled that it was seven years ago when Ludger Beerbaum
and Alexandra Ledermann launched the original Samsung Nations
Cup series at La Baule and said that it seems quite appropriate
that the new Super League is also to begin at the same venue.
Swedish
Chef d’Equipe, Sylve Soderstrand, explained that his country
is small but is very happy to be taking part in the new Samsung
Super League. "The whole project is very exciting and we
are confident that we have a good team but we must fight here
against eight very strong teams this weekend" he pointed
out.
Lucien
Sommer, Belgian Chef d’Equipe, said that he, also, is from
a small country. "We do not have enough riders to call upon
for teams but we will be trying our very best - we are here to
win even though all the other nations have come with their top
riders and horses"
Britain’s
Derek Ricketts complimented the show organisers on the facilities
at La Baule. He described the Super League as "an interesting
and exciting new competition" and said he was hopeful that
his country would hold their position within the top eight show
jumping nations in the world.
Italy’s
Marco Danese agreed that the La Baule organisers do a great deal
of work to improve the show every year but he warned that the
Samsung Super League will be tough and technical – "like
championship-level competition" he predicted.
Holland’s
Bert Romp was short and to the point when he said that he will
be happy if his team finishes where they are drawn, in second
place, but Ireland’s Tommy Wade was, as usual, more outspoken.
"The
Irish strategy is to try to win all the Super League events"
he said. "I am happy we have a good team – much better
than for the last two years" and he added that World Champion,
Dermott Lennon, who fractured his shoulder in a fall at the World
Cup Qualifier in Gothenburg at the end of March is expected back
in action "very soon".
Jean
Maurice Bonneau, French Chef d’Equipe, pointed out that the
showground at La Baule is to undergo major renovations in a few
weeks time and will be considerably improved for the 2004.
"One
year ago we had a Press Conference here about the Super League
and I was very perplexed" he said, "but now it has been
born and I am happy that it will seriously increase the visibility
of the sport. In this format it is similar to the Six-Nations
Rugby tournament and is easier to understand. As a breeding country
we, the French, could not imagine not being included in the series
and I’d like to thank Samsung for making it all possible
and for their strong support for equestrian sport" he added.
Tonight
it was also announced that the Court of Arbitration for Sport,
which is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, has rejected the Swiss
appeal for inclusion in the Samsung Super League.
So
the lights are on, the stage is set and it is "all systems
go" for the first leg of the series which promises a season
of world-class sport – eight super competitions, eight super
teams but only one Super League title-holder….it all begins
on the French coastline this Sunday….
From
today you can access all the latest Samsung Super League news
and information on our new website www.samsungsuperleague.com
and don’t forget that Biographies on all Riders competing
in the series are available on website http://bios.horsesport.org.
For
full results, start lists, course plans and press releases from
this weekend’s CSIO you can view La Baule website at www.labaule-cheval.com.
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/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
.
