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The winning team! All photos by Jenny Abrahamsson.The Swedish team gave the home crowds value for their ticket money when they won their first Top League leg of the season on home soil in Falsterbo. After two exciting rounds, Sweden went into the jump-off together with Great Britain and France – where in-form Jens Fredricson and his fabulous little Lunatic made his competitors bite the dust in the grass ring surrounded with wildly enthusiastic Swedish fans.
Germany is still on top of the Top League - here represented by Jörg Naeve with JK Horsetrucks Commanchi. Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson.After the 6:th leg of the Top League in Falsterbo Germany is still in the lead, now with 41 points. There are no changes at the bottom either, where Ireland can be found with 19 points. Switzerland has climbed to second place with 30,5 points and France is third with 30 points. Sweden climbed from 7th to 4th place with their victory today, and has now got 28 points. Then follows The Netherlands, Great Britain and Belgium ahead of Ireland at the bottom. Two legs are still left of the Top League; at Hickstead and in Dublin.
The home crowds went nuts when Jens took over the lead. Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson.The Swedish Chef d'Équipe Sylve Söderstrand started off the press conference by thanking the fantastic audience in Falsterbo. "I don´t think you can find a better audience anywhere in the world. They are amazing. Then I have to thank our trainer Hans Horn who always supports us and of course a big thanks to these four great riders. Our goal before the class was to be among the top three - it is really hard to win - and we got a very exciting class!"
Ireland is first to go in Falsterbo. Here Shane Breen with Balloon. Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson.The Irish team will be pathfinders around Frank Rothenberger's track as the sixth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 gets underway at the arena in Falsterbo, Sweden tomorrow. The draw took place today, and the order to go is as follows: 1, Ireland; 2, Germany; 3, Great Britain; 4, Switzerland; 5, Netherlands; 6, France; 7, Sweden; 8, Belgium.
Marc Houtzager and Sterrehof´s Tamino fought their way around the course and were the best pair on the Dutch team. All photos by Jenny Abrahamsson.
Mylord Carthago seems very happy with his own performance in the Nations Cup. All photos by Jenny Abrahamsson.
A big congratulation to a very good French team. Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson.In the huge arena in Aachen it was France who proved to be the best team tonight after a tough fight battling Germany nearly all the way to the last rider. Tonight’s course consisted of twelve fences and fifteen jumps including a water jump. Half way through the first round, the course seemed fairly easy, but as the rest of the riders kept coming the penalties came as well. It was especially the water and the last line which caused most difficulties. From fence number 11 the riders had to go either on seven strides really forward or eight short ones. The combination at 12 a and b then consisted of a red vertical followed by a huge white oxer that the horses found difficult.
Plot Blue was according to Marcus "Awesome" in today's Nations Cup. Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson.Marcus Ehning on Plot Blue – the pair that delivered one of the four double clears of the day: “Plot Blue felt as he is in top form and he made it easy for me today. To ride him today felt awesome! The track was technical, but fair.”
French Chef d’equipe Henk Nooren on the win: “To win a Nations Cup anywhere in Europe is nice and wonderful, to win in Aachen – well it’s actually for all of us the best Nations Cup to win. The stadium, the atmosphere, the public. It’s something really unique. It was a quite exciting competition.”
Christian Ahlmann with Codex One did a great double clear in Aachen. Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson.Germany is still in the lead of the Top League after five legs. Germany has collected altogether 37 points. The Netherlands is still rank two with their 25.50 points ahead of Switzerland in third – also they on 25.50 points.
Breathing them in the neck is France on 24 points, and Belgium on 22 points. Then follows Great Britain in sixth on 20 points, Sweden in rank seventh on 18 points and Ireland on rank eight – also they on 18 points.
FEI Jumping Director John Roche at yesterday's draw in Aachen. Photo by FEI/Kit Houghton.The Swedish team will be pathfinders around Frank Rothenberger’s track as the fifth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 gets underway at the prestigious Soers Arena in Aachen, Germany tonight. The draw took place yesterday, and the order-of-go is as follows: 1, Sweden; 2, Switzerland; 3, Germany; 4, France; 5, Belgium; 6, Netherlands; 7, Great Britain; 8, Ireland.
Click here for the starting order.
Source: fei.org
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