Marcus Ehning Nº1 in the Rotterdam

Marcus Ehning of Germany piloted Gitania, just one of his big string of top horses, to victory in the Longines Grand Prix of Rotterdam Sunday.

The World Cup champion produced a blistering jump-off time of 43.52 seconds, 0.73 seconds faster than runner up Bernardo Alves of Brazil on Canturo.

Christine McCrea was the only American in the jump-off of 11 horse and rider combinations from a field of 50 that started on a rainy, overcast afternoon.

The pair went clean in the jump-off in a time of 45.81 seconds to take an early lead, but it didn't last long. Michael Whitaker of Great Britain followed on Mozart des Hayettes to navigate the course in 45.36 seconds. She and Vegas finished in fifth place.

Ehning has already been selected for the German team for the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany in August that also includes Marco Kutscher, Christian Ahlmann and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

In the past two months, he won the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sandro Boy, the Grand Prix of Aachen and La Baule, France on Noltes Kuchengirl and here on Gitania. He has also been on the German team that so far this year has won three Samsung Super League events. He will decide later whether to take Gitania or Noltes Kuchengirl to the WEG.

Results (25.06.06)
CSIO Rotterdam
Longines Grand Prix (AM5) 1,60m

1º Gitania / Marcus Ehning (Germany): 0/0/43.52
2º Canturo / Bernardo Alves (Brazil): 0/0/44.35
3º Cumano / Jos Lansink (Belgium): 0/0/45
4º Mozart Des Hayettes / Michael Whitaker (Gbr): 0/0/45.36
5º Vegas / Christine Mccrea (USA): 0/0/45.81
6º Inedite De Balme / Simon Delestre (France): 0/0/45.84
7º Haxelle Dampiere / Pierre Jarry (France): 0/0/46.55
8º Paloma / Eric Van Der Vleuten (Holland): 0/4/44.23
9º Okidoki / Albert Zoer (Holland): 0/4/46.73
10º Spender S / Maria Gretzer (Sweden): 0/4/46.77