9 February 2025

World Cup Final Bordeaux: Boyd Exell in the lead

Tonight the first competition of the FEI World Cup Final took place in Bordeaux. Around 11:15 p.m., the best six four-in-hand drivers of the past World Cup season appeared in the course built bij Jeroen Houterman and Wild Card competitor Benjamin Aillaud took the start.

The starting order was determined by the World Cup standings after the last qualifier in Leipzig in January. Since Benjamin Aillaud participated with a Wild Card, he went first. He drove a fine and captivating round but with his time of 170.97 and two fallen balls he had to let the rest go ahead.

Mistakes for Dries Degrieck and Jérôme Voutaz

Things were not going well for Jérôme Voutaz and Dries Degrieck today. Jérôme lost about nine seconds after his leaders almost shot past the gate to A in obstacle ten. Then in the turn to C an element fell over and before and after obstacle ten a ball also fell. So extra time and three fallen balls earned Jerome sixth place today.

For Dries Degrieck also a ball fell when entering obstacle ten. Then also for him a ball fell in the turn to C and after obstacle ten a third ball fell. Too bad, because with his time of 154.46 only Boyd and Bram were faster off him!

Koos de Ronde the only one clear

Koos de Ronde was the only one who managed to stay clear today! When driving out of obstacle four after the F, his right leader came very close to the wood for a moment, but he recovered quickly and then finished his round smoothly. With his time of 160.64 seconds, Koos finished in fourth place today!

IJsbrand Chardon over Bram Chardon

After Koos it was IJsbrand’s turn. For him, a ball fell early in the course, but the pace was good and despite the occasional close, he otherwise left all the balls on top! With his time of 155.53 seconds and the dropped ball, he didn’t seem super satisfied, shaking his head after he crossed the finish line. He probably would have reacted differently if he knew that later in the evening only Boyd Exell would improve his result!

In fact, son Bram finished with half a penalty point more on the counter. He drove very strong, fast and fluent and drove a time of 152.01 seconds, the best time so far! But because of his fallen ball on gate three and after obstacle ten, he ends up between his father and Koos de Ronde in the intermediate classification.

Boyd Exell four seconds ahead

So last starter Boyd Exell knew what to do, everyone else had already driven. Yet even he did not manage to leave all the balls on top, even before obstacle ten he had an extra four seconds on the counter, but he held on to this and recorded the fastest time of the evening: 151.83 seconds. So with his ball added, Boyd still managed to stay almost four seconds ahead of the number two, IJsbrand Chardon!

Tomorrow the second round starts at 4:45 p.m. local time. Then Boyd Exell will start with zero points extra, the rest will get 50% of the number of points they finished from Boyd today, noted in seconds as extra time. So IJsbrand will get about two seconds extra and for Bram Chardon and Koos de Ronde (the number three and four) it will be about 2.5.

Click here for the results
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Photo: Melanie Guillamot

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