Edited press release from Global Champions League

The GCL of St Tropez, Ramatuelle was a race to the finish line with the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames jumping to victory as the only team on a clean sheet. 

Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames – an all-female jumping team founded by Deborah Mayer of the Iron Dames – secured their second GCL win of the year as both Katrin Eckermann with Cala Mandia (Capistrano x Valentino) and Kim Emmen with Imagine (Cassini Gold x Lord Z) delivered clears in round two, after also jumping clear in round one with Chao Lee (Comme Il Faut x Chacco-Blue) and Inflame Go (Namelus R x Carthino Z). With the victory, the Cannes Stars extended their overall GCL lead going into their home event next week in Cannes.

The Madrid In Motion duo of Maikel van der Vleuten with O'Bailey vh Brouwershof N.O.P. (Darco x Contact vd Heffinck) and Eduardo Alvarez Aznar with Legend (Ogano Sitte x Nabab de Reve) took back to back second place when finishing on a team total of five faults, while Stockholm Hearts powered by H&M We Love Horses' Malin Baryard-Johnsson aboard H&M Indiana (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Animo's Hallo) and Jessica Springsteen aboard Don Juan van de Donkhoeve (Bamako de Muze x Heartbreaker) rounded off the podium after a fierce battle on their six penalties. 

Following the team’s GCL lead securing win, Katrin Eckermann smiled as she told GCTV: “We won the first stage in Doha and have been very unlucky since. It is just an amazing feeling to win here with all the supporters from the Iron Dames, and the wider team around us, and I am really enjoying it. In Doha we had different women in our team that won so it shows how strong we are. We are just women in the sport following our dreams and right now I don’t want to ever stop it.”

Speaking to GCTV, Malin spoke of the importance of inspiring both the current and next generation of show jumping stars, saying: “To have four women out of six athletes on the podium, it just shows the girl power within the sport." “We love that," added fellow teammate Jessica Springsteen.