Vienna Eagles won Saturday’s Global Champions League contest in Monte Carlo to move into the top ten in the standings, but the overall leaders are still Valkenswaard United despite only finishing twelfth in this latest round.

Two clears by Gregory Wathelet on Eldorado van het Vijverhof, and a single-fault total for team-mate Niels Bruynseels with Cas de Liberte gave Vienna the win, with Shanghai Swans taking second on four faults and Mexico Amigos continuing their progress of late to claim third, also on four faults but in a slower overall time.

Denis Lynch was the only Irish rider in action at the Monaco venue while Bertram Allen (Valkenswaard United), Cian O’Connor (Miami Glory) and Darragh Kenny (Paris Panthers) were engaged at the nations cup meeting in Rotterdam, and Michael Kearins didn’t jump for Moscow Bears on this occasion.

Lynch, a member of the Miami Glory squad, partnered RMF Echo, but the pairing didn’t match their earlier double-clear league form and had twelve faults over the two rounds, while team-mate Scott Brash and Hello Forever had four, leaving the team in ninth position, and eighth in the league standings.

The next round of the GCL takes place in Paris next weekend.

Mike Dunne

Global Champions League Standings after Round 7 Monte Carlo
(Irish squad members in brackets)
1. Valkenswaard United (Bertram Allen) 133
2. Hamburg Diamonds 125
3. St. Tropez Pirates 122
4. London Knights 111
5. Mexico Amigos 107
6. Shanghai Swans 108
7. Cannes Stars 105
8. Miami Glory (Denis Lynch/Cian O’Connor) 104.5
9. Doha Fursan Qatar 102
10. Vienna Eagles 98
11. Rome Gladiators 98
12. Chantilly Pegasus 88
13. Paris Panthers (Darragh Kenny) 85
14. Madrid In Motion 79
15. Monaco Aces 71
16. Cascais Charms 69
17. Berlin Lions 54
18. Moscow Bears 36.5 (Michael Kearins)