LGCT Vienna: Championship battle enters its decisive phase
The race for the 2026 Longines Global Champions Tour Championship is entering its decisive phase. From 24 to 27 September, some of the world’s best riders will gather in Vienna for four days of five-star sport against the spectacular backdrop of Schönbrunn Palace.
With only a handful of stages remaining before the end of the season, the Austrian event could prove crucial for the overall standings. The margins are narrowing, the pressure is mounting and every Championship point could reshape the title race.
Among the leading contenders heading to Vienna is Abdel Said, who has established himself as one of the major forces in the 2026 Championship battle. However, he will face an exceptionally strong field in the Austrian capital.
Former World No. 1 Henrik von Eckermann will line up alongside two-time LGCT Champion Edwina Tops-Alexander and established stars including Maikel van der Vleuten, Christian Ahlmann, Cian O’Connor, Denis Lynch, Jur Vrieling, Peder Fredricson and Niels Bruynseels. Philipp Weishaupt, winner of last year’s LGCT Grand Prix of Vienna, will also return to defend his crown.
Several riders who have already made their mark on the 2026 season will also be in action. Katrin Eckermann, winner of the opening Grand Prix in Miami Beach, will be looking for another major result. She will be joined by Antoine Ermann, who secured a podium finish in Shanghai, and Yuri Mansur, fresh from an emotional third place at the latest LGCT Grand Prix in Valkenswaard.
The field also features a formidable group of riders capable of shaking up the order, including Sophie Hinners, Sanne Thijssen, Michael Pender, Tom Wachman, Thibault Philippaerts, Olivier Philippaerts, Gudrun Patteet, Eduardo Álvarez Aznar and Kim Emmen.
Italy will be represented by Emanuele Camilli and Giacomo Casadei, both ready to take on a world-class field at one of the most important events in the closing stages of the season.
Home favourite Max Kühner will have the Austrian crowd firmly behind him as he competes on home soil. Fellow Austrian riders Katharina Rhomberg, Felix Koller, Christoph Obernauer, Bianca Babanitz, Fritz Kogelnig and Wolfgang Ötschmaier will add further national interest to the five-star line-up.
For the Championship contenders, the margin for error is becoming increasingly narrow. Every rail, every second and every point gained in Vienna could have major implications for the overall standings. With the season entering its final stretch, mistakes will become harder to recover from, while a strong performance could provide a decisive boost in the race for the title.
The Longines Global Champions Tour now returns to Vienna, bringing elite show jumping to one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. With Championship ambitions on the line, international stars ready to battle and Austrian favourites chasing success on home soil, Schönbrunn Palace is set to host another compelling chapter of the 2026 season.
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