In Mechelen the highlight of the day has just been ridden: the CSI5* Grand Prix. 41 combinations entered the show ground for this class that was ridden with jump-off. No less than 14 combinations managed to qualify for this jump-off.
Sprunger was the first rider to enter the ring. She immediately jumped a clear round with King Edward (f. Edward 28), a 9-year old BWP gelding. This combination stopped the clock after 37,92 seconds. At that moment, the only thing Sprunger could do was hoping the other riders would make some mistakes and would ride less fast. The British rider James Wilson did ride a faster round with Imagine de Muze (f. Nabab de Reve). He jumped a clear jump-off in 35,84 seconds. Jessica Springsteen, who already won the main class of Mechelen yesterday, was the next rider to enter the ring. She did and Volage du Val henry (f. Quidam de Revel) finished in 35,12 seconds, taking of the lead from Wilson.
Olivier Philippaerts was the first Belgian rider to enter the ring. He did ride a clear round with H&M Extra (f. Berlin) but his time of 36,41 seconds wasn't enough to took over the lead from Springsteen. What Olivier couldn't do, Niels Bruynseels did do. He and Delux van T&L (f. Toulon) jumped a clear round in 34,66 seconds, doing even better than Springsteen. In the end, this was enough to take the victory home. Julien Epaillard still did everything in his power to took over the lead and he indeed rode a very fast round with Toupie de la Roque (f. Kannan) but in the end his tome of 34,71 seconds wasn't enough to take the victory home. He had to take peace with the place.