Martin Fuchs honoured his position as number one on the world ranking in the best possible way when winning Sunday's CSI4* 1.55m Frecciarossa Grand Prix – Graziano Mancinelli Trophy, which was the final and most exciting class at the 2022 Frecciarossa Milano Jumping Cup.
It was a challenging Grand Prix with only five clears in the first round over a course built by Uliano Vezzani and with three others pairs collecting time penalties.
29-year-old Fuchs posted one of the double clears with the 14-year-old gelding The Sinner (Sanvaro x Landgold 3), and was the fastest when stopping the clock at an amazing 37.90 seconds in round two, to beat his girlfriend Paris Sellon (USA) on Remix (Quidam de Revel x Come On) by 1.55 seconds.
Italy’s 30-year-old Giacomo Bassi and Find Touch GR (Arezzo x Landgraf I) rode a second clear round in a time of 39.51 seconds to end third, while Denmark's Mathias Nørheden Johansen finished fourth aboard Camelot 124 (Casall x Calato) – also he double clear – and Hong Kong's Patrick Lam fifth with Claron CR (Clearway x Quinar Z), after a time penalty in round one.
“I would have preferred it if she had won, but that’s life... We are over the moon because although it has happened on other occasions that we both were battling to win in a decisive round or a jump-off, this was the first time we finished first and second. That was a really wonderful ending to a weekend that has been extremely satisfactory for me and for Switzerland,” Fuchs said about finishing ahead of Sellon.
Fuchs, who received his prize from Pietro Diamantini, Director of Business AV for Trenitalia, was also presented with the Graziano Mancinelli Trophy by Marco Mancinelli and Fabio Schiavoli (AD Snaitech): “I am really moved and very touched”, said the son of the unforgettable Italian champion. “This acknowledgment in memory of my father was created last year and this time is especially important as he died exactly thirty years ago. This is all extraordinarily beautiful and I wish to thank the Milano Jumping Cup Organising Committee with gratitude”
It was a challenging Grand Prix with only five clears in the first round over a course built by Uliano Vezzani and with three others pairs collecting time penalties.
29-year-old Fuchs posted one of the double clears with the 14-year-old gelding The Sinner (Sanvaro x Landgold 3), and was the fastest when stopping the clock at an amazing 37.90 seconds in round two, to beat his girlfriend Paris Sellon (USA) on Remix (Quidam de Revel x Come On) by 1.55 seconds.
Italy’s 30-year-old Giacomo Bassi and Find Touch GR (Arezzo x Landgraf I) rode a second clear round in a time of 39.51 seconds to end third, while Denmark's Mathias Nørheden Johansen finished fourth aboard Camelot 124 (Casall x Calato) – also he double clear – and Hong Kong's Patrick Lam fifth with Claron CR (Clearway x Quinar Z), after a time penalty in round one.
“I would have preferred it if she had won, but that’s life... We are over the moon because although it has happened on other occasions that we both were battling to win in a decisive round or a jump-off, this was the first time we finished first and second. That was a really wonderful ending to a weekend that has been extremely satisfactory for me and for Switzerland,” Fuchs said about finishing ahead of Sellon.
Fuchs, who received his prize from Pietro Diamantini, Director of Business AV for Trenitalia, was also presented with the Graziano Mancinelli Trophy by Marco Mancinelli and Fabio Schiavoli (AD Snaitech): “I am really moved and very touched”, said the son of the unforgettable Italian champion. “This acknowledgment in memory of my father was created last year and this time is especially important as he died exactly thirty years ago. This is all extraordinarily beautiful and I wish to thank the Milano Jumping Cup Organising Committee with gratitude”