SWEDEN SENDS OUT THE BIG GUNS FOR THE FINAL ASSAULT......
The Swedish team will be coming out with all guns blazing for the final of the 2007 Samsung Super League with FEI series which takes place in Barcelona, Spain next Sunday.
An unfortunate afternoon at the second-last leg in Dublin last month saw them bringing up the rear, and they go into Sunday's decider at the bottom of the series leaderboard knowing that nothing short of a strong performance can save them from relegation.
Ironically it seems that the Irish, who lost out in a valiant battle with the Swedes at the 2006 finale, look set to re-join the elite eight nations in 2008 as they continue to head up the 2007 FEI Nations Cup series with only four legs remaining. But Swedish form at last month's European Championships in Mannheim suggests that they can shrug off that Dublin disaster, and Chef d'Equipe Maria Gretzer has three of the squad that secured Olympic qualification when finishing a strong fifth at the German fixture available to her including Rolf-Goran Bengtson, Helena Lundback and Royne Zetterman who will be joined by Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Peter Eriksson.
The double-points available at the final leg of the series could make all the difference. In Barcelona points will be awarded as follows :
1st - 20; 2nd - 14; 3rd - 10; 4th - 8; 5th - 6; 6th - 4; 7th - 2; 8th - 1. So perhaps it is the French, lying second-last and only four points ahead of the Swedes, who should be feeling the pressure. For the first time since 1932 France has failed to qualify for the Olympic Games and manager Gilles Bertran de Balanda will need a resolute effort from Florian Angot, Aymeric de Ponnat, Olivier Guillon, Philippe Leoni and Kevin Staut to ensure his country does not lose it's Samsung Super League with FEI status now.
The Dutch are lying sixth and just nine points ahead of Sweden on the leaderboard, but it would be difficult to imagine them in trouble after their superb performances over the past year. Their team gold at the European Championships was won convincingly just as it was at last summer's World Equestrian Games, and manager Rob Ehrens seems unlikely to lose the smile he has been wearing ever since with Jeroen Dubbeldam, Albert Zoer, both Ben and Gerco Schroder and the promising new partnership of Willem Greve and KEC Maximum Joe available to him - he is almost spoiled for choice.
The Americans, just a single point better than the Dutch, seem comfortable too with a total of 26.5 to their credit, but after the season they have had they need to maintain concentration. Just 10 points separate them from the Swedes and although they have recently raised their game and subsequently moved steadily up the order they had a poor start to the season and cannot afford to be complacent this weekend. George Morris steps back in to take over from deputy Chef d'Equipe Melanie Taylor-Smith and he will be expecting a strong show from Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden, Christine McCrea, Todd Minikus and Ken Berkley who is a newcomer to the series.
The Belgians are another point better off and manager Lucien Somers has Niels Bruynseels, Marc Van Dijck, Vincent Lambrecht, Philippe Lejeune and Jos Lansink on call while Derek Ricketts' British squad includes John Whitaker, Robert Smith, David McPherson, Tina Fletcher and James Davenport. Their bronze medal finish at Mannheim should have seriously boosted British confidence and, lying third with 30.5 points, they seem in no danger. Nor do the Swiss, two points ahead and although just nudged out of bronze medal position at the Europeans looking strong with Markus Fuchs, Christina Liebherr, Theo Muff, Hansueli Sprunger and Jane Richard - the latter very impressive in Dublin where she finished third in the Grand Prix.
Germany heads up the table with a 15-point lead over Switzerland and looks perfectly poised to scoop the Samsung Super League with FEI title for the second year running but manager Kurt Gravemeier is taking no chances with his arsenal including Christian Ahlmann, Marcus Ehning, Thomas Muhlbauer, Marco Kutscher and 27 year old Franz-Josef Dahlmann who has been firmly establishing his credentials this summer. Ehning heads up the Leading Rider leaderboard going into this last leg with a total of 9 points after collecting 3 points for double-clear rounds at La Baule and Rome and 1 point for single clears in St Gallen, Rotterdam and Aachen while team-mate Ahlmann lies second with 6 points after double-clear performances in both St Gallen and Aachen. Lying third is Frencham Olivier Guillon who carries five after a double-clear in Rome and single clears at St Gallen and Aachen and eight riders share a running score of 4 points.
Of course in Barcelona the non-Super League Spanish team also competes and all eyes will be on the charming partnership of Paola Amilibia Puig and the former British team horse Cabri d'Elle who really sparkled during the early stages in Mannheim. The Spanish team came close to Olympic qualification when finishing a creditable eighth there, and Sergio Alvarez Moy who finished 16th individually and Gonzalo Testa Ornat who slotted into 22nd have been called up again along with Ricardo Jurado.
The fifth Samsung Super League with FEI season has been another thriller all the way, and if the line-up for this weekend is anything to go by then the excitement is far from over.......
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI - LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 7 AT DUBLIN:
1. Germany - 47.75
2. Switzerland - 32.75
3. Great Britain - 30.5
4. Belgium - 27.75
5. USA - 26.5
6. The Netherlands - 25.5
7. France - 20.25
8. Sweden - 16.5
The FINAL of the 2007 Samsung Super League with FEI series takes place in Barcelona, Spain on Sunday September 16. Show President is Joaquin Calvo Jaques, Show Director is Hans Peter Vogelsanger and Press Officer is Isabel Suter - email isuter@rcpolo.com. For further information check out WEBSITE www.csiobarcelona.com.
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI - 2007 CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
ROUND 1 - La Baule (FRA) Friday 11 May; ROUND 2 - Rome (ITA) Friday 25 May; ROUND 3 - St Gallen (SUI) Friday 1 June; ROUND 4 - Rotterdam (NED) Friday 22 June; ROUND 5 - Aachen (GER) Thursday 5 July; ROUND 6 - Hickstead (GBR) Friday 27 July; ROUND 7 - Dublin (IRL) Friday 10 August; ROUND 8 and FINAL - Barcelona (ESP) Sunday 16 September.
FEI TELEVISION BROADCAST INFORMATION FOR SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI FINAL AT BARCELONA::
LIVE
RAI (Italy) - Check local service
Equidia (France) - Sunday 16 September 20.45, Monday 17 September 10.00
TV3 (Spain) - Sunday 16 September 19.00, Monday 17 September 10.00
Sport Espressen (Sweden) - Check local service
WCSN (USA) - Sunday 16 September 14.00
HIGHLIGHTS
CBC Country (Canada) - Saturday 22 September 14.00, 20.00, 23.00
CNBC Europe - Sunday 23 September 17.00
CNBC Asia - Saturday 22 September 15.00
ESPN Brazil - Check local service
ESPN Star (Pan Asia) - Check local service
Eurosport - Wednesday 19 September 20.00, Thursday 20 September 08.30
Finnish Sport TV - Saturday 29 September 18.25
Fox Sports (Middle East) - Check local service
M-Net (Pan Africa) - Friday 5 October 20.00, Saturday 6 october 06.30, Sunday 7 October 10.30,
Monday 8 October 09.00, tuesday 9 October 13.00, Wednesday 10 october 15.00
Sport TV (Portugal) - Check local service
Sport + (France) - Monday 24 September 22.15
You can access all the latest Samsung Super League with FEI news and information on website www.samsungsuperleague.com.
Want to know more? You can check the comprehensive MEDIA GUIDE for the series, which is available in print and for download at www.samsungsuperleague.com under "Media Guide" heading.
PHOTOGRAPHS - a Photo Gallery of pictures is available on the Samsung Super League with FEI website for use by professional media only. The gallery will be regularly updated with low and high-resolution photographs and is password protected. To obtain a password follow the simple instructions when clicking on the link.
The Samsung Super League with FEI consists of the eight most prestigious horse shows at which the world's eight best national teams compare their merit. The Samsung Super League with FEI is connected to the FEI Nations Cup series through a promotion/relegation system at the end of each season.
Samsung Electronics, one of the world's largest electronics companies, is committed to supporting international sporting events, thereby returning corporate profits to the public and working towards a more harmonious and equitable society.
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