Road to Paris 2018: Western Europe finalists

Our section “Road to Paris 2018“, dedicated to the Fei World Cup Finals, starts with the list of the European riders who clinched the qualification.
The 20 best names in show jumping of Western Europe were officially unveiled at the end of the 13th and final qualifier in Gothenburg, Sweden, where home hero Henrik von Eckermann triumphed for the second consecutive year. The Swedish star has impressed this season and now leads the overall standings with 84 points ahead of France’s Kevin Staut with 79 points.
Among the veterans of the FEI World Cup Final, there is Germany’s Marcus Ehning, who qualified thanks to his third place in the overall ranking with 67 points.
Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander confirmed to be the only woman in the European team, going through to Paris with 58 points and a fourth spot. 
Other finalists are Ireland’s Denis Lynch and Mark McAuley (5th with points and 18th with 39 points), Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Daniel Deusser (6th with 56 points and 10th with 48 points), Britain’s Michael and Robert Whitaker (7th with 56 points and 16th with 40 points), French Roger-Yves Bost (8th with 52 points), Belgium’s Pieter Devos and Olivier Philippaerts (9th with 49 points and 19th with 37th points).
To be added into the top twenty: Colombia’s Carlos Lopez (11th with 46 points), Dutch Harrie Smolders (12th with 45 points), Italy’s Alberto Zorzi (13th with 45 points), Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat (14th with 44 points), Swedish young promise  Douglas Lindelow (17th with 40 points), and France’s Simon Delestre with 35 points.
www.fei.org 
Click here to read the first issue of  our section ‘Road to Paris’.
Photo: Henrik von Eckermann riding Mary Lou 194 SWE Helsinki WC 2017 photo Fei – Satu Pirinen