A Swedish referee
Press Release Longines Global Champions Tour – The Parisian leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour – Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping looked first like a revenge between the two leaders of the French team, Pénélope Leprévost (Vagabong de la Pomme) and Simon Delestre (Hermès Ryan). The two French riders finished in that victory order of the leg in Antwerp last April. This time, Simon Delestre was fastest than the lady rider; but Sweden Rolf-Göran Bengtsson just settled the deal.
After two difficult round, due to the heavy rain, (“but we didn’t feel it, sportively meaning, said the Swedish rider, because it’s a remarkable good quality field”), six riders qualified for the jump-off of the Parisian leg. Among them, three French riders and the two leaders of the Olympic team that will go to Rio in August. But Brazil was not really in the minds tonight, because each one was first thinking of the victory in Paris, and that lead to a great battle. Three protagonists have indeed finished closely together: 62 hundredths between first and third.
The third one was Pénélope Leprévost, who had this little advantage to jump before the two men: “But that did not penalize me, she admitted. I did my best, my horse did my best, and I’m really happy to finish at this place, behind Simon and Rolf-Göran”.
Simon Delestre admitted that there were nothing to do to beat the Swedish rider tonight, despite how quick his horse can be: “Ryan is indeed really fast, and just from the beginning, I rode in a good speed. He made a perfect turn on the vertical n°9. We really went for it, did our best, and I couldn’t hope for a better round. I’m pleased with all three fantastic rounds of Ryan”. Clearly a good sign as we are six weeks away from the Olympics!
Rolf-Göran was also really pleased.. Perhaps even a little bit more: he had a hard time trying not to cry: “It’s normal to be moved, Casall is 17 now. It may be his last season, so each victory means a lot… But I don’t plan on staying at this point. Twice I finish second on this circuit, and this time, I intend to finally win this finale in Doha, next November”.
All, starting from Virginie Coupérie-Eiffel, wanted to congratulate Italy Uliano Vezzani who signed, once more, a great course that gave a real intensity to the show. We keep in mind this last line, a long single gallop to this ultimate oxer. In short, a beautiful sport day on the Plaine de Jeux de Bagatelle that will continue tomorrow, with, among others, the Prix Eiffel Sunday presented by the Mairie de Paris, at 3:45pm, and the Global Champions League following. Great moments to come!
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Source: Press Release Longines Global Champions Tour
