Paris 2024: Denmark dominates Dressage Team Grand Prix Day 1
Danish rider Nanna Skodborg Merrald led her team
Paris, July 30th, 2024 – Today marked the start of the Dressage competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics, set against the stunning backdrop of the Versailles Palace gardens. The first day of the Dressage Grand Prix qualifications saw Danish riders excel in a competition that was notably challenging due to temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius.
The provisional team standings for Dressage at the Paris 2024 Olympics currently have Denmark in the lead with a total score of 154.938%. Great Britain follows in second place with a score of 152.283%, and Sweden is in third with 145.870%. The top five is completed by Belgium with a score of 145.155% and Canada with 135.574%.
In the individual standings, Danish rider Nanna Skodborg Merrald led her team with her chestnut gelding Zepter, achieving a score of 78.028%, and surpassing Dutch rider Dinja van Liere to top her group. In Group B, Daniel Bachmann Andersen earned the highest score of 76.910%, followed by Germany’s Frederic Wanders, who is making his Olympic debut. In the third group, Becky Moody from Great Britain, who replaced Charlotte Dujardin at the last minute following her suspension over alleged animal abuse, recorded the highest score, with Patrik Kittel from Sweden in second place.
Top Five Provisional Individual Rankings after Day 1 of the Grand Prix:
- Nanna Skodborg Merrald (Denmark) on Zepter, with a score of 78.028%, already qualified.
- Dinja van Liere (Netherlands) on Hermes, with a score of 77.764%, already qualified.
- Carl Hester (Great Britain) on Fame, with a score of 77.345%.
- Charlotte Pottier (France) on Gotilas du Feuillard, with a score of 70.683%.
- João Victor Marcari Oliva (Brazil) on Feel Good VO, with a score of 70.093%.
The Danish team standout performances include:
- Nanna Skodborg Merrald on Zepter with a score of 78.028% at 11:09:30 (Group A).
- Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Vayron with a score of 76.910% at 14:25:30 (Group B).
- Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Freestyle, competing tomorrow at 10:38:00.
The competition continues with other top riders, including Germans Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Isabell Werth, gold and silver medalists from previous Olympics, set to compete tomorrow.
The qualification process dictates that the top two athletes from each of the six groups, along with the six with the next best scores (including ties), will advance to the Individual Grand Prix Freestyle final on Sunday, August 4. The top ten teams (including all ties for tenth place) will qualify for the Team Grand Prix Special final on Saturday, August 3.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 31, will feature the second day of the Dressage Team and Individual Grand Prix.
For the complete individual and team standings for Dressage – Day 1, click here.
Photo by Stefano Secchi (c) Dinja van Liere – CHIO Aachen 2024
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