Laura Klaphake and Pieter Devos of the St Tropez Pirates took the helm in a knife-edge GCL Hamburg, after today's first round saw 12 teams finish all within six faults of each other. 

With time a significant factor in today’s prelude to Saturday’s showdown, the St Tropez Pirates claimed their first pole position of the season with a double clear, just ahead of Berlin Eagles’ Ludger Beerbaum and Philipp Weishaupt and Shanghai Swans’ Shane Sweetnam and Pius Schwizer.

Fast clears inside the time from U25 star Laura Klaphake with Catch Me If You Can (Catoki x Acordplus) and Pieter Devos with Claire Z (Clearway x Coronado), both riding 10-year-old horses, mean their St Tropez Pirates team sits atop the podium overnight and will be in pole position heading into Saturday’s second round.

U25 rider Klaphake was the pathfinder for the team. “I was so happy with my horse,” said the 24-year-old German rider. “We gave our best and it worked out, so that was really cool.”

“It’s only after the first round and we have not won yet,” Devos said. “There is still a lot to come and the result is very close with the other teams so we still have to concentrate. I’m going to convince Laura that she rides on Saturday because she jumped fantastically.”