Ph. Manuel Queimadelos / Oxer Sport
In a vibrant second round and with the Casas Novas grounds in La Coruña, Spain completely full, 18-year-old rider Lisa Nooren exhibited her skills riding VDL Groep Sabech d’ Ha to achieve a suprise win in the €500,000 Longines Grand Prix CSI5*.
The daughter of Henk Nooren, who is currently the coach of the Spanish Junior team, has a long record book winning in 2013 the individual and team bronze medal in the Junior European Championship in Vejer de la Frontera and individual gold at Comporta in 2011. But as Saturday’s win was her first victory in a Grand Prix 5*, she did not hide her emotion upon achieving this new career high.
Expectation was high in the stands and in more than 60 countries into which was broadcast the Grand Prix live on Eurosport. The course, designed by Santiago Varela with maximum difficulty, predicted a test full of emotion and alternatives. In the first round just eight of the 45 entries completed the course with no penalties. A huge proportion of the participants were very close, finishing with four faults.
The top 12 came back for a full Round 2 that was stacked with veterans of the sport and promised excitement until the last moment with several alternatives for the lead. Only four pairs finished under a time of 50 seconds and clear.
The German rider Hans-Dieter Dreher was a few tenths from victory with a time of 48.77 seconds with Embassy II. Third was Belgian Olivier Philippaerts riding H & M Challenge V. Begijnakker, stopping the clock in 49.24 seconds.
The members of the Spanish team were not very lucky. Armando Trapote and Julio Arias were very close to the second round, finishing both with a knockdown. Trapote received from the hands of Ricardo Arroyo Tyco Trophy for being the best classified Spanish at the Grand Prix.
See the full results of the €500,000 Longines Grand Prix CSI5* at Casa Novas here.