Swans Soar Higher into Championship Lead with Spectacular GCL Mexico City Win

Shanghai Swans have extended their Championship lead by 25 points in Mexico City for a spectacular GCL win. Daniel Deusser with Calisto Blue and Peder Fredricson with H&M Christian K, took a convincing win in the picturesque grass arena, with new star striker signing Peder immediately proving his worth for the squad.

A delighted Daniel said:

This was a really different team compared to Doha. The expectations are high for this season, it is only the being but we are a very strong team and have I got a lot of confidence in us.​”

With teammate Peder agreeing:

This is my first time competing for the Shanghai Swans and it couldn’t have gone better!”

Hamburg Giants’ Simon Delestre with Uccello de Will and Bart Bles and Israel v.d.Dennehoeve took second place today, while Laura Kraut with Zeremonie and Jos Verlooy with Igor claimed the final podium position for the Monaco Aces.

Thousands of fans flocked to the brilliant Mexican arena to see the GCL showdown unfold, and the teams did not disappoint in a spell-binding display of edge-of-the-seat sport.

Course designer Javier Trenor put together another flowing but challenging course, with options of lines for riders, and galloping distances requiring complete control, trust and precision. Athletes tackled a huge Massimo Dutto oxer, a Longines double combination, a GNP Seguros double combination, and a very skinny vertical set away from the in-gate caused a few problems.

Gerco Schroder summed it up:

You have to pay attention at every second, the course does not allow you to take your eye of the ball.” Throughout the arena were eye-catching ‘Alebrijes’ – the brightly coloured Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical animals adding flashes of brightness to today’s stage.

Speaking before the start of the class, new signing for the Paris Panthers Harrie Smolders said:

We are a very strong team, with very good riders and a lot of horsepower. I brought my best horses here in Don and Zinius. Don had a break after the GCL Super Cup in Prague, and he’s on fantastic form here. It’s early in the season to say which teams are strongest so far. Every team has a chef d’equipe, it’s growing and growing.”

The GCL Championship now looks to Miami Beach, for the third round of electrifying competition in the 2019 season.

For full results, please click here.