Text © World of Showjumping

Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and the 12-year-old mare Iliana (Cardento x Gentleman) won Friday night’s CSI5*-W 1.60m Longines Grand Prix of Basel at the 2025-edition of Longines CHI Classics Basel in Switzerland.

With seven from the current top ten on the world rankings present in Basel, the level of competition in Friday's Grand Prix – a competition counting for the Longines Ranking Group A – showed with a total of 17 from the 46 horse-and-rider combinations at start clearing the first-round track set by a course designer duo of Gregory Bodo (FRA) and Gerard Lachat (SUI). 

With a time of 38.68 seconds in the jump-off, von Eckermann – current world number one – and Iliana bested the 17-strong jump-off, with France’s former world number one Simon Delestre and the 12-year-old Dexter Fontenis Z (Diarado x Voltaire Pref) taking the runner-up spot in 39.01 seconds. Denis Lynch (IRL) and Vistogrand (Fantaland x Mr Visto) placed third after clocking a time of 39.79 seconds, while Sophie Hinners (GER) and Iron Dames My Prins (Zilverstar T x Winningmood) finished fourth in 40.73 and Tim Gredley (GBR) aboard Imperial HBF (Glasgow-W vh Merelsnest x Original VDL) fifth in 43.34.

“I have never won this class, I have always done quite bad in this one actually, so I am happy to now say that I have won it once,” von Eckermann told World of Showjumping after his victory. “To be honest, there were too many clears in the first round, but I am lucky to have a very fast mare, and she was jumping fantastic today. She could not have been better. My plan going in for the jump-off was trying to win but not over-do it.”

Earlier during the day, the CSI5*-W 1.45m Prize of Land Rover Discovery – a competition counting for the Longines Rankings Group D – went to the hosts' Niklaus Rutschi (SUI) and the 12-year-old gelding Amar des Brimbelles Z (Amadeus Zbrimbelles x Russel) ahead of Simon Delestre (FRA) and Golden Boy DK (Diamant de Semilly x Cash) in second and Adrian Schmid (SUI) aboard Con Quality (Chin Champ x Quality) in third.