Switzerland’s Patric Looser and Germany’s Simone Wiegele claimed the inaugural FEI World Cup™ Vaulting titles at the 2010/2011 FEI World Cup™ Finals in Leipzig, Germany this afternoon.Looser was under pressure, having finished second to Nicolas Andreani from France in yesterday’s first Freestyle competition. But the 26 year old reigning World Champion from St Gallen, who won three of the four qualifying rounds over the winter months, produced a superb performance to put the result beyond doubt today.

Wiegele followed her team-mate, Antje Hill, into the bigger arena in Hall 1 which seemed to be much more to the liking of the horses than the smaller ring used yesterday. And although Hill’s routine was dramatic and beautifully controlled, it was Wiegele’s more complex display that settled the destination of the very first Female World Cup trophy.

EXPRESSION AND BALANCE
Italy’s Anna Cavallaro took the lead when third-last to go in the Female competition, showing expression and balance to earn a score of 7,713 from the judging panel of Germany’s Helma Schwarzmann and Jochen Schilffahrt and Poland’s Elzbieta Dolinska. But Hill’s performance raised the bar with a mark of 8,233 when next to take her turn. Only Wiegele could now prevent the 23 year old who took individual silver at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky from seizing the brand new FEI World Cup™ Vaulting trophy, and she did just that. The 25 year old from Grevenbroich, who finished one place behind Hill in Kentucky where she took individual bronze, was oozing confidence following her first-day success. And, together with longeur Agnes Werhahn and horse Arkansas, produced an impeccable performance.

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