18 January 2020
Leipzig 2020: Boyd Exell wins in exciting competition
After some consternation, Boyd Exell has won the first competition of the FEI Driving World Cup™ in Leipzig on late Friday evening. Bram Chardon finished in second place, ahead of Jérôme Voutaz.No sound
The Swedish Course Designer Dan Henriksson who builds for the first time in Leipzig, had designed a technical course with sharp turns for the eight drivers. The first round was won without any doubt by Boyd, who competes with a wild card. The five-time World Champion took his team fast and accurate though the tight turns and finished with a clear round. When Bram Chardon entered the arena, the sound system went off and it took a while before Bram could start. The waiting time was well taken by the spectators, who were present in large numbers despite the late start time (23.30). Bram drove a fast and clear round and placed second behind Boyd. Second last starter IJsbrand Chardon missed his place in the Drive Off when he knocked one ball down. Last starter Jérôme Voutaz proved to be in shape and was the third driver to qualify for the Drive Off over the shortened course in which both rounds were counted together.
Photo: Krisztina Horváth
Consternation
Because of a miscommunication of the Course Crew, obstacle 1 was also taken out off the course for the Drive Off, which was not on the course plan. The jury only found out after Voutaz had already started. Henriksson asked Bram and Boyd when they entered the arena for the Drive off to keep right of obstacle 8 (the original line to obstacle 1) to allow a fair continuation of the competition. Bram met the request and drove a fast round with one unfortunate knock down. Boyd decided to drive straight to obstacle 2 and finished with a clear round over two seconds slower than Bram, but because the times of both rounds were counted together, this was enough for the first place. Boyd’s decision caused some consternation, but the jury decided to leave the results unchanged.
Boyd explained afterwards that Dan Henriksson told him that there was a mistake in the course, there was no number 1 and that the others went around the obstacle: “ I immediately thought as a competitor in the Drive Off, why would you not go direct to 2. In the 30 seconds from receiving the message this was the decision I made as a competitor in the Drive Off and I was committed to my decision. I did not view either Bram or Jerome’s round as I was transferring from arena outside. This was my competitive decision in the moment . With retrospect if I had info before entering the arena I could have made another decision.”
Second wild card driver Koos de Ronde dropped two balls and finished in fifth place, ahead of Chester Weber, Benjamin Aillaud and third wild card starter Georg von Stein.
The World Cup competition is scheduled at 12.30 on Sunday afternoon where the last valuable points can be won in order to qualify for the Final in Bordeaux.
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