Jung and Townend go head to head at Strzegom
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Germany’s Michael Jung and Britain’s Oliver Townend, both winners of HSBC World Cup™ Eventing competitions this season, go head to head at Strzegom (POL) this weekend (June 24-27) as they both bid to take over the lead in the 2010 rankings from Australian Megan Jones, who has scored a win and a second place in the series so far.
Jung, who had an incredible season in 2009, winning Luhmühlen and a European bronze medal on La Biosthetique Sam, is already a winner at this Polish venue having scored at the HSBC World Cup™ Eventing Final here last year.
In contrast, Townend made an early exit at Strzegom last year; having led the Dressage phase, he suffered an unlucky fall on the flat across country when Flint Curtis lost a shoe.
Jung kicked off his 2010 campaign with a win at Marbach (GER) last month on Sam and he brings this horse to Strzegom, plus Weidezaunprofi’s River Of Joy and Leopin; Townend, who won at Tattersalls (IRL) on Ashdale Cruise Master, travels to Poland with ODT Master Rose and Brigadier, a new ride this season.
Word has spread about the excellent competition offered at Strzegom, especially Rudiger Schwarz’s Cross-Country course, and the HSBC FEI World Cup™ has attracted an impressive 39 entries from 13 nations.
But the combination in the limelight will be Olympic Champion Hinrich Romeike (GER) and his 16-year-old superstar Marius Voight-Logistik, a veteran of six consecutive championships. Following the grey gelding’s lay-off through injury, Romeike is now on the qualifying trail for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in September.
And local interest will centre on Pawel Spisak (POL) and Weriusz, the combination which thrilled the home crowd last year when claiming a seventh-place finish.
Standings (after 6 of 12 events)
1 Megan Jones (AUS) 138 points 2= Clarke Johnston (NZL) 128 2= Lucy Wiegersma (GBR) 128 4 Sonja Johnson (AUS) 119 5 Andrew Downes (GBR) 104 6 Mary King (GBR) 74 7= Mara Dean (USA) 71 7= Chris Burton (AUS) 71 7= Michael Jung (GER) 71 7= Sam Griffiths (AUS) 71 7= Oliver Townend (GBR) 71
Filed Under
Eventing
