Lukas Klouda (CZE) on Danny Boy, lunged by his coach and former World and European champion Patric Looser, secured the male individual competition at the opening qualifier of the FEI World Cup Vaulting 2013/2014 series in Munich. (Photo: Daniel Kaiser/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 5 November 2013 – The first victories of the FEI World Cup Vaulting 2013/2014 season in Munich’s Olympic stadium were secured by Germany’s Corinna Knauf and last year’s winner Lukas Klouda from the Czech Republic, with Austria’s Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha winning the first World Cup pas-de-deux qualifier in the history of the series.

Many felt the most exciting competition in Munich was the pas-de-deux, which made its successful début in this prestigious series in front of excited spectators. After two rounds of high-class pas-de-deux vaulting, German national coach Ulla Ramge was clear: “It was a fantastic first run. Pas-de-deux is really thrilling for our audiences, and it is an excellent addition to individual vaulting.”

Outstanding Performances

All three pas-de-deux in Munich put in outstanding performances. Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha, the pas-de-deux World and European champions competing, earned 8,953 points in their second freestyle securing a clear victory on Elliot. Their lunger Klaus Haidacher was ecstatic after their win and second round maximum artistic score of 10 points. “It was a great experience in this stunning arena with such an animated audience,” he said. “We’re now looking forward to our next qualifier in Salzburg.”

“We are very happy that pas-de-deux is now part of the FEI World Cup Vaulting series,” Jasmin Lindner said. “The atmosphere was powerful. It’s not like being at a normal vaulting competition. Even the World Championships can’t be compared with the World Cup.” Her partner Lukas Wacha added: “I really hope we were able to win new fans in Munich, not just for ourselves but for vaulting as a whole.”

With a score of 8,394 points, Germany’s Gera Marie Grün and Justin van Gerven, lunged by former World and European champion Patric Looser on Danny Boy, were thrilled with second place. The pair from Cologne were the first pas-de-deux into the arena in the opening round. “It was an honour for us to open the FEI World Cup Vaulting series for pas-de-deux,” van Gerven said proudly. Austria’s Stefanie Millinger and Evelyn Freund, performing on Robin and lunged by Nina Rossin, took third place with 7,825 points.

Oh Danny Boy

On the first day of the individual male competition, 29-year-old Lukas Klouda on Danny Boy lunged by his coach Patric Looser was second behind Germany’s Torben Jacobs on Flash Back, lunged by Alexandra Knauf. He then convinced the four judges with his dance-theme on the final day, securing a 138-point lead. “I was happy for Torben and I hope this big success motivates him,” said Lukas Klouda. “I love my horse Danny Boy. It was only our fourth competition together and he is just awesome every time. And I really like Munich, where I won last year.”

“I’m not disappointed,” said Jacobs, who is studying medicine and trains at the same club as Klouda. “I am very happy with my performance and second place is a big deal.” Jacobs will compete with Pia Engelberty, who is currently recovering from an injury, at the FEI World Cup Vaulting qualifiers in pas-de-deux as well as the individual competitions. The pair will then focus on qualifying in pas-de-deux for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy (FRA).

Germany’s Thomas Brüsewitz, last year’s FEI World Cup Vaulting runner-up, made a comeback in Munich after a long injury break, and secured 7,830 points on Fabiola, also lunged by Alexandra Knauf.

Stellar Performance

The biggest surprise was during the female competition. After the first day, it looked like a replica of the 2012/13 Final, with Italy’s Anna Cavallaro ahead of Switzerland’s Simone Jäiser (SUI). But in the second round, the 27-year-old Cavallaro fell from 16-year-old Harley after he was startled by excited spectators. Corinna Knauf from Cologne took the opportunity to put in a stellar performance, and climbed from third after the first round to the lead spot in the second round, and with 8,528 points she collected her first FEI World Cup Vaulting victory on Fabiola, lunged by her sister Alexandra Knauf.

The 20-year-old was thrilled with her win, coming on top of qualifying for her first senior Championship and also winning the German nationals for the first time this year. “It is an unbelievable season,” she said.

“It was just bad luck for Anna, but sometimes this happens in the sport,” said Ulla Ramge of Cavallaro, who performed a brand new freestyle to the song “Dream” by Andrea Bocelli. Cavallaro reasoned: “These things happen. I’m really happy with the score for my first test and I’m already looking forward. I will be training hard for my next qualifier in Salzburg.”

Second place went to Simone Jäiser on Luk, lunged by her mother Rita Blieske, with 8,411 points. “I am happy, but of course I will also fight for the win at the next qualifiers”, she said and added that her big wish was to see Switzerland host an FEI World Cup Vaulting qualifier in next year’s series. Third place was secured by Pascale Wagner, also from Switzerland, who performed on Viva Alegria, lunged by Michael Heuer and finishing on 8,157 points.

International Comeback

Austria’s Lisa Wild made her international comeback in Munich after a 14-month break following injury. The 18-year-old, in a sublime moment at the FEI World Vaulting Championships 2012, surprised the audience with an acrobatic element never before seen in competition, executing a backflip off the horse’s back and landing on the horse. The judges rewarded her with second place for her incredible routine, but unfortunately she was injured when she fell off the horse in the final and was not able to end the freestyle as planned. In Munich, she finished in fourth place with 8,066 points.

“I have missed this so much and I’m happy to be back again,” she said. “At home, in my training, everything works fine but in competition it’s totally different. Now I have to get even better mentally.”

With two victories (Corinna Knauf and Lukas Klouda) and two second places (Torben Jacobs with Gera Marie Grün, and Justin van Gerven) the Cologne-based vaulting club Jugend Reiter Gruppe (JRG), whose members are coached by former World and European Champion Patric Looser (SUI), was the most successful by a long margin.

“We’re nicknaming the World Cup in Munich the Cologne Cup,” joked Patric Looser. “We like the World Cup competitions the most – they are so much fun!”

FEI World Cup Vaulting 2013/2014 – Munich results: http://engarde.de/events/113.

By Daniel Kaiser

FEI Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Italy’s Anna Cavallaro, FEI World Cup Vaulting 2012/2013 champion pictured with Harley, will be working hard to defend her title this year as she goes head-to-head with the world’s best athletes in the 2013/2014 series. (Photo: Daniel Kaiser/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 30 October 2013 – The FEI World Cup Vaulting 2013/2014 season opens in Munich (GER) tomorrow (31 October – 3 November) with an exciting twist – pas-de-deux will make its first appearance in this prestigious series, which is now in its third year.

To mark the début of this new format at FEI World Cup level, pas-de-deux World and European champions Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha from Austria will compete against their compatriots Evelyn Freund and Stefanie Millinger in Munich’s Olympic stadium, where they will be joined by seven male and six female vaulters from seven nations competing as individuals.

A total of seven pas-de deux teams from Austria, Hungary, Germany, Italy and the USA will then set out on their quest to qualify for the series Final in Bordeaux (FRA) next February alongside the individual vaulters in Paris-Villepinte (FRA) next month, Salzburg in December (AUT) and Leipzig (GER) next January.

Individual vaulting’s crème de la crème

“We have a truly world-class field of athletes competing in this year’s FEI World Cup Vaulting,” Bettina de Rham, FEI Director of Vaulting, Driving and Reining, comments. “World and FEI World Cup champion Nicolas Andreani, and last year’s FEI World Cup Vaulting champion Anna Cavallaro, will be defending their titles. They will be challenged by several seasoned athletes, who have competed in the European Championships and the FEI World Cup series, as well a number of younger athletes who are fast coming up through the ranks.

“While World champion Joanne Eccles and European champion Rikke Laumann are unable to compete this year due to work commitments and studies, Anna Cavallaro will still have her work cut out. Switzerland’s Simone Jäiser, last year’s FEI World Cup runner-up and FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013 bronze medallist, will be challenging Anna’s FEI World Cup title from the very outset in Munich.”

Pas-de-Deux entertainment value

The integration of the pas-de-deux competition into the prestigious FEI World Cup Vaulting series, which was ratified by the FEI Bureau in July, is also creating a lot of excitement amongst athletes, coaches, organisers and fans.

Over the coming months, the battle between the pas-de-deux teams will be hard-fought, with the four most successful pairs going through to the Bordeaux Final.

“Pas-de-deux carries so much emotion, and has huge entertainment value”, German National coach Ulla Ramge explains.

Kai Vorberg, a former world and European champion, who is now working with the German team, adds: “This is yet another milestone for our sport. Pas-de-deux has developed extremely quickly over the last few years, and the level has become very high. We’re all very much looking forward to seeing the teams in action in the very first series for the pas-de-deux competition”.

Crowd pleaser

We could well see an historical moment for pas-de-deux in this year’s FEI World Cup Vaulting – World and European champions Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha, from Austria’s Tyrol region, have their sights set on a “triple”.

In 2012 at Le Mans, the pair made history as the first FEI World Vaulting Champions with two nearly perfect rounds. It was a historic win for Austria too, as it was the country’s first World title in vaulting. Spurred on by this incredible accomplishment, the pair went on to claim pas-de-deux gold at the FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013 in Magna Racino (ITA).

Now, all set with their World and European champion mount Elliot and lunger Klaus Haidacher, they are feeling confident. “We are so excited to get a chance to show our freestyle again this year in front of big crowds,” said Jasmin Lindner.

Austria’s Chef d’Equipe sums up the impending exhilaration in Munich: “The athletes are thrilled by the framework of the pas-de-deux competitions and the organisers completely understand that pas-de-deux is a huge crowd puller. The show factor, alongside the individual performances, will be amazing.”

Facts & Figures:

The third series of FEI World Cup Vaulting premieres the pas-de-deux competition.

The defending FEI World Cup Vaulting champions are Anna Cavallaro (ITA) and Nicolas Andreani (FRA). The French Vaulter is also World champion.

Ten female vaulters, nine male vaulters and seven pas-de-deux will battle it out to qualify for the FEI World Cup Vaulting 2013/14 Final in Bordeaux, France (7-8 February 2014).

Vaulters taking part at each qualifying event are listed here.

By Daniel Kaiser

Munich Press Office Contact:

Andreas Kerstan
andreas.kerstan@comtainment.de
+49 4307 82796

FEI Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45