The five-star action got underway at Knokke Hippique on Thursday, and it was Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) who took the biggest win when piloting the 9-year-old mare Iliana (Cardento 933 x Gentleman) to the fastest clear round in the CSIO5* 1.50m Table A against the clock counting for the world ranking. The class also served as a qualifier for Sunday's Grand Prix, and was presented by Bang & Olufsen. 

Willem Greve (NED) and Highway M TN (Eldorado Vd Zeshoek x Black Walter) followed a little less than a second behind to finish as runners-up, while the third place went to Max Kühner (AUT) on Elektric Blue P (Eldorado Vd Zeshoek x For Pleasure) with a time of 69.26 seconds. Christian Ahlmann (GER) and Calvino 16 (Castelan II x Literat 12) took the fourth place after stopping the clock at 69.32, while fifth went to Denis Lynch (IRL) and Rubens LS La Silla (HH Rebozo x Cash) who had the time of 70.37 seconds. 

Earlier in the day, two French riders topped the CSIO5* 1.45m class with Julien Epaillard and Carbone du Cyan (Diamant de Semilly x Caretano Z) in first, Simon Delestre and Iniesta V (Zambesi TN x No Limit) in second. Third place went to Brian Moggre (USA) and I'm Special V (I'm Special de Muze x Indoctro).