Longines Global Championstour, Lausanne (SUI): Split second Swiss timing triumphs in Lausanne

13 Sep 2013

Swiss riders were victorious on home turf against the international competition this evening in the first CSI5* of the championship leg. Arthur Da Silva, riding Qui Vive de la Tour, and Jane Richard Philips riding Pablo de Virton, took 1st and 2nd spots in the 1m45 class.

It was Arthur Da Silva, converted Swiss jockey, who landed the first victory here in Lausanne for the host nation. Born in Brazil, Arthur changed nationalities to compete for Switzerland has had some success this year with Qui Vive de la Tour, a horse he’s been riding for just over a year now.

The class was composed of plenty of combinations looking to Saturday night’s Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Lausanne, including two-time season winner Edwina Tops-Alexander, reigning European Champion Roger-Yves Bost and Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois, recent European Team gold medallist Michael Whitaker and Viking as well as previous Season ranking leader Christian Ahlmann and Codex One.

Christian shared with us recently that he certainly intends on trying to change the current season standings and take back his season rankings lead from American Olympian Laura Kraut. With only two points keeping them apart, Christian Ahlmann and Laura Kraut certainly stand neck and neck, as we look to the 10th leg of our exciting 2013 season this week on the shores of Lake Geneva.

This evening’s class, the first of the CSI5* competitions here this week in Lausanne, had a total of 46 entries including a myriad of internationally competitive combinations. A few combinations elected to retire, including France’s Patrice Delaveau and Carinjo HDC, but this could possibly be attributed to the riders’ intentions to withhold some energy and scope for tomorrow’s 1.50 competition.

The two phase competition, set against the clock, saw Brazilian-born Arthur da Silva win for Switzerland, with a time of 33.43 seconds, just ahead of another great Swiss rider, Longines very own Jane Richard Philips and the amazing Pablo de Virton. In third place, came 2012 London Olympic Silver medallist Maikel van der Vleuten, riding VDL Groep Eureka. In fourth position came Richard Spooner, the Master of faster, aboard his Monaco Grand Prix winning mount, Cristallo. Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa, known by all, finished in fifth position with Tinkabell. The class only saw 9 combinations go completely clear, while a total of 20 rider’s earned time faults as it was clear everyone was working through their paces, in no real hurry.

Overall, today’s first CSI5* class certainly offered us a small insight into who we can expect to see on Saturday evening and how each rider will elect to prepare their best horses for the biggest task of the week; the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Lausanne.

Source: GCT