Antwerp Diamonds outshine rivals to win Global Champions League leg in Paris

The duo’s combined total of 143.13 seconds and crucially no faults proved decisive as they claimed top spot on the podium ahead of the Cannes Stars pairing of Marco Kutscher and Roger Yves Bost in second and Valkenswaard United’s Alberto Zorzi and John Whitaker.

It was another intriguing round of GCL action which saw the overall ranking leaderboard change dramatically at every round. As the home team, the Paris Jets were looking to benefit from the enthusiastic French crowd and this weekend fielded Olympic medallist Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, fresh from his LGCT Grand Prix win the day before, and young Belgian talent Olivier Philippaerts. Bengtsson continued his fine form posted a clear round on Clarimo ASK around the 1.55 metre first round course as the Jets assure their place in round two picking up just four penalties.

With the standard of horse and rider so high amongst the 12 teams, any more than one pole down between riders eliminated some of the teams, with the likes of Vienna Eagles and Cascais Charms unable to qualify for the next phase of the competition.

Amongst the eight teams heading into the second round were the top two contenders in the overall League rankings, Monaco Aces and Valkenswaard United. Both took centre stage for round two on 4 penalties each. Three teams – the Rome Gladiators who this weekend fielded Marlon Zanotelli and Laura Renwick, the Antwerp Diamonds and the Cannes Stars, all went through on a score of zero faults.

Of the teams on zero scores, Smolders on Capital Colnardo for the Antwerp Diamonds posted another clear to move them into pole position with the final riders still to come. They had little breathing space however with the Cannes Stars just one penalty behind and another three teams on four faults overall.

A pole down for Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Quatro dropped the League leaders, Monaco Aces to sixth. Valkenswaard United’s John Whitaker put yet more pressure on the following riders with a smooth clear on Ornellaia, with team mate Zorzi on Fair Light van T Heike jumping clear in round two. Their four faults carried through left them with a score of four overall, and the ones to beat as the final riders entered the ring.

Crowd favourite and home hero Bost bettered that score with just the one time fault to leave the Cannes stars on a final score of two faults overall. However a clear round or just one time fault was needed for the win for Coulter of the Antwerp Diamonds on Alex. The young American held her nerve, riding a class round to jump clear and take victory as the only team to keep a clean sheet on this leg of the League.

The win moves the Antwerp Diamonds up one place to third in the overall rankings. Cannes Stars move up to fifth whilst Valkenswaard United’s third place finish in Paris moves them back up to the top of the League. The blue, white and orange team are now three points clear of Monaco Aces with five legs remaining, including their home event in The Netherlands in August.
Next stop for the Global Champions League is Estoril in Portugal as the battle for the inaugural Championship title gallops into its final third with now only five events remaining.

Longines Global Champions League 2016
Overall team ranking standings after leg 10 – Paris, France

1 Valkenswaard United 239.00
2 Monaco Aces 236.00
3 Antwerp Diamonds 226.00
4 Rome Gladiators 223.00
5 Cannes Stars 199.00
6 Cascais Charms 186.00
7 Paris Jets 185.50
8 Miami Glory 178.00
9 Doha Fursan Qatar 178.00
10 Shanghai Swans 176.00
11 Madrid in Motion 170.00
12 Vienna Eagles 160.50