Valkenswaard United win slashes Shanghai Swans’ ranking lead after down-to-the-wire GCL Ramatuelle, Saint-Tropez

Valkenswaard United team pairing of Peder Fredricson and Edwina Tops-Alexander took a spectacular win in an edge-of-the-seat showdown at the GCL of Ramatuelle, Saint-Tropez, sharply cutting Shanghai Swans’ overall ranking lead.

Just metres from the beautiful Mediterranean shoreline at Pampelonne Beach, the action went down to the wire as the duo clinched victory, with the Shanghai Swans duo of Christian Ahlmann and Max Kuhner losing their pole position advantage and finishing second. The last spot on the podium today went to Nicola Philippaerts and Ben Maher of London Knights.

A smiling Edwina said

It is the first time I’ve ridden on the team this year and I am very happy to be with Peder and thankfully he went fast. I felt a little bit of pressure when I came into the ring because I heard the announcer say ‘It is all in the hands of Edwina’!”

Peder Fredricson added:

To be honest I thought we were going to be second today once we had ridden, but it was our day today and we were a bit lucky. Time is always important in these classes so it was on my mind throughout.”

The result ignited the battle of the top teams as Valkenswaard United sit on 77 points only three points adrift of Shanghai Swans at the top of the GCL ranking with 80 points. Madrid In Motion sit in third place with a points tally of 51 as the Championship race heads to Valkenswaard at Tops International Arena next week 4 – 6 June.

French course designer Gregory Bodo put together a long, flowing but technical track for the GCL Ramatuelle / Saint-Tropez at the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show, which saw faults come all over the arena. The triple combination proved one of the most difficult elements requiring exceptional precision and athleticism.

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