LGCT London: Bianchi takes second place on Friday

It was a blistering start to the weekend for one of the two riders involved in the CSI5* in London. Under heavy skies, full of rain, the Longines Global Champions Tour on the banks of the Thames River brought a podium place to Emanuele Bianchi on the opening day of competition.
Bianchi was second in the 1.50m category with barrage on the back of his 13 year old KWPN Vadetta v. Mettenhof (Oramè) behind the Frenchman Kevin Staut, the winner on Silvana HDC.
Of the 12 riders that took place in the competition, 6 managed to complete that last round without a single mistake. It was not easy keeping up with the likes of Christian Ahlmann (riding with  Colorit), Edwina Tops-Alexander and Heidi on Roisseau Z or Patrice Delaveau with Carinjo HDC but the Italian managed to pull out a super performance, a second place thanks to a final round that was fast and error free.
The top 10
1 Kevin Staut FRA Silvana HDC
2 EMANUELE MASSIMILIANO BIANCHI ITA VADETTA V.METTENHOF
3 Patrice Delaveau FRA Carinjo HDC
4 Jane Richard Philips SUI Dieudonne de Guldenboom
5 Abdullah Alsharbatly KSA Old Chap Tame
6 Christian Ahlmann GER Colorit
7 Denis Lynch IRL Abbervail van het Dingeshof
8 Edwina Tops-Alexander AUS Heidi du Ruisseau Z
9 Robert Whitaker GBR – USA Today
10 Penelope Leprevost FRA Nice Stephanie
The complete standings: http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/1057/sta_erg/05_ergENG.htm?style=long…
In the other race of the day, the 1.45m over two rounds, the winner was the Swiss rider Jane Richard Philips on the back of Pablo de Virton.
The other Italian involved in this competition, 22 year old Alberto Zorzi, finished 18th with Fair Liigh van’T Heike, once the horse of Edwin Tops-Alexander.
The main event in London takes place this afternoon at 3pm with the first run of the LGCT. Both Italians, Alberto Zorzi (rising with Caballero 84) and Emanuele Bianchi have qualified for the finals.
Below is the link for the live streaming of the event: http://www.globalchampionstour.com/gct-live/
www.globalchampionstour.com
photo credits: Stefano Grasso/LGCT