Henrik von Eckermann Triumphs in Africa: Two Days, Two Wins for the World’s Number One
World number one Henrik von Eckermann made history in Africa with a spectacular win. Riding the exceptional mare Iliana, von Eckermann claimed victory in the 1.55m Qatar’s Years of Culture as part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture Prix at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Rabat. This victory not only marks a personal achievement for von Eckermann but also stands as the largest individual five-star (CSI5*) win ever recorded on African soil.
After already taking first place on the debut day of the first-ever CSI5* event in Africa, von Eckermann delivered yet another flawless round, beating Maikel van der Vleuten on Elwikke by a narrow 0.21 seconds. Celine Schoonbroodt-De Azevedo from Belgium rounded out the top three with Deesse des Embruns, in what was an exceptionally tight competition, with all three top finishers crossing the line within a second of each other.
The brand-new event, held in Morocco’s capital, drew a sold-out crowd, creating an electric atmosphere for the 15-rider jump-off. All eyes are now on tomorrow’s Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix, where the 2024 title will be decided.
Reflecting on his performance, von Eckermann said, “I left the door a little open to the last jump, but I’m happy that Maikel went for eight strides instead of seven, as he could have been faster. Everything went my way today, and Iliana jumped really well.”
The course, designed by Uliano Vezzani, was challenging but fair. Out of 38 top international combinations, 15 managed to complete the track clear, setting up a thrilling jump-off. However, some of the sport’s biggest names, including Scott Brash, Daniel Deusser, and Lorenzo de Luca, had an off day and retired from the competition.
In the jump-off, Michael Duffy was first to enter the arena with a clear strategy. Posting a time of 41.25 seconds with Calypso de Beaufour, a rail at the final fence left him beatable. Similar mistakes plagued David Will, Kyle Timm, and title contenders Christian Kukuk and Max Kühner, leaving the door open for others to shine.
The first double-clear of the jump-off came from Eduardo Alvarez Aznar aboard Made In’t Ruytershof, who set a time of 41.62 seconds. However, as the competition heated up, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, fresh from her Global Champions League victory, shaved fractions off the clock, securing a top-five finish.
The tension peaked when von Eckermann entered the ring with Iliana. The sold-out crowd fell silent as the world number one navigated a smooth, blistering round, posting a time of 39.92 seconds. The question on everyone’s lips: Could anyone beat the master of speed?
Maikel van der Vleuten came closest, finishing just 0.21 seconds behind, but his decision to take eight strides to the last jump instead of seven left the victory in von Eckermann’s hands.
Local hero El Ghali Boukaa, riding Ugolino du Clos, received huge cheers from the home crowd. Despite a fast start, two rails down left him out of the running for a historic win.
As the sun sets on the eve of the 2024 Longines Global Champions Tour Championship decider, all eyes now turn to tomorrow’s biggest event of the year. The question remains: Will Christian Kukuk or Max Kühner handle the pressure, and who will be crowned the 2024 Champion of Champions?
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