For many of her teammates, the allowed time was a major opponent, just as the technically demanding finishing line in the final: not so for Sophie Hinners and her Iron Dames Combella (v. Cornet du Lys). In the sprint, the world champion team showed their competitors that they were old hat and secured their first Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix victory in Vienna after a swift 43.13 seconds, thereby also earning a Golden Ticket for the Super Grand Prix in Riyadh in November.
„I really put everything on the line in the race. Fortunately, Iron Dames Combella came through so superbly and it all paid off,“ Sophie Hinners said afterwards and thanked the Iron Dames team around Deborah Mayer for their great support, without which such a victory would never have been possible. When asked how she celebrates her big success, Sophie Hinners replied with a laugh: „In the truck on the way home.“
The unlucky birds of the evening were Hans-Dieter Dreher and his Elysium, who had no drop, but with 84.03 seconds were one beat over the allowed time and had to watch the race from the sidelines. Nevertheless, they still finished ninth. Henrik von Eckermann and Minute Man were similarly unlucky; they were 0.64 seconds over time.
Eight pairs had qualified for the jump after flawless rounds. The first pair to find the key to this tricky course with a very challenging final line was Austria’s Katharina Rhomberg with her Colestus Cambridge (v. Colestus). However, a pole fell to the ground during the jump, and so the pair finished seventh.
Coming very close to the time of Sophie Hinners, Peder Fredricson finished with Alcapone des Carmille (v. Diamant de Semilly) in the end. His time of 43.60 seconds secured second place on the podium ahead of Schloss Schönbrunn. Third place was secured by the Belgian Olivier Philippaerts with Hipster SV (v. Corporal VDL).
Coming out of the money just short of 14th place were Christian Ahlmann and Untouched LB (from United Touch S), who once again delivered a great round, unfortunately with a net roller.
The overall standings continues to lead Abdel Said with 219 points ahead of Christian Ahlmann with 205 points.
The whole result: HERE