Italians take the win: Belgians claim the points

Press Release FEI – In a competition that could have gone either way until the last hoof crossed the finish-line, Team Italy secured a narrow single-fault victory over Belgium at the nail-biting opening leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2017 Europe Division 2 League in Linz, Austria today.

It all hung on the performance of the last pair into the ring, Luca Marziani (37) and the 10-year-old stallion Tokyo du Soleil who had to jump clear if Italy was to take the honours for the seventh time in the 25-year history of the Austrian event.

„I didn’t feel pressure because I was sure I could do it – I was slow and I picked up a time fault, but it was the best deal I could do with such a young horse, so this is my third win in a Nations Cup and I’m very proud of that!” – Luca Marziani ITA

In the lead carrying just two faults after the first round, the Italians could have wrapped it up even earlier if Luca Moneta (49) could match the faultless second-round efforts of team-mates Emanuele Gaudiano (30) with Chalou and Davide Sbardella (43) with Triomphe van Schuttershof. But a surprise stop from Moneta’s Herold N at the vertical before the open water left it all up to anchorman Marziani.

Fabulous second-round clears from Pieter Devos, Neils Bruynseels and Jerome Guery had already fixed the Belgian finishing score at just four faults so there wasn’t much room for manoeuvre as the Italian set off for a second time. And his winning round wasn’t completely blemish free, the first element of the final double rattling loudly but staying in place before he broke the beam with the clock showing just a single time penalty to bring the Italian total to three faults.

Team Italy were not chasing points today because they belong in the Europe Division 1 series, so the maximum Division 2 points went to Belgium with third-placed Great Britain next in line ahead of Czech Republic in fourth place.

Results – Friday, 05.05.2017
FEI NATIONS CUP™ presented by KAP JUMPING
1. Italy
Chalou – Emanuele Gaudiano (12)/0
Triomphe van Schuttershof – Davide Sbardella 1/ 0
Herold N – Luca Maria Moneta 0/(6)
Tokyo du Soleil  – Luca Marziani  1/1
Total: 3

2. Belgium
Espoir – Pieter Devos 4/0
Cas de Liberte – Niels Bruynseels (4)/0
Grand Cru van de Rozenberg – Jerome Guery 0/0
Forlap – Gregory Wathelet 0/(WD)
Total: 4

3. Great Britain
Con Man JX – Joseph Clayton 5/4
Catwalk IV – Robert Whitaker 0/0
Roma IV – Alison Barton 4/(4)
Bavi – Robert Smith (13)/1
Total: 14

4. Czech Republic
Caleri II – Zuzana Zelinkova 0/0
Diva – Emma Augier de Moussac 5/1
Cento Lano – Ondrej Zvara 4/(5)
Centisimo – Kamil Papousek (8)/5
Total: 15

5. Hungary
Chacco Boy – Mariann Hugyecz (16)/(13)
Chacco Blue II – Szabolcs Krucso 4/1
Zordon – Balazs Horvath    5/5
Timpex Bolcsesz – Gabor Szabo Jr. 0/4
Total: 19

6. Denmark
Hazel Bs – Andreas Schou (9)/4
Amarone – Thomas Sandgaard 4/(8)
Chopin van het Moleneind – Thomas Velin    5/1
Tailormade Carina – Sören Pedersen 5/1
Total: 20

7. Austria
Electric Touch – Max Kühner 4/4
Sterrehof’s Cayetano Z – Julia Houtzager-Kayser 1/1
Bionda – Gerfried Puck (8)/4
Corbusier – Christian Rhomberg 8/(5)
Total: 22
Full Result

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Source: Press Release FEI