In a fierce fight to the finish, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs claimed the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022 title in Leipzig, Germany today where The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders finished second and Sweden’s Jens Fredricson lined up in third.

More classic course-building by Germany’s Frank Rothenberger produced two breath-taking rounds of sport in the third and deciding competition, and a double-clear with Chaplin clinched it for the 29-year-old Swiss star who has been riding a wave of success for some time now.

Lying equal-third with Great Britain’s Harry Charles with five penalty points on the leaderboard as the final day’s action began, he was the only one of the top four to hold his ground. In second spot and already carrying four faults, Smolders added four more in today’s second round to finish on a total of eight. That left him on level pegging with Fredricson who also added nothing to his scoreline but whose slower time denied him runner-up spot.

Fuchs led the way on the opening day but America’s McLain Ward moved into the lead when winning Thursday’s second competition. However a mistake in today’s first round left the 2017 champion on the same score as Smolders going into the closing stages. And, last to go, he had two more down along with a single time penalty so the 2017 champion had to settle for seventh place behind young British stars Harry Charles and Jack Whitaker in fourth and fifth places and Germany’s David Will, who produced the only other double-clear in today’s competition, in sixth.