Austria and Germany dominate the vaulting classes

Europe has its new European Pas de Deux and Male Vaulting Champions! Austria’s Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha secured the next Gold medal after they won last year’s World Equestrian Games in the very same discipline.

PAS DE DEUX
Clear European Championships gold for the World Champions in Pas de Deux vaulting
Mission defending the title accomplished! The reigning European Champions in Pas de Deux vaulting completely convinced across the board at the FEI European Championships in Aachen. Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha from Austria won both Freestyles and clearly defended their European Championships gold medal. Their total result: 8.853.

The silver medal went to the pair from Germany, Pia Engelberty and Torben Jacobs (8.725), bronze was also claimed by Austria, by the duo comprising of Evelyn Freund and Stefanie Millinger (8.557).

With their new freestyle routine to the music of Carmina Burana, the gold-winning pair also enchanted the cheering crowds in the Deutsche Bank Stadium in the second competition. „Today, we didn’t perform the start as well as we wanted to,“ explained the 20-year-old vaulter Lindner after her second freestyle performance and laughing, she added: „So, we improvised at the last minute. Which, I believe, we did very well.“ The victory in the second European Championships competition was however very close. On the second day, finishing on a score of 8.990, the defending titleholders were only 0.077 points ahead of Engelberty and Jacobs, who came second with a score of 8.913. Freund and Millinger finished third today on a score of 8.672. As such, the order of the first three pairs stayed the same, and ultimately also the medal ranking.

„We are very happy,“ beamed the gold medal winner, speaking also on behalf of her Pas de Deux partner, Wacha. „It was a fantastic feeling entering this arena with 6,500 people clapping and cheering. It is indescribable when one is stood in the middle and everyone is cheering.“

After claiming the gold medal in Aachen, the top duo from Austria remain unbeaten at Championships for the past four years. The pair won gold at the World Championships in 2012 and 2014 as well as the European Championship title in 2013 and now also in 2015.
The silver-winning duo from Germany performed the vampire freestyle routine, which they took the Vice World Champion title with last year. Their set goal had been to win a medal in Aachen and they enjoyed their success. „Register this moment and store it inside for the rest of your life,“ was the first thought that went through Pia Engelberty’s head after winning the silver medal. „We let the Aachen crowd carry us to the silver medal.“ And her sports partner Torben Jacobs summed it up in a nutshell: „We had two good days here in Aachen!“

They were followed in third place by the Austrian duo comprising of the two ladies, Freund and Millinger, who presented their „King of the Lions“ theme. This is the first time the lady team have won a medal at Championships. „It was our big goal to win a medal here,“ explained the bronze medal winner, Evelyn Freund. „Last year, we fell at the World Championships in Caen and the medal was gone. So, we are totally happy today.“

European Championship Pas de Deux
After Freestyle Test 1 / Freestyle Test 2
1. Jasmin Lindner / Lukas Wacha (AUT)  8.853
2. Pia Engelberty / Torben Jacobs (GER) 8.725
3. Evelyn Freund / Stefanie Millinger (AUT) 8.557
Resul link 

FEMALE INDIVIDUAL
Close race in the battle for the medals in the ladies vaulting
The battle for the European Championships medals in the ladies individual classification is extremely close. Today, the third of the four competitions was staged in Aachen’s Deutsche Bank Stadium, the technical test. The rankings at the top of the field were turned upside down. Up until now, Corinna Knauf from Cologne had dominated the competitions of the ladies, however, in today’s technical routine after being awarded a score of 7.461, she had to make do with fifth place. She had a wobbler right at the beginning of her performance. She didn’t perform as confidently or as harmoniously as she did in the previous competitions.

Today, the Swiss vaulter, Simone Jäiser, proved to be in top form. To the music of the well-known Russian folk song, Kalinka, the 29-year-old gave an immaculate and very expressive performance. Her score: 8.100, which brought her the victory in the technical test. „I was more relaxed today than on the days before,“ she explained. „I tried not to perceive the noise and the shouting while entering the arena as stress, but instead tried to transform it into positive energy.“ Jäiser claimed the bronze medal at the World Equestrian Games last year, she explained cheerfully after the technical programme: „To also win a medal here at the European Championships is the goal – but I’ll be quite happy to accept more.“

Today, second place went to Christine Kuhirt from Werne. The 26-year-old was awarded a score of 8.057, which put her ahead of the Austrian vaulter, Lisa Wild, who scored 7.843. After three of the four European Championship rounds, the interim ranking is as follows: Simone Jäiser is in the lead with a total score of 8.205, ahead of Lisa Wild (8.125) and Corinna Knauf (8.124). Precisely one thousandth of a point separates the silver and bronze medals at the moment and there is less than a tenth of a point between all three vaulters, who are currently on course to win a medal.

The German national coach, Ulla Ramge, seems to have been proven right. Already in the run-up to the FEI European Championships Aachen 2015, she predicted: „It is going to be particularly close among the ladies, the respective form on the day will be decisive. The top ranks are very homogeneous.“ Which is exactly what happened. The final freestyle round on Sunday will be all-decisive.

Standings Female Individual 
1. Simone Jäiser (SUI) 8.205
2. Lisa Wild (AUT) 8.125
3. Corinna Knauf (GER) 8.124
4. Christine Kuhirt (GER) 8.110
5. Daniela Fritz (AUT) 7.854
6. Katharina Luschin (AUT) 7.789
Result link

Male Individual
German vaulters win all of the European Championships medals in the men’s classification
Dressed as a Shaolin monk, Jannis Drewell raced through Aachen’s Deutsche Bank Stadium totally stunned and jumping for joy carrying a German flag. At his first ever Championships, the 24-year-old walked off with European Championships gold. Silver and bronze also went to German vaulters: to the brother Thomas and Viktor Brüsewitz. „I had hoped to win three medals in the men’s classification,“ explained the national coach, Ulla Ramge. „We knew that it was possible. But the fact that we actually pulled off this feat over the four rounds here in Aachen, is unbelievable.“

The decision fell in the last second. Jannis Drewell entered the arena as the last to compete in the final European Championship competition of the men’s classification, the Freestyle. After three out of the four competitions, he was lying in second place, just behind his colleague Thomas Brüsewitz. But his freestyle routine as a Shaolin monk ultimately decided the race. Drewell won the Freestyle on a score of 8.732 and thus overtook Thomas Brüsewitz in the overall rankins to claim the gold medal. The overwhelmed winner wasn’t the only person to shed a tear, many of his fans as well as his mother and lunger Simone Drewell all had to wipe their eyes. „I am going to keep the sash on for ages,“ said the stunned Drewell. The fact that the Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen, came to congratulate him personally in the Deutsche Bank Stadium, also deeply impressed the European Champion. „As the fourth men in the squad I always narrowly missed out at competing at Championships. I have been a sport soldier for the past year, so I can now train daily. I think that is why I have got better.“

The three German vaulters dominated the days in Aachen alternately. Drewell kicked off the European Championships with the third best result in the compulsory test, came second in the technical test and won both Freestyles. Thomas Brüsewitz came twice three times and won the technical test, his brother Viktor vaulted to victory in the compulsory test, was fourth in the first Freestyle, and third in both the technical test and the second Freestyle.

„The whole competition was totally awesome – fantastic!“ the silver medal winner, Thomas Brüsewitz, stressed. After winning two medals at Junior level, this was his first ‚real‘ medal. „Being able to compete at the European Championships here in Aachen is absolutely incredible.“ And his brother, who secured bronze, Viktor Brüsewitz, explained: „I was very happy after the compulsory test, which was almost perfect. I even surprised myself.“ Things didn’t run as smoothly in the Freestyle. „That’s why I wanted to show everyone what I am capable of. So, I really gave it my best shot.“

Kai Vorberg, the discipline trainer of the German vaulters, is delighted with ‚his‘ men and added: „This year we really did have five or six potential candidates for the European Championships. And it is common knowledge that the stronger the competition, the better one performs.“

The vaulting sport has been at home in Aachen since the 2006 World Equestrian Games. A roof was built over the Deutsche Bank Stadium especially for the European Championships. Show Director Frank Kemperman smiled contentedly: „It was expensive to have a roof put over the stadium, but it was the right decision. We are completely sold out for the final day tomorrow.“

European Championship Male Individual
1. Jannis Drewell (GER) 8.369
2. Thomas Brüsewitz (GER) 8.343
3. Viktor Brüsewitz (GER) 8.157
4. Ramin Simon Rahimi (AUT) 7.896
14.Dominik Eder (AUT) 6.055
Result link 

Watch the highlights and interviews from the Pas de Deux class »

Watch the highlights and interviews from the Male Individual class »

> Start and result lists
> Livestream
> www.aachen2015.de

Source: Press release