Germany take control
Germany moved to the brink of victory in the European Equestrian Championships as Britain loosened their grip on the title.
Last Updated: 27/08/11 4:53pm
Germany moved to the brink of victory in the European Eventing Championships as Britain loosened their grip on the title.
The Germans lead the team competition by a massive 42.3 penalties and also hold respective gold and silver invdividual medal positions through Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung.
Britain had their moments with contrasting clear cross-country rounds inside the time from Nicola Wilson and William Fox-Pitt, but Mary King fell heavily from Imperial Cavalier at fence 15 and Piggy French accrued 6.8 time penalties aboard Jakata.
King, who hopes to compete at a sixth Olympic Games next summer, went to hospital for a precautionary X-ray as Britain began a painful regrouping process ahead of Sunday's showjumping finale.
But another European title, their ninth in succession stretching back to 1995, appears well beyond them unless Germany's three remaining riders Klimke, Jung and Sandra Auffarth - after Andreas Dibowski fell and was eliminated - suffer a collective implosion.
Britain still occupy the silver medal position, while Fox-Pitt is sixth individually, 6.7 penalties off a podium finish aboard Cool Mountain, but Sunday promises to be little more than a ceremonial procession for a German team that has been pumped-up from the start.
It could have been worse for Britain had 42-year-old Fox-Pitt not produced a stunning exhibition of riding to stay aboard Cool Mountain during a round when he lost a stirrup on his way through a deceptively-tricky course designed by Captain Mark Phillips.
Wilson, meanwhile, launched Britain's initial fightback from 23.20 penalties adrift after dressage with a spectacular cross-country performance aboard the brilliant Opposition Buzz.
North Yorkshire-based Wilson, riding in the pathfinder role she filled superbly when Britain won gold at the 2009 Europeans and last year's World Equestrian Games, was clear a remarkable 14 seconds inside a testing optimum time of 10 minutes, five seconds.
