World Top 10 Riders Stay Faithful to Bordeaux

By Jumper News on 19 19America/Sao_Paulo January 19America/Sao_Paulo 2023

Bordeaux, France – January 19, 2023 – For 50 years, the best riders in the world have rarely missed this show, starting with the world’s number one riders of each era. And this 50th anniversary edition will not be any different. The line-up promises to be fabulous and will be led by the current world number one, two-time reigning World Champion, both individual and team, and leader of the European World Cup league with a record of 88 points, the insatiable Swede Henrik von Eckermann who is also team Olympic Champion!

A victory in Bordeaux is an important win in a rider’s record of achievements and this year many will try to succeed Steve Guerdat, the last winner of the Bordeaux World Cup in 2020. There will be quality in quantity because besides the Swedish World Champion (photo), other world top 10 riders will join the competition, starting with the world number 3, France’s Julien Épaillard, a former winner of the World Cup in Bordeaux in 2017 and of the last Grand Prix in Bordeaux in 2020, or the world number 4, Dutch rider Harrie Smolders, runner-up in the team world championship.

Julien Épaillard not the only rider in great shape at the moment. The Bordeaux public will be delighted to see the another rider from Normandy, Kevin Staut – also a former (double) World Cup winner in Bordeaux – and Simon Delestre from Lorraine, respectively number 11 and 12 in the Longines FEI World Ranking. All three are virtually qualified for the World Final in Omaha, USA (4-8 April). Pénélope Leprévost will also arrive in Bordeaux at the top of her form with two recent victories in Basel where she had a very good World Cup completing a course with only a small penalty point with Bingo del Tondou which she will ride in Bordeaux. The public will also be delighted to see a former two times winner of “his” World Cup Grand Prix, the very popular “Bosty”, Roger-Yves Bost.

Always at the start in Bordeaux, a magnificent German representation with three former world number ones: Marcus Ehning, a favorite of the Bordeaux public, Christian Ahlmann and Daniel Deusser (current world number 8) who will accompany Michael Jung and Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, whose incredible victory in Aachen in 2011 and the unforgettable image of her raising both arms in the air while still over the last fence remains a great moment in showjumping. She has just won the World Cup stage in La Coruña. Will she be the first woman to triumph in Bordeaux?

Several riders from Belgium will be coming as well, among them a former winner in Bordeaux (2018), the team bronze medalist of the Tokyo Olympic Games, Pieter Devos.

Counting as well Brazilian Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and the Dutch team vice-world champion and individual bronze medallist Maikel Van Der Vleuten, a total of six riders from the world’s top 10 will be in Bordeaux. These last two riders are looking for points to secure their ticket to the final as is the case with other great champions such as Harrie Smolders, for example, Swiss Steve Guerdat or British Scott Brash. Bordeaux being the penultimate stage of the European league, the “Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Grand Prix on Saturday evening (8.30 pm) is likely to be a frantic points hunt!

*Boyd Exell in Bordeaux for a rematch with Bram Chardon who beat him in last year’s World Cup final in Leipzig*

BOYD LOOKING FOR REVENGE

The battle for the World Cup Final in Driving is likely to be just as competitive. Australian Boyd Exell will be going for a tenth Indoor World Cup title but he will face a coalition of Chardon father and son. Last year in the Leipzig final, Exell was pitted against a Chardon: son Bram. He and his father Ijsbrand were the two drivers who challenged the Australian driver the most! But Exell has promised that he will take back his title from Bram in Bordeaux! The Frenchman Benjamin Aillaud, who tried his luck on the qualifying circuit reserved for the ten best in the world, came very close to qualifying: he will however be in Bordeaux to defend the colours of French driving thanks to a wild-card (invitation from the organizing committee). The definitive list of the six finalists will be known at the end of the Leipzig stage, which will be held on 22 January.

*Maxime Livio could well decide the winner between Michael Jung and Karim Laghouag in Bordeaux after his flamboyant victory in Geneva. Phto: © Solenn Rispail*

MICHAEL JUNG IS BACK!

The atmosphere at the Devoucoux Indoor Derby is not likely to be any calmer than in previous editions with riders like German star Michael Jung (who will also take part in the showjumping): will there be someone this year to arbitrate his now traditional duel with Karim Laghouag? Perhaps the Frenchman Maxime Livio, who has just triumphed in a similar class in Geneva, leading an incredible all French podium… ahead of Karim Laghouag? Or will it be another rider from the international circuit like Irish Cathal Daniels (7th in Geneva), the young Swedish rider and student of Michael Jung, Sofia Sjoborg, Brazilian Olympic rider, Carlos Parro, double South American Champion last year in Buenos Aires, or Spanish rider, Alberto Hermoso Farras, a regular of the Devoucoux Indoor Derby ?

Source: Press Release by Adele Renauldon / Agence R&B Presse for Jumping Bordeaux