Text © World of Showjumping

Sweden's double world champion, Olympic and European team champion and current world number one Henrik von Eckermann and the 10-year-old mare Iliana (Cardento 933 x Gentleman, bred by J.A.M. Bocken) won Saturday's CSI5* 1.60m Coupe de Genève at the 62nd edition of CHI Geneva. The Coupe de Genève is a special class, consisting of six obstacles – one single fence as the first jump, four doubles, and today a quadruple at 5a-b-c-d, and it is one of the traditional trademark competitions at Palexpo. 

With a time of 31.12 seconds in the jump-off between five horse-and-rider-combinations, von Eckermann and Iliana took the win ahead of their compatriots Peder Fredricson (SWE) and Catch Me Not S (Cardento 933 x Ralmea, bred by Krister Svedberg) who had to settle for the runner-up spot with the smallest of margins as only 0.04 seconds separated the two Swedes. 

"I like this class, and it was nice to win it again," von Eckermann – who won the 2014 Coupe de Genève with Gotha FRH – told World of Showjumping. "It is a special, different, class, and nice for the horses – I like it. Iliana felt great and I am happy she got the win this time around, because she has been jumping good for a few shows now, but always with one down. I was really hoping that she would make it this time, and she did, and I am so pleased about that – she deserved this win." 

Home hero, Switzerland's national treasure and the darling of the Palexpo-crowds, Steve Guerdat – who won the class last year – placed third with Double Jeu d'Honvault (Kannan x Cook du Midour, bred by Henri-Pierre Delplace) in 32.29, while Max Kühner (AUT) and EIC Daloubet (Diamant de Semilly x Baloubet du Rouet, bred by Linus Camitz) finished fourth in 37.99, followed by Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) aboard Cappuccino 194 (Comme Il Faut x Sir Shutterfly, bred by Dr. Jutta Riedel-Kaufhold) in fifth with a fence down in 32.64.