The FEI Driving World Cup at Jumping Indoor Maastricht wrapped up the Saturday evening in spectacular style. The crowd went wild during the thrilling drive-off in which Boyd Exell, Koos de Ronde, and Bram Chardon pushed each other to the limit.
Although the World Cup season officially opened last weekend in Lyon, Maastricht marked the true kickoff for crowd-pleaser Boyd Exell. “The course was long and challenging, especially so early in the season. In the jump-off, we dropped one ball. I went into the turn a bit too late and should have steered a little more smoothly. Fortunately, my navigator kept a sharp mental note of all the split times from my competitors. She immediately reassured me that we still had a lead. In our sport, it’s all in the details—both in and out of the ring,” said Exell.
Valuable qualification points
This year, Boyd Exell was able to take home not only the prize money but also the coveted World Cup points, unlike last year when he competed as a wildcard. His biggest competition came from the Dutch riders Koos de Ronde and Bram Chardon. In the drive-off, Koos de Ronde was the only one to cross the finish line without faults. Bram Chardon was on track for a faster time but made an error in the second part of the course, finishing behind his fellow countryman. As De Ronde was competing as a wildcard, Chardon will receive the valuable World Cup points. Belgium’s Glenn Geerts, who finished fourth with his new team, also earned important World Cup points. Koos de Ronde was in de drive-off de enige die ongeschonden de finish bereikte. Bram Chardon lag op koers voor een snellere tijd, maar kreeg een fout in het tweede deel van het parcours en eindigde daardoor achter zijn landgenoot. Omdat De Ronde als wildcard reed, mag Chardon wel de WB-punten bijschrijven. Ook de Belgische Glenn Geerts, die met zijn nieuwe team vierde werd, verdient waardevolle wereldbekerpunten.
Jumping Indoor Maastricht is now preparing for its final day. This edition will conclude on Sunday afternoon with the four-star 1.55m Grand Prix of Maastricht 2024.
