Great Britain's Showjumpers edge closer to the Olympics
Last Updated: 20/08/15 8:23pm
Great Britain’s Showjumpers moved a step closer to Rio 2016 when they continued their campaign for the three Olympic qualifying places at stake at the FEI European Championships in Aachen.
The three Olympic places will be awarded on Friday to the three highest placed nations, disregarding those already qualified. The state of play at the end of Thursday's competition sees Great Britain in fourth position behind France, the Netherlands and Germany.
The first session had only seen seven clear rounds achieved across the first 50 competitors. The 1.6-mile course was both long, winding and testing taking in 13 obstacles requiring 16 jumping efforts.
As the second session started the atmosphere changed and so did the leadeboard as each rider broke the finish line. It was primarily two obstacles that took the riders prisoner; the combination early on and the final fence, a double heading towards home.
Ben Maher, with Tatiana Korsokova's British bred chestnut mare Diva II, were one of the combinations to fall victim at the final fence when Diva took a stride out in the double.
Finishing on four penalties, Maher said afterwards: "Diva had put in a great round and it's really unfortunate that this happened.
"She's still young, it has been an experience for her and if I had the chance to do it again there isn't anything else I could have done."
It was Joe Clee and Ludwig Criel's bay stallion Utamaro d'Ecaussines that delivered the first clear for Great Britain. Their brilliant performance made light of the course that had proved difficult for many, putting GB back in the running.
With so much to play for, all eyes turned to Michael Whitaker with Beverley Widdowson's impressive grey stallion Cassionato. A master in the extreme, Whitaker delivered exactly what GB needed, a foot-perfect clear to give a finish score for the team of just the four penalties and a final fourth placing after day two.
Joe Clee retaining his Individual third place position whilst Michael Whitaker moves from 41st position into 19th. Ben Maher now sits in 22nd place which puts three of the four riders into the running in terms of being eligible for the final on Sunday when the Individual medals will be fought for across the top 25 riders.
Day 2 Team Results
1. France (5.70)
2. Netherlands (7.82)
3. Germany (8.4)
4. Great Britain (10.99)
5. Ukraine (13.03)
6. Switzerland (14.23)
Day 2 Individual Results
1. Penelope Leprevost (FRA) - 0.00
2. Ludger Beerbaum (GER) - 0.75
3. Joe Clee (GBR) - 1.00
4. Gregory Wathelet (BEL) - 1.04
5. Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP) - 1.47
6. Cassio Rivetti (UKR) - 2.31
