Ten teams competed today in the Danish leg of the Longines EEF Series Nations Cup 2024, with three Scandinavian nations taking the top three spots. Norway secured the victory on their national celebration day.
An exciting day at this week's international event at Stutteri Ask, Martofte has come to an end. The highlight was the 145 cm Longines EEF Series Nations Cup, where 10 nations competed for the win and valuable points in the EEF Series 2024.
After a thrilling second round, where the tension lasted until the last rider, Norway emerged victorious. Thus, they could celebrate their national day and their win in the Nations Cup, earning 100 valuable points in the EEF Series. The Norwegian team included Pål Flam with Omonza D C, Therese Søhol Henriksen with Santos Z, Ingrid Gjelsten with VDL Edgar M, and Geir Gulliksen with Oh la La van Overis. Their Chef d'Equipe Mikael Kolind stated after the victory:
"The EEF Series means a lot to us as a nation, and small nations like ours need to gain experience in Nations Cup contexts, and that opportunity we have in the EEF Series."
The Swedish team took second place, losing the chance to compete for the win in a decisive jump-off when a single rail fell for the team's last rider in the second and final round. The Swedish team included Emma Emanuelsson with Canbella Blue PS, Alice Tapper with Doge Dogelito, Marcus Westergren with Fellani de Liebri Z, and Linda Heed with Laurien van Orshof.
The Danish home team delivered many good rounds in today's Nations Cup but lacked the final luck to compete for the win. With two clear rounds in the second round, the team advanced in the overall standings, securing a commendable third place on home soil. The Danish team included Søren Møller Rohde with Grace Ask, Rikke Andersen with Nordstrum 15, Caroline Rehoff Pedersen with Chaccball, and Zascha Nygaard Lill with Primavera. Zascha commented after the day's performance:
"It has been nice to ride the Nations Cup at home, it is always a bit more special. I am thrilled with my performance today, and my horse jumped fantastically. I am very proud of her and the whole team around us."
Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are part of the northern region in the EEF Series, securing points for the top three nations in the region. Besides Denmark, Poland, Finland, and Lithuania competed in the northern region as well. The other participating teams belong to different regions.
Results from today's Nations Cup can be found HERE.