Sweden wins the European Championship, after already taking Gold in the Olympic Games of Tokyo and the WC in Herning. Currently, the individual gold medal is also within reach, with Jens Fredricson maintaining his lead.
The provisional top four had to send one more rider to the team final at the European Championship. Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, and Germany.
After Eoin McMahon's round with Mila (by Monte Bellini), the Irish team ended with a total of eight penalty points. Martin Fuchs had the honor for Switzerland and completed his round on the eleven-year-old KWPN Leone Jei (by Baltic VDL) with two jumping faults, causing the Swiss team to drop to sixteen penalty points.
The fate of the Swedish team rested on the shoulders of Rolf-Göran Bengtsson. In the first round, he had a total score of eight riding Zuccero (by Zirocco Blue), but the discard result was applied to it. The duo managed to maintain their team's score of zero!
German rider Gerrit Nieberg was the last to compete in the team competition on Ben 431 (by Sylvain). At that moment, the German team already had a total of 12 penalty points and could no longer come close to the Swedish dominance. Team Austria jumped up to third place!
For the Austrian team, this FIRST EVER (bronze) medal at an European Championship also gives them a ticket for the Olympics 2024 in Paris! However, for Sweden it is also the first time winning European Gold. 25 years after Germany's supremacy, it now is Sweden who holds the World, European and Olympic title all at once.
Jens Fredricson maintains his top position
In the individual rankings.
Jens Fredricson continues to lead. With the twelve-year-old Markan Cosmopolit (by Cohiba), the Swede still has a clean sheet to his name. In second place is Steve Guerdat (SUI) with two clear rounds as well in the second competition, riding Dynamix de Belheme (by Snaike de Blondel). The same goes for Michael Duffy (IRL) and Cinca 3 (by Casall), who currently hold the third position.
Henrik von Eckermann: "Iliana jumped another fantastic round, better than ever. We had a bit of luck at the second obstacle; she touched it lightly. After that, she truly gave it her all. In the final line, I wasn't straight enough, which caused a loss of power in her hindquarters. I was already thinking about the finish line when I wasn't there yet. That was my mistake, but luckily, Wilma corrected it with her round. Nevertheless, that doesn't take away from how exciting the rest of today has been."
- Sweden
Ireland- Austria