Federation Equestre Internationale News -Equiworld Equestrian Magazine July 2004- Text Only

Federation Equestre Internationale News

Linda Algotsson reigns supreme on home ground

2003 FEI Eventing World Cup Champion Linda Algotsson won a brilliant victory at the 11th FEI Eventing World Cup qualifier held in Malmö (SWE) from 16 to 18 July. Riding her very own 11-year old gelding Fair Dobbin, she finished on the impressive result of 46.4 penalties. Linda was in 4th position after the first day of competition, despite a fine Dressage test (44 penalties), but a clear Cross Country (2.4 time penalties) followed by a clear Jumping round made her the convincing leader more than 10 points ahead of runner-up fellow countrywoman Viktoria Carlerbäck.

This victory secures Linda 100 FEI Eventing World Cup points which, added to her previous performances in Luhmühlen, GER (60 points) and Strzegom, POL (30 points), place her as the firm leader of the standings with 190 points, well ahead of Germany's Andreas Dibowski (134 points) and Darren Chiacca of the USA (123 points).

A remarkable performance was also put on by Viktoria Carlerbäck, who rode no less than three horses and placed 2nd on Ballys Geronimo with a final result of 56,5 points and 4th on Onyx with 60,4 points. Victoria, who also took part in the Luhmühlen qualifier, is now 7th in the FEI Eventing World Cup standings with 104 points.

The winning trio is completed by the current World bronze medallist Piia Pantsu (FIN) on Ypäjä Karuso. Piia performed the competition's best Dressage test (37,5 penalty points), but this excellent beginning was unfortunately followed by a refusal in her otherwise faultless Cross Country. A clear Jumping round, equalled only by the winner Linda Algotsson, put her in third position only one point behind Viktoria Carlerbäck (final result of 57,5 points).

All three of them are part of their countries' Olympic selection which is a welcome confirmation of the prestige the FEI Eventing World Cup series is acquiring among the world's best riders.

The full results are available on
http://www.equipe.nu/resultat/Rib04Res1Slut.htm

After ten qualifiers the leaderbord of the FEI Eventing World Cup is as
follows:
1. Linda Algotsson (SWE) - 190 points
2. Andreas Dibowski (GER) - 134 points
3. Darren Chiacca (USA) - 123 points
4. Andrew Hoy (AUS) - 120 points
5. Matthew Grayling (NZL) - 118 points
6. Phillip Dutton (AUS) - 110 points
7. Viktoria Carlerbäck (SWE) - 104 points
8. Andrzej Pasek (POL) - 101
9. Sonja Johnson (AUS) - 100
9. Robyn Fisher (USA) - 100
9. R. de Gouveia Jr. (BRA) - 100
9. Pippa Funnell (GBR) - 100
9. Pavel Sergeev (RUS) - 100
The full standings are available on the FEI's website www.horsesport.org
(section consult/results/eventing)
(direct link http://www.horsesport.org/fei/pdfs/consult/02_03/C_04_st_WC.pdf
)

The next FEI Eventing World Cup qualifiers will take place in Kalispell (Rebecca Farm), MT (USA) and Warwick (AUS) from 23 to 25 July.

***
The FEI Eventing World Cup is the sport's first linked series consisting of 17 qualifiers culminating in a yearly Final. It is organised at the highest level (three-star) of the short Eventing format which is the new standard for Championships and the Olympic Games. The series is designed in manner to encourage the participation of the world's best riders and horses and thus promote such emblematic values of Eventing, as the constant quest for harmony between physical skills and mental balance, contact with nature, precision, stamina, agility and insightful training. The FEI Eventing World Cup is a showcase of a sport resolutely turning to the future.