Girl Power as Edwina Alexander wins and Luciana Diniz is second in Chantilly
Chantilly is becoming a lucky venue for the women who are regulars on the Global Champions Tour as three girls visited the podium again this year.
Edwina Alexander scored her second biggest win this season matching her Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Cannes success. She likes France and so too does her French bred trusted partner Itot de Chateau.
Of the eighteen riders who went to the second round, nine jumped clear of which only three were double clean to demand the jump-off.
Penelope Leprevost (France) Edwina Alexander (Australia), and Luciana Diniz (Portugal) were the only three to jump double clean to factor the exciting jump-off.
The all girl jump-off was a top class performance with the 6,000 strong spectators hanging on the edge of their seats.
In the jump-off Penelope took every angle possible with Mylord Carthago and was over the finish line in 44.16 seconds.
Although Itot de Chateau is a smaller horse in stature, Edwina had the horse covering the ground well, turning up on a very short track to the second last vertical before putting in a hard gallop to the last to be home in 41.91 seconds.
Sitting in pole position to go last in the jump-off Luciana looked quicker over the ground with Lennox but fell short in time by .3 of a second, finishing on 41.91 seconds to be runner-up.
Victory for Edwina and Itot de Chateau to place yet another Global Champions Tour trophy on the mantelpiece.
The Grand Prix course, designed Italian Uliano Venazzi, provided many interesting challenges. The first round was not overly big in terms of height and width of most fences. However the technical dimensions along with the unsteady soggy footing provided the most challenges.
There has been a soft shoe shuffle again as the Global Champions Tour ranking changed following Edwina’s win of the Grand Prix of Chantilly. She has boosted her position on the GCT rankings from 155 to 195 points to take the lead over Ludger Beerbaum who now sits with 186.50. He is just ahead of Luciana Diniz who is in third position with 186.00 points
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Asked about her amazing horse, Itot du Chateau, Edwina said:
When you have all the control and the dressage is good and your horse is feeling fantastic you should be able to win anywhere? He’s an incredible horse and that is why he wins in different places.
Speaking about the rankings Edwina Alexander said: I was quite far behind Ludger. Now, I’m not that far ahead and so much can happen. I am happy to be where I am, and I hope I can stay there. I am just going to take it as it comes.
Luciana Diniz was only 0.03 seconds behind Edwina in nail-biting jump off.
She said: I tried my best to beat Edwina in the jump off but she was the best today. It was a very special win for me today.
Asked why it was such a special podium place she said: First of all would like to thank all the team that made this dream possible. Without them I couldn’t have come in behind Edwina at all in the jump off. I had the best time today. It was a very special win for me today even if I was second. My whole family is here, my children, my parents, plus friends from Brazil – I want to thank them for everything. If everything is working in harmony it’s a victory and the last few weeks has shown this harmony works.
When asked about her grey stallion, MyLord Cathargo, Penelope Leprevost: After the World Equestrian Games MyLord was off at stud for a long time because he’s very in demand, a breeding stallion. I am very happy to see he’s evolved really well, he was nearly spot on in this GC event.
Jan Tops, president of the Global Champions Tour:
I think today the sport in general won. If you saw the jump off how everything was so close, the position of all the riders, it was fantastic. The knowledge of the public, they’re connoisseurs. We had 6000 spectators. When you love the sport here you like to see it likes this and it was an exceptional jump off.
Gerard Manzinali, the President of Chantilly jumping said:
Yes, it was the 10th anniversary of Chantilly jumping. I am very proud of our team of volunteers here – many of the Chantilly staff are volunteers – and they were rewarded for their hard work. It was a beautiful spectacle of great sport.
When Marwan Lahoud of sponsors EADS (aeronautic giant) was asked about the comparison between his company the top-level GCT show jumping, he said:
We like things that jump high, go fast and keep away from obstacles!
Luciana, when asked about how she came to buy her horse, Lennox, said:
I didn’t look for him he was supposed to come into my life. I was at a show in Paris about 18 months ago. Somebody said we want to give you this horse to ride. I tried the horse before the Global Champions Tour, loved him, and bought him. It was fate. He came into my life. He needs a lot of support from the rider and needs to feel safe. But he performs excellently.
Q to Edwina: Your horse looks really laid back(?)
Edwina: He certainly didn’t feel laid back! In the lap of honour he goes really strong and I don’t like them very much even though I like to be in the prize giving. He’s pretty cool in the head, he has a lot of blood and I also think that is why he is very good.
In the jump off I was really surprised that I was faster than Penelope. She was so smooth and slick. And so I took a risk to the last and came out thinking I was not fast enough. Probably, if I hadn’t made all those extra strides I wouldn’t have won. It’s just as well I did those strides at the last jump.
Top 10 placings
1. Edwina Alexander, Australia, Itot de Chateau, 0/0/0 41.88
2. Luciana Diniz, Portugal, Lennox, 0/0/0 41.91
3. Penelope Leprevost, France, Mylord Carthago, 0/0/0 44.16
4. Laurra Kraut, USA, Cedric, 1/0/ – 72.11
5. Eric Lamaze, Canada, Atlete Van’t Heike, 1/1 – 77.13
6. Marco Kutscher, Germany, Cash 63 4/0 – 63.55
7. Harrie Smolders, Netherlands, Regina Z 4/0 – 64.41
8. Rodrigo Pessoa, Brazil, Let’s Fly 4/0 -66.70
9. Simon Delestre, France, Vancouver DML – 4/0 -68.88
10. Leopold van Asten, Netherlands, VDL Groep Santana B 4/0/-68.95