Gluey going sieves the field

The shortened cross-country provides a challenge, with Sarah Ennis, Sandra Auffarth - and of course Ros Canter - among those clocking standout rounds

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THE cross-country track was designed by Pierre le Goupil, who will also be responsible for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games course.

Kitty King described it as having “Bramham dimensions and terrain with Luhmühlen’s twistiness”, while Yasmin Ingham was among those who commented on the strength of the challenge at the first water, saying: “You get a big shock at fence seven – you’re jumping off quite a large step, sort of a Burghley Leaf Pit vibe, and then you roll down the hill to a large drop into the water.”

The officials had to take some tough calls when 17mm of rain fell overnight and they opted to remove a two-minute loop from the course, with the optimum time reduced to 8min 18sec.

Pathfinders Sarah Ennis and Grantstown Jackson made the track look relatively easy when they finished six seconds over the target time for the Irish team, which propelled them from 54th to fifth after the cross-country.

“I knew that these conditions would suit him – he’s very light and out of a thoroughbred mare,” said Sarah, who described the track “like going round in a tumble dryer”.

After Sarah, early competitors generally made heavier weather of the challenge, with many clocking a large number of time-faults.