Nicola Philippaerts Claims Shanghai Victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix

The Belgian rider dominates a fiercely contested jump-off and reshapes the 2026 championship race

The atmosphere in Shanghai reached a fever pitch during the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Shanghai, where 40 of the world’s top riders went head-to-head for a prize fund exceeding €630,000, delivering one of the most competitive classes of the 2026 season so far.

Set against the striking backdrop of the Shanghai Juss International Equestrian Centre, the third leg of the Tour produced high drama from start to finish, culminating in a 19-rider jump-off where every fraction of a second proved decisive. The crowd witnessed an intense contest, with riders pushing the limits in pursuit of victory.

Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts, aboard Katanga v/h Dingeshof, emerged triumphant with a flawless double clear. First to go in the jump-off, he set an unassailable benchmark of 45.31 seconds, immediately placing pressure on the rest of the field.

Germany’s Marcus Ehning secured second place with Coolio 42, stopping the clock at 47.14 seconds, while France’s rising star Antoine Ermann completed the podium with Jiamo VDS, finishing in 48.02 seconds.

Speaking after his victory, Philippaerts praised his mare: “My mare – she is such a fighter. She has been in so many jump-offs, so it’s nice to win in front of such an incredible crowd. It’s so nice for her to have a win.”

He added: “It was a very long jump-off for me – I stuck to my plan and was perhaps a little lucky with some faults falling here and there. I couldn’t be more pleased with my horse and she truly deserved it. Our sport is becoming so global, the opportunity to ride in such a stadium and to jump here in Shanghai with this amount of crowd I think is fantastic – it’s a very nice win.”

Marcus Ehning also reflected on his performance, highlighting the significance of returning to top-level competition: “Coolio had a really nice holiday after Prague, and then I had a bit of time off myself with an injury, so it’s special to be back together like this. His last 1.60m class was at the GC Prague Playoffs, so to come here and jump like he did today, I’m very proud. He felt fantastic in the ring and gave me everything in a very tough jump-off.”

For Antoine Ermann, the result confirms his upward trajectory: “It was an incredibly competitive jump-off and you really had to take risks if you wanted to be in with a chance today. My horse gave me everything, and I’m very happy with how we performed – it’s always special to be on the podium at a show like Shanghai.”

The jump-off unfolded as a relentless race against the clock. Among the standout performances, Scott Brash with Hello Chadora Lady looked poised to challenge the leading time, delivering a blistering round in 43.82 seconds. However, a costly rail dropped him to fourth place.

Other leading contenders included Simon Delestre with Gatsby du Tillard, Christian Ahlmann aboard Applebridge Tag Z, and Hans-Dieter Dreher with Elysium. Despite competitive times, penalties proved decisive in keeping them off the podium.

A fiercely competitive top ten was rounded out by Oliver Lazarus with Conbalthago PS and Sophie Hinners aboard Iron Dames Singclair. Meanwhile, several riders pushed aggressively but paid the price with faults, including Koen Vereecke, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, and Pim Mulder.

Notably, several high-profile names failed to qualify for the jump-off, including reigning LGCT Champion Gilles Thomas, as well as Peder Fredricson and Max Kühner, underlining the depth of competition.

After three stages of the 2026 championship, the leaderboard remains tightly contested. Katrin Eckermann and Simon Delestre share the lead on 77 points, followed closely by Italy’s Piergiorgio Bucci on 75. Jack Whitaker sits in fourth place, with Cian O’Connor completing the top five.

With Shanghai now concluded, the Tour heads to Europe for the next stage in Madrid from May 15 to 17. The battle for the championship is intensifying, with every point becoming increasingly valuable as the season progresses.

Full results are available at the following link: https://www.gcglobalchampions.com/gct/competition/4084/results?_sc=OTcwNTkwNSMxMTI2MjA%3D&utm_campaign=Philippaerts+Powers+to+Shanghai+Glory+Delivering+in+High-Stakes+Longines+Global+Champions+Tour+Grand+Prix&utm_id=106&utm_medium=email&utm_source=brevo

Photo credits: LGCT
Source: Official Longines Global Champions Tour press release

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