The Global Champions League action reached an exciting conclusion in Vienna, Austria, where the Scandinavian Vikings secured the team victory after two intense rounds over 1.55m tracks.
The Scandinavian Vikings groundwork was laid in the first round with minor time faults, entering the decisive second leg on a team score of 3 penalties. In the second round, both team riders delivered under pressure: Jur Vrieling (NED) guided the 15-year-old BWP stallion Grand Slam VDL (Cardento x Heartbreaker, bred by F. Kenis) to a clean, faultless round, while Lara Tryba (FRA) also produced a clear effort aboard the 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion Shot Gun (Stakkato Gold x Carthago).
With a clean sheet in the final round, the Scandinavian Vikings maintained their total of 3 penalties (154.86s) to take the top spot on the GCL podium.
Riesenbeck International and Istanbul Warriors Complete Podium
Second place went to Riesenbeck International, who posted an outstanding double-clear second round through Maximilian Weishaupt riding the 14-year-old Holsteiner stallion Zuccero HV (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caretino, bred by H. Koehncke) and Philipp Weishaupt aboard the 12-year-old BWP stallion Oreo D.R. (Kannan x Balougran, bred by Reinout Delagaye). Carrying 4 penalties from the opening round, they finished on a total of 4 penalties (161.46s).
The Istanbul Warriors rounded out the top three. Led by clear second-round performances from Abdel Saïd (BEL) on the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding Wathnan Calvaro (Cascadello x Quidam de Revel, bred by Reimer Detlef Hennings) and Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) with the 10-year-old Hanoverian mare Hylanderhof's Saruschka (Stakkato Gold x Baloubet du Rouet, bred by Hylanderhof Sina Dierking), the team added no faults to their tally in round two, finishing third on 8 penalties (147.10s).
Individual Classification: Philippaerts Fastest
In the individual standings of the 1.55m class, Belgium's Olivier Philippaerts topped the leaderboard aboard the 9-year-old BWP gelding Ragazzo AV (George Z x Exquis Powerfee, bred by Alex Verledens) after crossing the finish line clear in a blistering 72.00 seconds.
World Number One Henrik von Eckermann took second place with Hylanderhof's Saruschka (73.30s), while Abdel Saïd finished third with Wathnan Calvaro (73.80s). Jur Vrieling aboard Grand Slam VDL placed fourth (76.92s), and Lara Tryba rounded out the top five with Shot Gun (77.94s).
