Photos: Stefano Grasso / LGCT
This weekend’s Longines Global Champions
Tour of Cannes looks set to be another stunning showcase of
world class sport with a formidable field of eight out of
the world's Top 10 poised to dazzle in Cannes for the 8th
stage of the 2016 season. The star-studded line-up of top
athletes features home rider and World Number 2 Simon
Delestre (FRA) leading the way with compatriot, World Number
4 and last year’s LGCT Grand Prix of Cannes winner Pénélope
Leprevost (FRA) who will be back once more to do battle in
the high adrenaline setting. Joining them will be leading
French riders, World Number 7 Kevin Staut (FRA) and
Roger-Yves Bost (FRA), promising strong competition from the
local heroes as the Tour gallops past its mid-way mark.
One of the features of the Longines Global Champions Tour
series is the unique mix of locations and diversity of
competition set up. Following the galloping grass arenas of
Mexico City, Hamburg, Madrid and Chantilly, the leading
horse and rider combinations will face a new challenge with
the intimate LGCT Cannes sand arena, measuring 75m x 55m in
total, and best suited to horses quick on their feet and
agile in their turns.
It will be a glittering concentration of show jumping
talent, as World Number 5 Scott Brash (GBR) will also be in
action, joined by fellow top ten riders; World Number 8
Gregory Wathelet (BEL), World Number 9 Daniel Deusser (GER)
and World Number 10 Bertram Allen (IRL), all of whom will be
looking to take gold in the LGCT Grand Prix of Cannes which
kicks off at 17:30 local time on Saturday 11th June.
LGCT Ranking leader and World Number 3 Christian Ahlmann
(GER) continues his consecutive run of LGCT events, and will
hope to extend his lead of the overall rankings. Currently
Christian, the ever-consistent, ever-professional 'Mercedes'
as he was described in a recent press conference, is leading
the LGCT overall rankings on a tally of 186 points - the top
German rider has been one of the most consistent athletes on
the Tour, scoring a minimum of 25 points at all but one of
the seven legs so far.
Hot on his heels and heading to the beautiful backdrop of
Cannes is compatriot Ludger Beerbaum (GER), who has won two
out of the four LGCT Grands Prix he has competed in this
season. His first was a sensational win on home turf in
Hamburg, with the relatively new horse Casello - one that
has been in his stables only since the beginning of the
year. Ludger then wowed the crowds in Chantilly after
another stunning performance, this time with his top mare,
the grey Chiara 222, which saw him claim the Grand Prix win
and shoot up the LGCT rankings to 2nd overall with a total
of 126 points so far.
It promises to be another exhilarating 'edge-of-the-seat'
weekend, as just one point behind on 125 sits the legendary
Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE). The ever-consistent combination
of Rolf and his formidable stallion Casall ASK have ensured
the pair collected plenty of points in four of the six
events Rolf has competed in this season so far. Hungry for a
Grand Prix win, and with a history of success in the Cannes
events, Rolf will undoubtably be bringing out the big guns
as we move into the second half of the season.
More top names looking to improve on their overall LGCT
Ranking positions are John Whitaker (GBR), Edwina
Tops-Alexander (AUS), Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA), Harrie
Smolders (NED) and Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani (QAT) -
all of whom currently sit in the top ten. After a strong
showing in Chantilly, 2015 LGCT Champion of Champions
Luciana Diniz (POR) will be back in action, and with names
such as Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER), Laura Kraut (USA),
Lauren Hough (USA), Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), Marcus Ehning
(GER), Jessica Springsteen (USA), Ben Maher (GBR), Maikel
van der Vleuten (NED), Pius Schwizer (SUI), Roger-Yves Bost
(FRA) and Marco Kutscher (GER) it’s set to be another
phenomenal weekend of top sport and entertainment.
Only 50m from the world-famous La Croisette, the Cannes
event is a special combination of glamour and top-class
sport held from the 9th - 11th June. Positioned close to the
Mediterranean Port of Cannes and the super-yachts in the
bay, the 8th round of the Tour is a very special horse show
in the heart of the French Riviera. Now a regular fixture on
the Longines Global Champions Tour calendar, the show has
grown every year and welcomes over 15,000 visitors though
its gates each summer.
Drawn by the incredible level of sport on offer and the
collection of international show jumping stars in attendance
(as well as a few famous faces from other walks of life -
last year LGCT Cannes welcomed actor Guillaume Canet and
royalty Charlotte Casiraghi to the event), visitors enjoy
the ambience, glamour and nightlife of this famous city,
home of course to the dazzling Cannes Film Festival.
The Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Cannes will
be broadcast Live on Eurosport, with coverage of all the
CSI5* events via the GCT TV online streaming platform. The
Global Champions League team competition will follow the
Grand Prix directly on Saturday 11th June, with the first
round starting at 22:00 local time. Home team, the Cannes
Stars, will undoubtably be looking to capitalise on their
recent podium success in front of the home crowd, and as the
season gallops past it’s midway point, the stakes are raised
in the battle for the overall Championship.
For all the information about the LGCT Cannes, including a
show schedule, please click
here. For a full rider list, please click
here.