The second day of the Longines Global Champions Tour Cannes 2025 unfolded last night under the sparkling Riviera lights, delivering one of the most fiercely contested five-star jump-offs of the season. With the packed grandstand buzzing and the pressure mounting, it was a showdown that kept spectators holding their breath right until the final horse crossed the finish line.
But who would take it? That answer came in the form of a Spanish rider and his 16-year-old gelding, who set a blistering early pace no one could catch.
The CSI5* GCTV 1.50m jump-off featured 40 elite international combinations, yet only 18 managed to go clear in Round 1 and qualify for what became a turbo-charged decider. First back in, Mariano Martinez Bastida and Belano vd Wijnhoeve Z exploded through the shortened course with absolute precision. With every rollback taken on an aggressive angle and not a millisecond wasted, they stopped the clock at 36.83 seconds – a time that would prove elusive for every rider that followed.
That didn’t stop them trying.
The Longines Global Champions Tour Cannes 2025 jump-off developed into a thriller of tight margins and bold risks. Germany’s Marco Kutscher came within touching distance on Aventador S, missing out by just 0.63 seconds. Austria’s Max Kühner and the consistent EIC Up Too Jacco Blue also went clear in fine form, yet their 37.53 wasn’t enough.
Even British talent Harry Charles, a crowd favourite after winning the LGCT Grand Prix of London in 2024, couldn’t match the pace on Casquo Blue—ultimately finishing fifth in the final standings.
But then, a hush fell over the crowd as France’s own Simon Delestre rode into the ring, the last challenger under the lights in Cannes.
On Acatitla LS, his expressive 12-year-old grey mare, Delestre delivered a breathtaking performance. Every turn was measured, every stride calculated to perfection. As he cleared the final oxer and the audience roared, the clock flashed up: 37.43 seconds. Just six-tenths shy of the win.
The grandstands erupted in applause for the Frenchman’s valiant effort, but the evening—and the glory—belonged to Mariano Martinez Bastida.
It marked an extraordinary 24 hours for the Spaniard, who also played a pivotal role in the St Tropez Pirates’ victory in the GCL team competition just one day earlier, alongside Max Wachman and Duarte Seabra.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Bastida after watching each round with growing tension from the kiss-and-cry. “I knew I had to be fast, but this field was world-class. To win here—it means everything.”
The top six of the Longines Global Champions Tour Cannes 2025 CSI5* 1.50m Presented by GCTV read like a who’s who of elite show jumping:
Top 6 – CSI5 1.50m Table A with Jump-Off, Presented by GCTV:
- Mariano Martinez Bastida (ESP) – Belano vd Wijnhoeve Z, 0 faults, 36.83s
- Simon Delestre (FRA) – Acatitla LS, 0 faults, 37.43s
- Marco Kutscher (GER) – Aventador S, 0 faults, 37.46s
- Max Kühner (AUT) – EIC Up Too Jacco Blue, 0 faults, 37.53s
- Harry Charles (GBR) – Casquo Blue, 0 faults, 38.14s
- Ioli Mytilineou (GRE) – La Perla vd Heffinck, 0 faults, 38.30s
As the sun set over the Côte d’Azur and the showground settled ahead of Saturday night’s Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Cannes, one thing was clear: Longines Global Champions Tour Cannes 2025 is serving up some of the season’s most memorable moments.
Don’t miss the LGCT Grand Prix of Cannes, live tonight at 20:30 on GCTV – your front-row seat to the world’s most glamorous show jumping.
