Under the glittering floodlights of the French Riviera last night, St Tropez Pirates edged out the home favourites Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames in a nail-biting finish to claim victory in Stage 5 of the 2025 Global Champions League (GCL). Just 1.36 seconds separated the top two teams in a dramatic evening of world-class show jumping that delivered both glamour and grit in equal measure.
The Pirates, who took a podium in Madrid last week, continued their strong form with a tactical and gutsy performance. Max Wachman set the tone with a clear in Round 1 aboard Fancy de Kergane, while Mariano Martinez Bastida followed suit on Jup. In a shrewd strategic move, the team substituted in Duarte Seabra for Round 2, and he rose to the occasion with a flawless clear on Dourados 2. Despite Bastida incurring eight faults in the second round, the team’s sheer speed carried them to the win on time.
Reflecting on their second consecutive podium, Seabra credited their good fortune to a familiar source:
“I think we know the formula… we just need one of the Wachmans in our team. Last time in Madrid we had Tom, and this week we had Max… so it doesn’t matter which one – I think that’s the key now to a podium!”
For the Cannes Stars, the dream of a home victory slipped through their fingers. After a strong opening round from Sophie Hinners on Iron Dames My Prins and Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann with Messi van ’t Ruytershof, they looked poised to claim the trophy on home soil. However, one rail apiece in Round 2 cost them the win.
Meyer-Zimmermann admitted the course demanded intense focus:
“It was a fair course, but it was quite challenging and you could have a rail everywhere—from the beginning to the end, so you had to stay super focused. But despite our focus, we had the one rail each happen in the second round.”
Madrid In Motion took the third step on the podium after strong first rounds from Kim Emmen and Maikel van der Vleuten, but Eduardo Alvarez Aznar collected 12 faults in Round 2. Still, the team’s consistency shone through as they secured valuable championship points.
Aznar, looking ahead to next week’s leg in St Tropez, said:
“Well the plan is Kim and me, also Victor Bettendorf is coming. Today was a tough second round and obviously we didn’t make the right decision where the horse that didn’t end up jumping for the team was clear.”
The results saw a shake-up in the overall standings. Shanghai Swans remain at the top, but their lead has been reduced to just two points, with the Cannes Stars sitting on 108 points. Valkenswaard United climbed into third place with 94, while the St Tropez Pirates catapulted into fourth on 86 points as they prepare to compete on home turf next week.
It was a night that tested the nerves and tactics of even the most seasoned teams. Doha Falcons were eliminated in Round 1 after two refusals from Julien Anquetin, while Paris Panthers and Monaco Comets powered by Iron Dames both fell out of contention early with 20 faults apiece.
New York Empire powered by Lugano narrowly missed out on a podium, finishing fifth with just a single time fault. Both Robert Murphy on Eagle vd Wolfsakker Z and Denis Lynch with Vistogrand delivered solid rounds, and the team continues to show strong potential this season.
A time fault also denied Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team a place in the top three. Despite clean jumping from Fernando Martinez Sommer aboard High Five, the clock proved unforgiving and they had to settle for fourth.
Meanwhile, Shanghai Swans and Basel Cosmopolitans both suffered from uncharacteristic faults that pushed them down the order, losing crucial ground in the championship race.
As the competition reached its climax, it was the final three teams—all starting Round 2 on a clean sheet—who had everything to play for. But it was the Pirates who held their nerve and galloped into the top spot by the narrowest of margins.
With just three stages remaining before the mid-season transfer window opens, the battle for qualification for the GCL Super Cup Semi-Final at the GC Prague Playoffs is heating up. Every stride now counts, with teams jostling for a top-four finish to fast-track their path to the Playoffs.
The GCL Championship resumes next week in Ramatuelle, St Tropez from 12–14 June, set against the stunning backdrop of Pampelonne Beach. As the midpoint of the season approaches, the spotlight turns not only to the action in the ring—but to the strategic moves being made behind the scenes.
Catch all the replays and exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage now on GCTV – the ultimate seat in show jumping.
