Ireland killed two birds with one stone in Barcelona

After the first round of Thursday afternoon, only eight teams over eighteen passed the cut for Sunday’s final: Ireland, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Colombia. The course designed by Madrilène Santiago Varela was very demanding, so demanding that it seems barely impossible to realize a clear round. Twenty-four points for Switzerland’s Beat Mändli and Dsarie, eight points for Germany’s Marcus Ehning and Pret A Tout and twelve points for Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca and Dinky Toy v. Kranenburg… At the end of the afternoon, only seven pairs find the solution for a perfect round including two Irish riders whose team lived a dreamed day.

This team had a double goal in Barcelona, shined in the Nations Cup Longines final and took the last ticket for the Olympics. With only four points on his round, Peter Moloney and Chianti’s Champion, put the team in the right direction. Next, Paul O’Shea and Skara Glen’s realized a prefect round.  Before the round of Darragh Kenny, the team knew that the ticket was guaranteed if the rider was clear as Colombia and Italy, the two other nations in the Olympics chase did two many faults on their rounds. And the rider of Balou du Renventon did it ! With only one points, it was enough to ensure his team a place for Tokyo. Last to go, Cian O’Connor and PSG Final ended the afternoon brilliantly, with another clear round, the Irish team won the Nations Cups Longines final.

Great in this final, Belgium team (Olivier Philippaerts/H&M Extra (0) – Niels Bryunseels/Jenson Van’t Meulenhof (4) – Jérome Guéry/Quel Homme de Hus (0)- Grégory Whatelet/MJT Nevados S (11)) took the second position. Sweden (Henrik Von Eckermann/Toveks Mary Lou (4) – Fredrik Jonsson/Cold Play (16) – Evelina Tovek/Dalila de la Pomme (4) – Peder Fredricson/H&M All In (4)) ended third.  
All results here