French rider Kevin Staut opened up 2016 in the best possible way, as he took the win in Thursday's 1.50 ranking class sponsored by Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG at Longines CSI Basel.

Staut's performance was in a different league, as he aboard the 12-year-old Belgian bred mare Elky van het Indihof (Toulon x Thunder van de Zuuthoeve) produced a round that was nearly two seconds faster than that of Sergio Alvarez Moya. The Spanish rider, who won last year’s World Cup class in Zürich, had to settle for runner-up position this time on his faithful partner Carlo 273 (Contender x Cascavelle) that now has reached the age of 15. 

Sweden's Rolf-Göran Bengtsson ended third on Unita Ask (Corrado I x Caretino) with a round that was almost six seconds slower than Staut's. Then followed three home riders: Jane Richard-Philips, Paul Estermann and Martin Fuchs – all with clear rounds although way behind the winning time.