11 December 2022
Geneva 2022: Brauchle makes a come back, but Bram Chardon wins
It was a thrilling World Cup competetion today in Geneva. With an 'unusual mistake' by Bram Chardon and a fantastic comeback by Michael Brauchle after yesterday's disappointing performance, it was an exciting battle for the World Cup points.Because Michael Brauchle finished last yesterday, he had to start first today. And how! After he was visibly dissatisfied with how his team performed yesterday, he showed fast rounds with a well-cooperating team today. He drove clear in the first round, was incredibly fast with 160.92 and was the last to start in the drive-off. “Yesterday I had one error after another and some minor problems. Today I changed it up a bit. This morning I trained even more and did some more preparation. As the first starter I had to set a good time right away and therefore took extra risks. The audience helped and that was very nice.” But what did he change? Michael laughs a little mysteriously. “My left wheeler quickly becomes a bit too strong and then the left leader is not fast enough. That is why we lunged the left wheeler a little extra.”
Michael Brauchle
Photo: Melanie Guillamot
A mistake makes it exciting
Bram Chardon started last after yesterday’s great performance, but made it very exciting by tapping an element right away in the first marathon obstacle and thus earning 4 penalty seconds early in the course. “It was my fault,” he says afterwards. “I was already twice too late with my turns and lost the rhythm, so the horses didn’t understand me for a moment. As a result, my wheeler fell in on the turn to the C gate and we tapped the obstacle. After that mistake I thought for a moment that I took a wrong gate, but my sister helped me. I knew it was still possible, but I had to give more than I had planned in advance. Fortunately, the horses gave their all and I managed to get into the drive off.”
Bram Chardon had a mistake in obstacle 4 in the first round
Photo: Melanie Guillamot
Great performance from Degrieck
Besides Michael Brauchle and Bram Chardon, Dries Degrieck also reached the drive-off. He drove a bit wider in the marathon obstacles, but on the long lines he has an advantage with his large galloping horses. The Belgian placed third and had to bite the bullet in the drive off. He remained clear and eventually finished third. “Michael and Bram are very experienced in this work. For me it is only the first real World Cup season. I knew I had to be fast, but my horses and I haven’t quite got that experience yet. I am very happy with my third place.”
Wake up call
Bram Chardon moest als tweede van start. De fout in de eerste omloop was voor hem een wake-up call. “In de drive-off was ik veel preciezer en scherper en de paarden deden zijn rest.” Met een foutloze rit in 152,45 voerde hij de druk voor laatste starter Michael Brauchle flink op. De Duitser reed opnieuw foutloos en zijn paarden waren snel. Hij moest door de snelheid kiezen voor wat langere langere lijnen en reed naar de laatste poorten op het lange slotstuk om hindernis 10 heen, waar Bram en Dries binnendoor gingen. Michael bleef foutloos, finishte in 157,13 en werd tweede. De overwinning en de volle bak aan wereldbekerpunten waren voor Bram Chardon. “Vorig jaar won ik hier en nu weer. We zijn hier met de hele familie, inmiddels 3 generaties. Het is pas mijn eerste wedstrijd in dit seizoen dus ik ben er pas laat bij. De paarden zijn dezelfde als vorig jaar, zij hebben de routine en kunnen mij helpen. Het is voor mijn familie een intensief seizoen omdat mijn vader ook meerijdt en kansrijk is. In Lyon en Maastricht heeft hij mijn achterpaarden gebruikt, omdat zijn nieuwe paarden nog niet helemaal klaar waren. In Stockholm heeft hij ze wel meegenomen en in Leipzig kunnen we beiden met ons eigen span rijden.”
Bram Chardon had to start second. The mistake in the first round was a wake up call for him. “In the drive-off I was much more precise and sharper and the horses did their best.” With a clear round in 152.45 he put a lot of pressure on the last starter Michael Brauchle. The German drove clear again and his horses were fast. Due to the speed, he had to choose longer lines and drove to the last gates on the long final section around obstacle 10, where Bram and Dries went through. Michael remained clear, finished in 157.13 and was second. The victory and the maximum World Cup points were for Bram Chardon.
“Last year I won here and now again. We are here with the whole family, now 3 generations. It’s only my first competition this season so I’m late. The horses are the same as last year, they have the routine and can help me. It is an intensive season for my family because my father also participates. In Lyon and Maastricht he used my wheelers, because his new horses were not quite ready yet. He also took them with him in Stockholm. In Leipzig we can both drive our own team.”
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Bram Chardon
Photo: Melanie Guillamot
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