Big enough... Friday’s medal-decider was another Table A, not against the clock, set at 1.60m. It was a highly technical course waiting for the horses and riders, consisting of fourteen fences and seventeen efforts. It was especially the line from the triple bar at no. 8 on either six or seven strides a bit uphill over the rolling arena at Casas Novas to the triple combination at no. 9 abc – consisting of an oxer and two uprights with a plank at the middle element – that caused trouble. This specific line required a real plan, and a 120% commitment from each rider as to the execution – which had to be absolutely perfect if they wanted it to stay intact. The time also came into play, and there was not much space to breathe around Varela’s delicate track if the riders were to make it below the 81.00 second mark.

Mapping out a plan: Janika Sprunger, Nadja Peter Steiner and Geraldine Straumann.

Donald Whitaker in deep thought.

The best 50 horse-and-rider combinations after Wednesday and Thursday's competitions were allowed to participate in Friday's class with the individuals going before the ten best teams that had qualified for this round, where they would battle it out for the podium. Spain only had one man standing individually: Armando Trapote and Tornado VS. With one rail down in Friday's round, it was not good enough to move forwards to Sunday.

Portugal on the other hand delivered individually; here Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida celebrates a clear round with Karonia. L. A great end to their campaign in A Coruña.

A very happy...

...Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida!

When the last fence falls.... Agony for Team Lothlorien Farm as Vaclav Stanek and Quintin have a rail on the final upright.

Israel's Robin Muhr impressed individually with a clear round aboard Galaxy HM, eventually securing himself a ticket for the individual final on an overall score of 6.48.

The talented Antoine Ermann thanks Floyd des Pres for a clear round, which put them in the individual final for France on 6.29 penalties.

In The Air living up to her name, jumping her second clear in A Coruña with Great Britain's Jessica Mendoza who is competing individually this week. With a score of 4.55 penalty points, the two are in for Sunday's final.

Jessica Mendoza thanks her wonderful mare.

Wowsers! These two have really impressed: Three clears in a row for Italy's 5th duo Riccardo Pisani and the wonderful Chatolinue PS and ready for the individual final on 3.74 penalty points.

Forza Italia!

Janika Sprunger has been competing individually for Switzerland with Orelie, and is ready for Sunday's final on a score of 2.41 penalty points sitting 9th on the standings.

Norway has one competitor in the individual final: Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen who was clear on day 1 and 2 with Equine America Harwich VDL, but with a rail down on Friday in the triple combination.

Sweden came to A Coruña as defending champions, but were far off the medals this time around to end 8th overall. Here Erika Lickhammer Van Helmond leaves the arena for a last time after a rail down on I. Comme Tessa VHL.

Swiss support...

...for Nadja Peter Steiner and Mila, who jumped their third clear in just as many days to move on to the individual final on a score of 2.11. They sit 6th on the overnight standings.

France's pathfinder Kevin Staut jumped a clear round, but that did not help the team much as they finished 7th overall. With Visconti du Telman, Staut sits 10th moving into the individual final on a score of 2.47.

Great Britain got off to a super start with a clear round from pathfinders Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly...

...keeping the gold medal within reach.

Ireland was lurking in the shadows as they were sitting fourth, but could do nothing with the top three teams. Their highlight was this young man, Seamus Hughes Kennedy who turns 23 next month, and who has been clear the whole way with ESI Rocky to now sit 7th on the individual standings on a score of 2.16.

After an uncharacteristic round on Thursday, Maikel van der Vleuten gave Beauville N.O.P. Z a good finish to this championship with only a time fault added to their score. The Netherlands ended 6th.

Germany’s Sophie Hinners jumped her second clear round of the championship aboard Iron Dames My Prins, to help Germany to bronze. The duo sits 11th on the individual standings on 3.21 penalty points,

Just like on Thursday, it was not working out for Great Britain’s Matt Sampson and Medoc de Toxandria. After having been eliminated in the triple combination on Thursday, the pair once again encountered problems on Friday. A rail down on 8a, a stop at 8b, and time faults added, left them on a score of 14 faults and Great Britain were looking vulnerable indeed as they went into the third rotation of riders with a best possible outcome of 3.96 penalties, but with Sampson's massive penalties hidden inside brackets as a haunting backdrop.

The Dutch celebrate a clear round for Willem Greve and Pretty Woman van't Paradijs, who are ready for the individual final on 4.43 penalty points.

It's not always it goes as you hope for. The world's leading U25 rider Nina Malevaey had a disappointing finish to her senior championship debut, with three rails down on Nikka vd Bisschop.

We'll see more of these two: Ireland's Bertram Allen and the super talented Qonquest de Rigo finished their championship with one down in the delicate triple combination.

Germany's Olympic champion Christian Kukuk had the back rail on the triple bar down and added four faults to his overall score, but is still in for Sunday's individual final on 5.32 penalties. And with a four fault score from pathfinder Marcus Ehning as well, Kukuk's round had to count for the Germans which dropped them down on the result list to eventually finish with the bronze.

The line that caught out the most was jumped from this triple bar at no. 8 to a very delicate triple combination at no. 9 abc.

When Great Britain's Donald Whitaker and the lovely Millfield Colette had a rail on the oxer at no. 13b down after being clear on day 1 and 2, Belgium had taken over the lead on a score of 5.61 ahead of the last rotation of riders, with the Brits sitting second on 7.96 and the Germans third on 8.19.

The gold medal slipping away...

A clear for Kim Emmen and Imagine N.O.P. moved them on to the individual final on 4.13 penalty points.

The French looking on in disbelief as Julien Epaillard and Donatello d'Auge have a miscommunication on the line between no. 6 to 7 to clip a rail. That dropped the Frenchman down on the result list, and he has decided not to come back for the individual final.

Meanwhile...

...in the Swiss camp...

...reigning European champion Steve Guerdat jumped clear with Albführen's Iashin Sitte. The Swiss team finished 5th, and has Guerdat sitting in third going into the individual final on 1.19 penalty points.

Look at that smile!

Darragh Kenny thanks Eddy Blue after a clear round for Ireland, good enough to move on to the individual final on 3.91 penalty points.

It's painful to watch from the sidelines, no doubt about it... Felicia Wallin can hardly watch her big love United Touch S, last in the ring for the Germans with Richard Vogel.

"Don't worry mama, I've got this!" United Touch made light work of the course, helping Germany finish with the bronze medal and kept his individual lead on a score of 0.01 going into Sunday. His jockey Richard Vogel was not too bad either!

Last in the ring, Scott Brash and Hello Folie jumped a clear round to secure the silver for the Brits only 2.35 penalty points behind Belgium and 0.23 ahead of Germany.

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Scott Brash, Ben Maher, Di Lampard, Matt Sampson and Donald Whitaker on the podium.

Good reason to smile. Hello Folie goes into Sunday's individual final as second on the standings on 1.08 penalty points.

Christian Kukuk, Sophie Hinners, Richard Vogel and Marcus Ehning with Otto Becker on the podium.

Kisses for Coolio from Melina Jobst.

The golden boys have their own photo special and you can find it by clicking on this image!

We see you United Touch! 0.01 and in the lead individually... Sunday's last two rounds will no doubt be nerve-racking! The competition is conducted over two rounds, each judged under Table A not against the clock, where the course is set at a max. of 1.60m. The first of these two rounds is compulsory for the 25 best-placed horse-and-rider combinations after the three prior days of competition. The second and last round is open to the 12 best-placed horse-and-rider combinations, after scores from Sunday's first round have been added. The horse-and-rider combination with the least penalties after the four days and five rounds of competition will be placed first and declared the European Champion. Good luck to all!