By
Louise Parkes
The
Swedish team will be coming out with all guns blazing for the
final of the 2007 Samsung Super League with FEI series, which
takes place in Barcelona, Spain, next Sunday. An unfortunate
afternoon at the second-last leg in Dublin last month saw them
bringing up the rear, and they go into Sunday's decider at
the bottom of the series leaderboard knowing that nothing short
of a strong performance can save them from relegation.
Ironically
it seems that the Irish, who lost out in a valiant battle with
the Swedes at the 2006 finale, look set to re-join the elite
eight nations in 2008 as they continue to head up the 2007
FEI Nations Cup series with only four legs remaining. But Swedish
form at last month's European Championships in Mannheim suggests
that they can shrug off that Dublin disaster, and Chef d'Equipe
Maria Gretzer has three of the squad that secured Olympic qualification
when finishing a strong fifth at the German fixture available
to her, including Rolf-Goran Bengtson, Helena Lundback and
Royne Zetterman, who will be joined by Malin Baryard-Johnsson
and Peter Eriksson.
The
double-points available at the final leg of the series could
make all the difference. In Barcelona, points will be awarded
as follows: 1st-20; 2nd-14; 3rd-10; 4th-8; 5th-6; 6th-4; 7th-2;
8th-1.
So
perhaps it is the French, lying second-last and only four points
ahead of the Swedes, who should be feeling the pressure. For
the first time since 1932, France has failed to qualify for
the Olympic Games and manager Gilles Bertran de Balanda will
need a resolute effort from Florian Angot, Aymeric de Ponnat,
Olivier Guillon, Philippe Leoni and Kevin Staut to ensure his
country does not lose it's Samsung Super League with FEI status
now.
The
Dutch are lying sixth and just nine points ahead of Sweden
on the leaderboard, but it would be difficult to imagine them
in trouble after their superb performances over the past year.
Their Team Gold at the European Championships was won convincingly
just as it was at last summer's World Equestrian Games, and
manager Rob Ehrens seems unlikely to lose the smile he has
been wearing ever since with Jeroen Dubbeldam, Albert Zoer,
both Ben and Gerco Schroder and the promising new partnership
of Willem Greve and KEC Maximum Joe available to him—he
is almost spoiled for choice.
The
Americans, just a single point better than the Dutch, seem
comfortable too with a total of 26.5 to their credit, but after
the season they have had they need to maintain concentration.
Just 10 points separate them from the Swedes, and although
they have recently raised their game and subsequently moved
steadily up the order, they had a poor start to the season
and cannot afford to be complacent this weekend. George Morris
steps back in to take over from Deputy Chef d'Equipe Melanie
Taylor-Smith, and he will be expecting a strong show from Laura
Kraut, Beezie Madden, Christine McCrea, Todd Minikus and Ken
Berkley, who is a newcomer to the series.
The
Belgians are another point better off, and manager Lucien Somers
has Niels Bruynseels, Marc Van Dijck, Vincent Lambrecht, Philippe
Lejeune and Jos Lansink on call, while Derek Ricketts' British
squad includes John Whitaker, Robert Smith, David McPherson,
Tina Fletcher and James Davenport. Their Bronze-medal finish
at Mannheim should have seriously boosted British confidence,
and, lying third with 30.5 points, they seem in no danger.
Nor do the Swiss, two points ahead and although just nudged
out of Bronze-medal position at the European Championships,
they are looking strong with Markus Fuchs, Christina Liebherr,
Theo Muff, Hansueli Sprunger and Jane Richard—the latter
very impressive in Dublin where she finished third in the grand
prix.
Germany
heads up the table with a 15-point lead over Switzerland and
looks perfectly poised to scoop the Samsung Super League with
FEI title for the second year running, but manager Kurt Gravemeier
is taking no chances with his arsenal, including Christian
Ahlmann, Marcus Ehning, Thomas Muhlbauer, Marco Kutscher and
27-year-old Franz-Josef Dahlmann, who has been firmly establishing
his credentials this summer. Ehning heads up the Leading Rider
leaderboard going into this last leg with a total of nine points
after collecting three points for double-clear rounds at La
Baule and Rome and one point for single-clears in St. Gallen,
Rotterdam, and Aachen while teammate Ahlmann lies second with
six points after double-clear performances in both St. Gallen
and Aachen. Lying third is Frencham Olivier Guillon who carries
five after a double-clear in Rome and single clears at St.
Gallen and Aachen and eight riders share a running score of
four points.
Of
course in Barcelona, the non-Super League Spanish team also
competes and all eyes will be on the charming partnership of
Paola Amilibia Puig and the former British team horse Cabri
d'Elle, who really sparkled during the early stages in Mannheim.
The Spanish team came close to Olympic qualification when finishing
a creditable eighth there, and Sergio Alvarez Moy, who finished
16th individually, and Gonzalo Testa Ornat, who slotted into
22nd, have been called up again along with Ricardo Jurado.
The
fifth Samsung Super League with FEI season has been another
thriller all the way, and if the line-up for this weekend is
anything to go by, then the excitement is far from over.
Samsung
Super League with FEI Leaderboard After Round 7 at Dublin
1.
Germany - 47.75
2. Switzerland - 32.75
3. Great Britain - 30.5
4. Belgium - 27.75
5. USA - 26.5
6. The Netherlands - 25.5
7. France - 20.25
8. Sweden - 16.5 |
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