Displaying incredible agility and precision, Quentin Jabet captured the individual world championship title in the Aachen arena. Second after the technical test, the twenty-three-year-old French vaulter delivered an exceptional freestyle routine, awarded 9.122 points by the judges. Partnered with his horse and longeur, he claimed the gold medal with an overall average of 8.794 points. He edged out the Netherlands' Sam Dos Santos (8.508 points) and Germany's Bela Lehnen (8.448 points). The other French competitors also delivered strong performances: Théo Gardies finished fifth (8.406 points) and Baptiste Terrier took eighth place (8.167 points).
Earlier in the morning, the women's individual competition concluded with total dominance by Germany, sweeping all three podium spots on home turf.
A Selective and Dramatic Cross-Country Test in Eventing
The cross-country course designed across the Aachen venue fully lived up to its reputation for selectivity. The technical difficulties of the track, particularly the coffin combination at fence 8, caused numerous faults among the favorites. Great Britain, Switzerland, and France each lost a key rider following refusals or falls, while the Australian team was eliminated due to Oliver Barrett's fall.
In the individual standings, Germany's Michael Jung took the lead aboard fischerChipmunk FRH following a flawless clear round inside the optimum time (23.0 penalties). He leads two top-tier British pairs: Rosalind Canter on Lordships Graffalo (23.4 penalties) and Laura Collett paired with London 52 (23.6 penalties).
The French Camp's Reactions: Caution and Resilience
For the French squad, the competition got off to a rough start with the early elimination of Benjamin Massié and Figaro Fonroy following a fall after a slip coming out of the coffin. Deprived of any room for error, the team had to adapt their riding strategy to secure a solid team score for Olympic qualification.
« We were given instructions to come back clear after Benjamin's incident. Alexis did his job. I took the long route at the coffin because it can be a bit tricky at times, I wanted to play it safe. Mission accomplished, duty fulfilled. »
Gaspard Maksud
Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza executed the team instructions perfectly by jumping clear, conceding only 1.6 time penalties (30.9 total penalties). Astier Nicolas delivered a remarkable performance aboard Alertamalib'Or, picking up only two seconds of time faults to climb to provisional fifth with 31.1 penalties. Alexis Goury and Je'vall managed their ride well despite the horse's sensitivity, finishing with 6.4 time penalties (34.9 total). Finally, Nicolas Touzaint and Diabolo Menthe were slowed by 10.4 time penalties and 11 penalties for activating a frangible device late on the course, bringing their total to 48.1 penalties.
« He felt amazing, it was really good. I have a horse that is reliable, honest, and an exceptional partner. What makes him truly exceptional here is that he stepped out of his comfort zone to show other qualities. He was extremely well prepared. With horses, it's all about encouragement. Now, we need to recover, pass the veterinary inspection, and jump well in the stadium tomorrow. »
Astier Nicolas, mixed zone
« I tried to trust my horse and enjoy myself to stay relaxed, because he is very sensitive. In the end, I went straight everywhere. He was super focused and fully invested. It's a privilege to ride a horse like that across country. »
Alexis Goury, mixed zone
« The horse did what he had to do. The orders were to ride for the team at all costs, so I pressed on without taking risks. I really wanted to secure everything. The horse was impeccable. He has a huge heart. The show jumping phase will surely decide the final chapter. »
Nicolas Touzaint, mixed zone
In the provisional team standings, France sits in sixth place with 113.9 penalties. Great Britain holds the lead with 75.6 penalties, ahead of Germany (90.4 penalties) and Switzerland (106.5 penalties).
Sunday, August 16 Schedule
Sunday will feature the final world championship titles across disciplines:
- 09:30 AM - 11:00 AM: Eventing Horse Inspection (Arena 2)
- 09:30 AM - 11:20 AM: Vaulting Pas de Deux Individual Final (Freestyle, Arena 3)
- 12:00 PM - 03:15 PM: Vaulting Team Final / Nations Cup (Freestyle, Arena 3)
- 01:00 PM - 05:20 PM: Eventing Show Jumping Finale (Main Stadium)
