Forty-six Riders Compete Over the 160 km Track at CEI 3* Assisi
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The weather forecast was unfortunately one hundred percent correct as thunder lightening and heavy rain engulfed the riders at Assisi, almost as spectacular as the fireworks at the welcome party.
At 5am on a very cold morning 46 riders from nine nations set out on the 160km course that had already been battered by the heavy rain of the preceding days. The course had been considerably altered from that used for the 120km ride last year, no longer containing the section along the cobbled streets in the centre of the most beautiful and historical town of Assisi.
The general opinion was that is was a good, technical but difficult course and a vast improvement compared to last year.
Technical delegate John Robertson (GBR) commented, “It was an excellent ride at which the inclement weather conditions showed up the shortcomings , which is the idea of a trial ride and will be corrected for the FEI Open European Championship next year.”
Eventually, as the leader board changed dramatically over the final two stages, the winner was 34-year old Simona Garratti for Italy with the French bred Z’Tadore Al Maury in a ride time of 10hr 30min 18 sec ( 15.231kph). She was thirty minutes ahead of her compatriot Danilo de Angelis riding Present Jey. Four riders had sprinted to the finish for this second place with the sole French competitor Jack Begaud on Maguy De La Perriere just six tenths of a second later to take third place a few seconds ahead of the ride organiser Gianluca Laliscia with Seerseri also trained by Begaud.
The final vet gate had been a disappointment for several riders which included the Italian Chiara Marrama who had been first to cross the finish but was only awarded a completion due to an error on course. The British rider Christine Yeoman who could have taken second place was denied this when her horse L.M.Tranquillero tortted up lame. In total 18 completed, the last rider in beig Filippo Capece Giacomo for Italy who completed in the dark just after 9pm in a ride time of 12hr 42min 26sec.
