The arena. Pretty empty today, hopefully more filled up tomorrow.

The Austrians laying down their strategy.

These two! Kevin Staut and Reveur de Hurtebise HDC deliver again and again, and finished 5th in the opening round after a beautiful performance.

Many hearts skipped a beat when Hector van d'Abdijhoeve slammed on the breaks at the oxer at number six...

...but Bertram Allen got his stallion right back on track and finished the course beautifully.

She's unreal! Bianca returned to her birth-country and showed off her skills with a flying clear, finishing fourth with Steve Guerdat. "She jumped amazing, she feels fresh! She spooked at the water, but she felt amazing so I'm very happy. I don't think I could have done much more," said Guerdat whose Swiss team is in the lead ahead of tomorrow's next round. Can they better their bronze from Aachen?

This simple red combination caused so much trouble in the opening round...

...mainly because of these shadows that some of the horses reacted on. Stops and rails falling was the case for one third of the riders in the class. as they came to this part of the track.

Aachen Grand Prix winners Gregory Wathelet and Coree for example made it look easy until they reached 12ab...

...these two got it long jumping out and Coree stuck her feet in the middle of the oxer to take it down. Luckily Wathelet stayed on in the landing.

"She is a amazing, it felt great!" said Emma Augier de Moussac after her clear round with the 9-year-old Diva. The Czech rider was in the first group, but had no problem with the track: "I realised the sun was a problem when I walked the course but it didnt disturb my horse at all," she said.

Balas Horvath and Zordon on their way to the collecting ring.

Not every day a married couple competes at the same championships, in the same competition: Husband and wife Marc Houtzager and Julia Houtzager-Kayser going through the course together.

Niels Bruynseels was best of the Belgians, and rode a lovely clear round on Cas de Liberte now sitting 24th individually followed by his compatriots Pieter Devos and Jerome Guery in 25th and 26th.

There are several warm-up rings: One at the stables, one outside the main arena and one collecting ring next to the main arena. Here is Szabolcs Krucso coming from the one at the stables with Chacco Blue II.

It's all down to William Whitaker to make his family (which is rather a large one), as well as Great Britain, proud! His uncle Michael withdrew from the championships when Viking did not feel 100 %, which left William as the sole representative for his country. Whitaker delivered however, with a beautiful clear on Utamaro d Ecaussines.

It was not the German riders' day. Apart from Marcus Ehning, they all had faults with both Maurice Tebbel and Laura Klaphake making mistakes on the water jump as well as picking up an additional four faults while Philipp Weishaupt had the upright on 12a down on L.B. Convall - just like so many others.

The winners: Peder Fredricson and H&M All In provided the wow-factor of the day with their wonderful winning round.

Don't have to ask who they are cheering for...

The open water caused problems for quite a few riders, that splashed right in it - but not for Cian O'Connor and Good Luck who flew over it.