Ireland’s Denis Lynch and Bertram Allen were at the head of affairs in the London round of the Global Champions League today, with each contributing clear rounds to help their teams nab the first two places.

Lynch brought out RMF Echo and jumped a perfect clear to help Miami Glory take the contest, aided by another clear from team-mate Scott Brash and Hello Forever.

Miami finished on the same total over the two days as Valkenswaard United but had a better overall time to claim the honours. Bertram Allen and Hector van d’Abdijhoeve also produced a faultless round for Valkenswaard as did Alberto Zorzi on Cornetto K. The runner-up finish was enough to see Valkenswaard return to the top of the league table as they bid to retain the title they won in the GCL’s inaugural season last year.

Today’s round was the twelfth in the championship, leaving just three more to be contested, the next of which is a home affair for Valkenswaard in a week’s time.

“It’s very important to be consistently in the top three or four,” said Allen afterwards. “We have to keep it together until the end. If we have one bad show that could cost us the championship. We’ll have to be organised and trying our best.”

In all, Irish riders jumped five rounds over the two days of the competition without incurring a single fault between them. Lynch had also jumped clear with All Star yesterday in the opening round, and while Allen had only jumped today with Hector, Darragh Kenny had a clear yesterday for Paris Panthers with Team de Coquerie and added another today with Chanel, helping the team to a fourth place finish.

Hamburg Diamonds had to settle for eighth place today, and have now dropped to second in the league behind Valkenswaard.

Mike Dunne

Global Champions League standings after round 12 London:
(Irish squad members in brackets)
1. Valkenswaard United (Bertram Allen) 238
2. Hamburg Diamonds 235
3. Mexico Amigos 201
4. St. Tropez Pirates 200
5. Miami Glory (Denis Lynch; Cian O’Connor) 187.50
6. Rome Gladiators 173
7. London Knights 172
8. Doha Fursan Qatar
9. Shanghai Swans 168
10. Paris Panthers (Darragh Kenny) 161
11. Cannes Stars 153
12. Vienna Eagles 152
13. Chantilly Pegasus 140
14. Madrid In Motion 135
15. Cascais Charms 128
16. Monaco Aces 108
17. Berlin Lyons 104
18. Moscow Bears 69.50