Pieter Devos Wins €62,500 GCL – First Competition; St. Tropez Pirates are Best Among Teams at LGCT Paris
Pieter Devos and Apart.
With its unmistakably dramatic backdrop and dramatic skies to match on the afternoon of Friday, June 30, 2017, the Longines Global Champions Tour of Paris CSI5* kicked off on a high note for Belgium’s Pieter Devos, who won the €62,500 Global Champions League – First Competition presented by Oddo.
Devos topped the individual standings of the class held on the Champs De Mars in the center of Paris, France. He rode Apart, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding (Larino x Burggraaf) over two rounds and under rainstorms that threatened with lightning and thunder nearby.
Despite the changing cover, the entry list of 54 did give it their all, especially those pairs riding for Global Champions League ranking. The class, in which GCL team riders went first in the order, and individual, non team riders rode after, produced a second set of results.
Simon Delestre of France and Jerome Guery of Belgium put their team the St Tropez Pirates at the top of the leaderboard with two clear, quick rounds. In this competition, the first round counts for GCL ranking, and the jumpoff decides individual placings.
The GCL final will take place on Saturday afternoon over a single, speed round, and determine the starting order for the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Paris CSI5*, which will be held immediately after the GCL class.
Find out who is at the top—for now—in the GCL of Paris rankings by clicking here.
Individually, it was Alberto Zorzi of Valkenswaard United who placed 2nd to Devos. Christian Kukuk rode a strong round and the third of the double clear rides of the day to place 3rd with Limonchello NT.
This class was but a prelude for what’s to come on Saturday. With luck, the summer weather will return to Paris, but blue skies or not, there is nothing quite like show jumping in the center of the city of lights.
The complete results of the €62,500 Global Champions League – First Competition presented by Oddo. are here.