Media updates

FEI European Vaulting Championship in Verolanuova (ITA)

Media updates
11 August 2005 Author: webmaster
Gold as a surprise for Slovakia, big success for the new Junior Team Category 

Slovakia won its first ever European gold medal at the successful European Vaulting Championship which took place last week-end in Verolanuova (ITA).

The big favourite for the Team medals was of course Germany, which team was in the lead from the beginning of the championship. The German team on Davidoff finally had to settle for silver and concluded the championship with a score of 7.640 points, only 0.008 behind the winner. It was a very close and exciting competition and Germany was still in the lead before the Final. When the German Team entered the arena for their last Freestyle, the Slovak Team was standing up, keeping their breath, in front of the loudspeaker to hear the marks of the jury and could hardly believe their ears when the result was announced. Austria won bronze with 7.577 points ahead of Great Britain and a new Swiss team from Lütisburg.

The determined Ana Barwig (GER) on Magic Dream won the European Female title and especially impressed the crowd in the Freestyle Final by her elegance and power on Magic Dream .. and by her dramatic green & leopard outfit! Rikke Laumann Nielsen (DEN) earned the silver medal. The Austrian vaulter Sissy Jarz, who was in the lead before the final, could not stand the pressure and produced a somewhat nervous performance in the Freestyle to end up with bronze.

The Male championship was also very open and the result was hard to predict until the Final Freestyle competition, which was very much disputed between Kai Vorberg (GER) and Gero Meyer (GER). Kai Vorberg and his well-known Picasso, produced two perfect Freestyles and became the European Champion, way ahead of their compatriots Jan Nayer/Aladin and Gero Meyer/Robinson Wendy, who earned the silver and bronze respectively, further to a disappointing Freestyle by Meyer.

The first ever European gold medal for the new Junior Team category, which was introduced this year, was proudly earned by Austria with 7.831, ahead of Germany and Italy. “The level of the youngsters is really impressive” commented Frank Spadinger, Technical Delegate at the Championship, “most of them could easily compete in the open category”.

The competitors and officials praised the excellent facilities and perfect surface in the arena. The Circolo Ippico Cascina San Giorgio of Verolanuova, near Brescia, was completely renovated and 80 permanent stables built for the championship. “The Organising Committee did a fantastic job and they must be congratulated for their hard work” concluded Spadinger.
 

X