It’s set to another nail-biter of a Longines Global Champions Tour weekend, with seven out of the world’s top ten riders in action at the Madrid event this week.
For the fourth year in a row, the Tour will return to the stunning Spanish setting with the event taking place from the 19th – 22nd May in the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. This year will also welcome the Global Champions League as the battle hots up for the Championship and teams fight for position on the overall ranking leaderboard. The revolutionary new team competition will take place on Sunday at 18:00, with the promise of yet more intense action and top, world class sport.
Last year’s Grand Prix winner, and overall 2015 LGCT Champion of Champions Luciana Diniz (POR) will return to the Tour for the first time this season and will undoubtably be hoping to repeat her sensational win of last year — a remarkable Grand Prix which saw an unusual no jump-off in the challenging course.
Also in action this weekend will be current ranking leader and World Number 2, Christian Ahlmann (GER) who is on stunning form, consistently being placed in the top 10 at every Grand Prix this season so far. Hot on his heels will be second place man, Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA), and John Whitaker (GBR), Harrie Smolders (NED) and Ludger Beerbaum (GER) will all look to capitalise on their recent form to rocket up the LGCT rankings, with an impressive 9 out of the top 10 on the Tour’s leaderboard set to compete. World Number 3, Scott Brash (GBR) will also be back and looking to capitalise on his recent LGCT success.
As well as legends of the sport, the event this week will see plenty of action from the show jumping’s young riders, giving the stars of the future the opportunity to compete on a global stage. Bertram Allen (IRL), Jos Verlooy (BEL), David Will (GER), Andreas Kreuzer (GER), Paris Sellon (USA), Jessica Springsteen (USA), Nicola Philippaerts (BEL), Audrey Coulter (USA) and Gonzalo Suarez Anon (BRA) are just some of the bright names competing this week.
Top ranked home riders Sergio Alvarez-Moya (ESP) and Pilar Cordon Muro (ESP) will return to Madrid and be hoping for a strong result in front of their passionate local crowd.
The crowd at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid at LGCT 2015. Photo: Ana Goodrum/LGCT.
Marcus Ehning (GER) will be back for his second LGCT event of the year, and will be joined by compatriots Daniel Deusser (GER), Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) and Marco Kutscher (GER). The US will see a strong field of top class riders at the Spanish event, with Laura Kraut (USA), Lauren Hough (USA), Kent Farrington (USA) and Georgina Bloomberg (USA) taking part in the four day festival of show jumping. Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) will be another top name to look out for this week, as will his GCL team mate Gregory Wathelet (BEL). Kevin Staut (FRA) and Penelope Leprevost (FRA) return for the LGCT of Madrid, and with other names such as Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS), Ben Maher (GBR), Eric Lamaze (CAN), Michael Whitaker (GBR), Pius Schwizer (SUI), Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani (QAT), Jérôme Guery (BEL) and former LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid winner Maikel van der Vleuten (NED), it’s set to be another incredible weekend of top sport and entertainment.
There will be a total of 16 classes held over four days of competition, with the world’s best riders in action for the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Madrid presented by CaixaBank on Saturday 21st May, at 17:00 local time. With a total of €320,000 up for grabs, it’s set to be another nail-biting round of action as the riders battle it out for the sixth round of competition on the 15-event Tour.
Fans will be able to witness the stars of show jumping in action in the stunning grass arena, and with a shopping village, entertainment and refreshments, there will be something for everyone to enjoy over the four day festival of show jumping.
The ever-popular CSI5* 1.55m Copa Del Rey – Trofeo El Corte Ingles, worth €75,000 in prize money, will be held at 14:30 on Sunday, and the spectacular Global Champions League of Madrid, which offers an impressive €200,000 in prize money, will kick off at 18:00 local time.
For a full rider list, please click here. For more information and a detailed show schedule, please click here. Tickets are available to purchase here.