Geneva, Switzerland – December 11, 2022 – The leading riders on the planet battled it out in Saturday evening’s CHF $80,000 Credit Suisse Challenge CSI 5*, a world ranking event. At the end of a suspenseful and hard-fought competition it was the Irish Shane Sweetnam (IRL), riding Alejandro, who claimed victory. Completing the podium were Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) on Glamour Girl and Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) with H5 Kastelle Memo.

World number one Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) had the chance to win both the Top 10 Rolex IJRC Final on Friday and the CHF $80,000 Credit Suisse Challenge CSI 5* the next day. The Swede could believe in this double for a long time. With Glamour Girl (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caletto I) he put in a fast faultless round in 63.31 seconds, which was beatable, but for that one had to take some risks. His co-competitors had a hard time with it. A mistake here, a few tenths of a second too much there, Henrik held the lead in the intermediate classification for a long time.

Until the Irishman Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and the 2009 grey Rhinelander gelding (Acorado’s Ass x Continue) managed to outdo his Swedish rival by 18 hundredths of a second. Shane thus also somewhat rehabilitated his compatriot Conor Swail (IRL), who held on to Vital Chance de la Roque despite losing the reins, but miraculously did not crash and still finished fourth in the end.

Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) put on a valiant penalty-free performance with H5 Kastelle Memo (Thunder v. Zuuthoeve x Cicero Z), rounding out the top three in 64.27 seconds.

Final Results – $80,000 Credit Suisse Challenge CSI 5*

1) Shane Sweetnam (IRL) & Alejandro – 0 – 63.13

2) Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) & Glamour Girl – 0 – 63.31

3) Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) & H5 Kastelle Memo – 0 – 64.27

Source: Press Release (edited) from CHI de Genève

Photo: © CHI de Genève / Soraya Exquis Photographie

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