Fireworks Loom at GCT Monaco

By Staff Report June 26, 2012

The epic battle for the 2012 Global Champions Tour crown continues in Monte-Carlo as top-ranked international riders countdown to this weekend’s GCT Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco.

In less than 48 hours leading riders from all over the world will start competing in a series of 5* classes at the sensational Port d’Hercule showground in the Principality of Monaco. Starting on June 28 there will be three days of intense competition with the best horses and riders stretched to the maximum over highly challenging and complex courses in the intimate Riviera arena.

Only 36 points separating the top five riders―Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS), Marcus Ehning (GER), Ben Maher (GBR), Gerco Schröder (NED) and last year’s Monaco Grand Prix winner Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE).

The GCT Grand Prix takes place Saturday, June 30, beginning at 1800, before thousands of spectators, and will be available to view on the GCT website livestreaming service (as well as televised around the globe on Eurosport International).

Things heat up Friday night, June 29, when the Jaeger-LeCoultre Pro-Am Cup Monaco takes place at 2115. A total of 15 teams have now been confirmed for the fast-paced competition where professional and amateur riders team up to jump against the clock.

The teams are: Jaeger-LeCoultre, Gucci, Christie’s, Masoni SpA, Amade Monaco, Olympe Capital, HSBC Private Bank (Monaco) SA, Sapinda Capital, CTM, Wally, Merit Capital, Jupiter Investment, Cum Laude Esthetic Dentistry, Noor & Fares Farms, Federation Equestre de la Principaute de Monaco.

Professional riders including Edwina Tops-Alexander, Michael Whitaker, Pius Schwizer, Kevin Staut and Laura Kraut will be teamed up with amateurs. Charlotte Casiraghi, honorary president of the GCT Monaco and mastermind of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Pro-Am Cup Monaco, said: “We are going to make it even more exciting and special this year.”

Over three days of top-level jumping there will be five main classes which count for World Ranking points. On Thursday evening there will be two CSI 5* classes – the Prix Federation Equestre de la Principatue de Monaco and the Prix Massimo Dutti – offering the first opportunity to see some of the world’s best riders in action in Monaco this year. On Friday the CSI 5* Prix SBM will see the leading competitors in the arena again and Saturday the CSI 5* Prix Sapinda Capital will complete the big classes before the Grand Prix.

HSBC Private Bank and luxury Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre are leading a raft of sponsors of the GCT Monte-Carlo, which is one of the jewels in the crown of the GCT series each year.

GCT president Jan Tops first brought this prestigious circuit to Monaco in 2006, when he founded the GCT, and his collaboration with Charlotte Casiraghi has created a destination event alongside the most famous yacht harbour in the world. “What is so good is that we have progressed a lot in developing the event and that process continues all the time. We have worked really hard every year to add new facilities, to raise the standard of the show and make it more special. That has been a success because people and businesses want to be associated with the event,” Casiraghi said.

More than 10,000 spectators are expected to attend the three-day event.

For more information, a go-list and past results, visit www.globalchampionstour.com.

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