Release date: 02/06/2011 |    

Global Champions Tour first event at Hamburg

Denis Lynch of Ireland won the first Global Champions Tour international event today (Thursday 2^nd June) in Hamburg, Germany taking home a car provided by sponsors Mercedes Benz.

The feature class of the program today, the ‘Mercedes-Benz Championat von Hamburg’ featured 52 starters over German Frank Rothenberger’s designed track that saw 14 proceed to jump-off.

Brazilian rider Karina Harbich Johannpeter was the first of the field to navigate the first round track cleanly with Dragonfly and was followed by a further 13 combinations through to the jump-off.

Lynch on Lantinus , was second last to go of the 14 who made it to jump-off, by turning in a fault free, first-round rides.  At that point, the clock was the one to beat since 5 riders before had already gone clean and fast.

Luciana Diniz(POR) and the big grey Winningmood (right) make an excellent pair and were jumping fantastically today. They had taken an early lead in the jump-off taking every risk and home clear in the tidy time of 46.36 seconds.   Meredith Michaels Beerbaum, spurred on by the German home crowd, went clean but not fast enough with Checkmate, finishing in a time of 47.96, which was good for an ultimate 3^rd place finish.

Lynch, winner of the same event in 2010, claimed the title again and the red SLK Mercedes Benz sports car.

Lynch had the big striding horse well in hand and although the horse lost time in the air Lynch knew the horse so well that he rode a tightened track to secure a fault-free trip in a time of 45.30 to claim the win over Portugal’s leading lady rider Luciana Diniz.

The top combinations from today’s event are sitting quietly in preparation for the feature Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Hamburg that will commence on Saturday afternoon at 13h40.

Quotes

Winner Denis Lynch commenting on Lantinus’s form

The horse is in very good form.  I won’t start him though in the Grand Prix on Saturday and will save him for the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Cannes next weekend.

Lynch commented on his Sponsor Mr Straumann;

We share the prizes 50-50.  Last year I took the Mercedes Benz car and this year he takes the sports car.

Lynch discusses his choice of horses for the classes over the Hamburg weekend.

I want to win both the Global Champions Tour and the Hamburg Derby.  I will ride All Inclusive in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix on Saturday.

Luciana Diniz, Runner up commenting on her performance

 I came to Hamburg specifically to win the Mercedez-Benz car and Denis just went faster than me.  However, I am happy with the way the horse went, he is so fit and went well last week also in Pforzheim.  My goal this year is the European Championships in Madrid.

Volker Wulff, Director of event organisers En Garde commented on the spectator numbers

We have had between 15-16,000 people here already and with the great weather we expect massive turnouts over the next few days.

Volker Wulff also commented on the Denis Lynch Foundation

We organised a Derby versus Golf charity gold match on Monday 30^th May and raised 3,000 euros for the foundation.  Rolf-Goran Bengtsson won the event that was organised at Bredo Ceeraf zu Rankau.  The riders are also encouraged to donate 1% of their prize money to the charity this weekend.

Those who are unable to attend the Global Champions Tour in Hamburg will still be able to enjoy the Grand Prix of Germany set to take place on Saturday 4^th June at 13h40 via the live streaming (1^st round)

Eurosport broadcast coverage of the second round and jump-off of the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Germany on the Saturday 4th June at 21h45 (CET)

ZDF Channel (Germany) will also cover the showjumping from Hamburg 16h00-17h00 . Sportextra on Sendung will provide highlights between 15h05-17h00.

Photos (credit Stefano Grasso/GCT) are available for press from the Media Services section at www.globalchampionstour.com

Results –Top 10

1^st Denis Lynch  (IRL)   Lantinus                                   

2^nd  Luciana Diniz (POR)  Winningmood                                   

3^rd  Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) Checkmate

4^th Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE)  Cassal la Silla

5^th Thomas Vos (GER) Carena

6^th Lars Nieberg (GER) Lord Luis

7^th Michael Whitaker (GB) Amai

8^th Laura Kraut (USA) Cedric

9   Karina Johannpeter (BRA) SRF Dragonfly

10^th Edwina Alexander (AUS) Ciske van Overis

Global Champions Tour Rankings – top 18 riders after 2^nd leg (Valencia)

1. Alvaro De Miranda Neto (BRA), 66 - 2. Dennis Lynch (IRE), 64 - 3.Lars Nieberg (GER), 58 – 4. Ludger Beerbaum (GER), 56.50 - 5= Edwina Alexander (AUS), 55 – 5= Gerco Schroeder (NED), 55 – 7. Billy Twomey (IRE), 51 – 8. Sh Shakboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan (UAE), 49 – 9. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, 46 – 10. Kevin Staut (FRA) 44 – 11.Simon Delestre (FRA), 42 – Pius Schwizer (SUI), 37 – 13. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED), 35 – 14=. Luciana Diniz (POR), 33 – 14=. Laura Kraut (USA), 33 – 16=. Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), 31 – 16=. Marcus Ehning (GER), 31 – 18. Werner Muff (SUI), 29

The Global Champions Tour ranking is updated after each leg of the tour based on the scores derived from the rider’s performances.