The FEI has recently published the updated world rankings, allowing an accurate estimate of the quality of the 29th Jumping de Cannes edition. This year’s event remains at the highest level as is the tradition: seven out of the world’s top ten will start today.
This event will provide German Marcus Ehning (current n° 2 in the world ranking) the opportunity to usurp the n°1 spot, currently held by the Swiss Pius Schwizer. The Swiss rider will be absent from this event due to a national championship being held in Swiss territory, which gives Ehning the perfect opportunity to add to his previous successes on French ground. At the Top 10 in Paris-Villepinte, as well as at the World Cup qualifier in Bordeaux and at the Saut Hermès in the Grand Palais in Paris, his performances were brilliant. It is evident that all eyes will be on the phenomenal German in the GCT Grand Prix of France on Saturday at 18:00h in the Hespérides arena.
The French audience (or at least those who have been able to snatch a ticket for the completely booked out tribune on Saturday) will naturally have hopes for Kevin Staut. No French spectator would dislike a victory of the young Frenchman (world n°4) over the German prodigy. The climb of the French marvel in the hierarchy list of the world is simply miraculous!
Ludger Beerbaum reenters the new Top10 list in the tenth position after several months of absence, which might be an additional spur for him to win this Grand Prix just like he did in 2001 with Goldfever. Though it would be only fitting if he were to win on Gotha, Goldfever’s daughter, but the mare is currently on break beween the CSIO of Saint-Gall and Rotterdam. Beerbaum will therefore be in the saddle on his French stallion Chaman, son of the triple World Cup winner Baloubet de Rouet.
Ludger’s sister-in-law Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, winner of the Grand Prix de Cannes two years ago, is less lucky: She just descended by 7 places in the world ranking list (now being n°30) due to a somewhat difficult comeback after pregnancy and to complete her streak of bad luck, Shutterfly has begun to founder this week. As a result, Meredith will not be competing in Cannes this year. But even so, one can be sure that the participants list is peppered with amazing riders!
World’s Top 10 on June 9th, 2010 (in bold = present in Cannes, between ( ) = previous ranking)
1 (1) Pius SCHWIZER (SUI) 3288
2 (2) Marcus EHNING (GER) 3163
3 (3) Eric LAMAZE (CAN) 3148
4 (4) Kevin STAUT (FRA) 2874
5 (9) Jessica KÜRTEN (IRL) 2745
6 (7) Edwina ALEXANDER (AUS) 2742
7 (6) Rolf-Göran BENGTSSON (SWE) 2709
8 (5) Steve GUERDAT (SUI) 2697
9 (10) Ben MAHER (GBR) 2635
10 (12) Ludger BEERBAUM GER 2603