Linda Who? Jumping World Cup Upset in Gothenburg

Linda Heed (SWE) completed a hattrick of feature class victories for the home nation as she stormed to the top of the leaderboard in the final leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League in Gothenburg (SWE) this afternoon. Her compatriots Petronella Andersson and Henrik von Eckermann had warmed up the home crowd when securing victories in Friday’s 1.50m and Saturday’s 1.55m Gothenburg Trophy respectively, but the show’s pinnacle event hadn’t been won by the host nation for seven years.

Determined to emulate the success of Henrik von Eckermann and Tovek’s Mary Lou back in 2018, Heed, contesting her first Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier with Skylander VS followed advice from chef d’equipe Henrik Ankercrona to ‘go for it’ in the jump-off and despite a rhythm- breaking stumble after fence two, held her nerve to deliver what proved to be an unbeatable performance.

Eight of the 33 starting combinations found the key to Peter Lundström’s (SWE) 13- fence first round track. Athletes described the course as tough and technical, with fences and related distances coming thick and fast with little time to recover from any lapse in concentration. From sixth draw, an ecstatic and emotional Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer (NOR) showed her more seasoned rivals how to negotiate the Scandinavium Arena’s unique curves as she delivered the first faultless performance of the class. At the halfway stage she had been joined by Sandra Auffarth (GER), Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and Linda Heed, already guaranteeing the knowledgeable audience of an exhilarating jump-off.

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The second half produced an identical number of clear rounds as Max Kühner (AUT), Mario Stevens (GER), Edouard Schmitz (SUI) and Gothenburg’s “Golden Boy” Henrik van Eckermann added their names to the jump-off list.

Some high-profile and pre-class favourite combinations missed out on a ticket to round two as fences fell all around Lundstöm’s track.

Peder Fredricson with the evergreen 19-year-old Catch Me Not S and brother Jens both faulted at the delicate plank at fence five, the only mistake in otherwise brilliant rounds. World number two Steve Guerdat (SUI) aboard his reigning European Champion and Olympic Silver Medallist Dynamix de Beheme looked set to join the ranks vying for victory here as the pair delivered a masterclass in Jumping until the second part of the penultimate fence fell to spoil an otherwise flawless round.

Whilst this fence (12b) an oxer, one stride after the vertical at part a, set on a four- stride distance from the triple bar at fence 11, saw eight combinations fault, it was testament to Lundström’s incredible judgement and course building skills that out of 16 jumping efforts, only three fences didn’t fall, whilst eleven athletes completed with just one fence down and a further five lowered two fences around around the track.

Eight athletes proceeded to the jump off, each with varying pressures presented by the Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Western European League. Lyngvaer contesting her first ever Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Qualifier and Heed, her first of the 2024/2025 season, were both out of contention for places in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, but were both dreaming of clear rounds having put themselves in the enviable position to show the world what they are capable of.

At the other end of the spectrum, Kühner and Von Eckermann knew that their qualification for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final was secured, but with wins for each proving elusive this season, both were hungry for victory.

The remaining four athletes had arguably much more at stake, all on the cusp of qualification for Basel’s Final, but all desperately in need of a strong haul of points in order to guarantee their places there.

With her impressive 11-year-old partner Carabella vd Neyen Z, Lyngvaer executed her plan to the letter and produced another polished performance to come home clear again in 38.31 seconds. Auffarth followed, calling upon the experience gained throughout an impressive debut series with Quirici H, she executed a series of impressive turns before falling foul of the back bar at fence nine, which saw her finish with four faults in a quick time of 35.17 seconds. The masters of consistency came next. With their place in Basel hanging in the balance, Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z N.O.P delivered a tactfully perfect round maintaining a wonderful rhythm throughout without taking any undue risks, they broke the beam in a time of 36.47 seconds edging them into the lead at this stage.

Heed came next. Swedish Chef d’equipe Henrik Ankarcrona’s advice ringing in her ears. “You’re in a World Cup Jump-Off now, so just go for it!” Knowing her horse is naturally quick, she set off with clear intentions, but a stumble after fence two broke their rhythm and their new plan was recovery and getting home without fault. An extra stride than planned to the following oxer followed and it looked as though her chances of bettering van der Vleuten’s time were waning. However, the trust between Heed and Skylander VS was demonstrated beautifully as they regained balance enough to execute an immaculate turn to the remaining two parts of what was the combination at fence six b and c, in one less stride than van der Vleuten to put them back in touch.

A slightly deeper shot to the following oxer saw Heed again have to improvise and take an additional stride than those taken by all of the other athletes and take five strides down the four-stride distance to the penultimate fence. Here it looked like her chances of victory were gone, but her tenacity and fighting spirit saw her never give in and she kept her nerve throughout a round that didn’t fall into place for her to cross the line 0.46 seconds ahead of van der Vleuten to rapturous applause from her home crowd and take the lead at the halfway stage.

Kühner and Schmitz both faulted in their attempts to catch her whilst Mario Stevens had a different agenda. Coming into this final leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, he lay in 25th place with only the top 18 athletes qualifying for the Final in Basel. Sitting on 29 points, somewhere in the region of 13 points shy of a qualifying spot, he knew he needed to finish fourth or higher to cement his place at his first Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in April. Starissa FRH rose to the occasion as he, in perfect harmony with his pilot, glided round the shortened track, executing a series of silky-smooth turns and giving each fence inches to spare as if on springs in a round that was a treat for the Scandinavium arena’s 20,000 eyes. Their time of 36.08 slipped them into second place.

The roof of the Scandinavium arena was raised as, last to go, their own hero Henrik Von Eckermann prepared to make a bid for his third victory in this class aboard his ride of just four months, Toveks Azaria Dinero. Under the same ownership as that of Toveks Mary Lou, the mare that carried him to victory here in 2017 and 2018, his new mount looked set to repeat those victories for Von Eckermann and his long-time supporters, the Tovek family. However, the fairytale didn’t go their way this time around as a rub of the penultimate vertical saw them finish in a sensational time of 35.15 seconds, but carrying four penalties to finish in fifth place.

However, a new chapter of Swedish history was written as Linda Heed was crowned the winner of the final leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League. She became the first female athlete to win a Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM class in Gothenburg since Beezie Madden won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final here in 2013 with Simon and the first Swedish female athlete to win the Gothenburg leg since Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli took victory with the great Mic Mac Du Tillard in 2011.

“This is by far my biggest victory!” Heed beamed, “my other wins come nowhere near what I have achieved today” she said of her first Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ victory.
“Words can’t describe how I feel right now. The crowd here make you feel so happy and the horses jump incredibly well because they can sense the energy of the public.

“I’m so proud of my horse today, he’s very sensitive and I’ve learned to listen to what he wants. It took a lot of time to build this strong connection with him but he has a huge heart and he really trusts me 100% now.”

Of her plans for Skylander VS Linda told “Tomorrow he will go in the field for some rest!”
It was a great sense of “mission accomplished” for Mario Stevens as his second place here secures him a coveted place in the Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Final. “It’s a special Sunday! My horse jumped unbelievably. I needed points and there was a lot of pressure here as ten athletes could potentially (have gone) into the final today. I’m so happy and proud to be second in the World Cup and to get to my first World Cup Final in Basel. It’s a special moment!”

Maikel was delighted with his third place finish her and was similarly relieved to have accomplished his main goal with his result here today. “Basel is secured! I’m mainly very happy with the form that Beauville is in but it was great for the audience that Linda won here today!” He concluded graciously.

After 14 legs of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, long term leader Kevin Staut (FRA) rounds out the series at the top of the leaderboard with 70 points, closely followed by Hans Dieter Dreher (GER) in second on 68. Peter Devos (BEL), Robert Whitaker (GBR), Max Kühner and Julien Epaillard complete the top six athletes qualified for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Basel.

With the culmination of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League following the completion of its 14th and final leg in Gothenburg this afternoon, all eyes are set on Basel as the Swiss city plays host to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final on 2-6 April 2025.

Full results here.