29 december 2008
Mechelen: De Ronde in the lead
Dutchman Koos de Ronde was the best driver this afternoon in the Nekkerhal in Mechelen in the warm up competition of the FEI World Cup Driving. De Ronde managed to limit his penalty seconds to 10 and will be last to go in tomorrow’s World Cup competition. IJsbrand Chardon knocked three balls down but set the fastest time, which brought him to the second place.
The Organising Committee wanted to allocate a wild card to a talented young driver and since Germany’s Michael Brauchle won the marathon in Aachen and contributed to the silver team medal in Beesd 2008, the OC invited the 18 year old driver to compete in Mechelen. Brauchle was first to go and managed to stay clear which turned out to make him come third. His compatriot Christoph Sandmann made three for him unusual mistakes and came fourth. Sandmann left directly after the competition for Wierden in the Netherlands where his eldest daughter competes in an international pony show jumping event. The team of Gert Schrijvers had to get used again to the tight turns of the indoor driving and came fifth today. Sweden’s Tomas Eriksson, winner of the FEI World Cup in Mechelen in 2007, did not get his team in the right rhythm and left the arena with 30 penalty seconds behind his name. His fellow countryman Fredrik Persson had very bad luck today. His leader horses jumped to the side when he wanted to cross the bridge and the turnout passed another gate. This meant elimination and Persson will be first to go in tomorrow’s FEI World Cup competition.
Koos de Ronde on his way to his victory for today (photo: Rinaldo de Craen)
More photos in the album.
Results warming up Mechelen 29/12/08:
1. Koos de Ronde (Ned) 139.35 (10)
2. IJsbrand Chardon (Ned) 140.63 (15)
3. Michael Brauchle (Ger) 141,21 (0) wild card
4. Christoph Sandmann (Ger) 150,33 (15)
5. Gert Schrijvers (Bel) 162,18 (20) wild card
6. Tomas Eriksson (Swe) 169,81 (30)
7. Fredrik Persson (Swe) EL
