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Would you take this leap into thin air? View the World Championships cross-country course


  • The eventing World Championships cross-country course at Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, for this week’s event (15-18 September) has been designed by Giuseppe della Chiesa.

    It is 5,600m long and the optimum time is 9min 50sec.

    Check out our pictures of all the fences on the the eventing World Championships cross-country course.

    Fence 1: Longines Time To Start

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 1

    Fence 2: Albino’s Water Trough

    Fence 3: Hayrack

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 3

    Fences 4 and 5: IGA Picnic Tables

    This combination offers a choice of narrow picnic table at both the first and second element.

    Fence 4 options

    Eventing World Championships: fence 4

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 4

    Fence 5 options

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 5

    Fence 6: Strzegom Triplebar

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 6

    Fence 7abc: KEP Italia Slide

    The direct route involves jumping the log at fence 7a on the lip of the Slide, then the two arrowheads at the bottom of the slope (fences 7b and 7c).

    Fence 7a direct route

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 7a direct route

    Looking down to fences 7b and 7c on the direct route

    Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy walks the direct route down the Slide

    Fences 7b and 7c on the direct route

    Fence 7c on the direct route

    The long route involves jumping an easier log as fence 7a, then curving round the steep hill and either jumping two different arrowheads as fences 7b and 7c or making a loop back to jump one arrowhead, which is fence 7bc.

    Fence 7a on the long route

    Fence 7b on the long route

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 7b long route

    Fence 7c on the long route

    Fence 7bc on the other long route

    Fence 8: Fir Wood Oxer

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 8

    Fence 9ab: Angled Brushes

    Fence 9a

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course fence 9a

    Fence 9b

    Fence 10: Triple Bar

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 10

    Fence 11abcd: Fischer Brush and Corners

    The direct route consists of a shoulder brush (fence 11ab), then a turn to two right-handed corners (fence 11c and 11d)

    Fence 11ab on the direct route

    Fence 11c on the direct route

    Fence 11d on the direct route

    The long route consists of a shoulder brush situated away from the direction of travel (fence 11a), then a triple brush arrowhead (fence 11bc) and a final corner (fence 11d).

    Fence 11a on the long route

    Fence 11bc on the long route

    Fence 11d on the long route

    Fence 12: Arturo’s Kennel

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 12

    Fence 13: Wilberry Wonder Pony Table

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 13

    Fence 14: Intesa San Paolo Belvedere

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 14

    Fence 15: Goldspan Farm

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 15

    Fence 16abc: MIM Clip Complex

    Fence 16

    Fence 16bc on the direct route

    Fence 16b on the long route

    Fence 16c on the long route

    Fence 17: Intesa San Paolo Oxer

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 17

    Fences 18 and 19abcd: SAP Vertical and Sunken Road

    There are three routes through this complex.

    Fence 18a on the direct route

    Fence 19abc on the direct route

    Fence 19d on the direct route

    The slightly longer route involves a wider line and an extra jumping effort.

    Fence 18 on the slightly longer route

    Fence 19a on the slightly longer route

    Fence 19bc on the slightly longer route

    Fence 19d on the slightly longer route

    The longest route does not involve jumping a ditch at all, but it takes riders well off the fastest line at fence 18.

    Fence 18 on the longest route

    Fence 19ab on the longest route

    Fence 19cd on the longest route

    Fence 20: Intesa San Paolo Wall

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 20

    Fence 21abcd: Longines Hydroconquest Combinations

    The direct route consists of a skinny on an island (fence 21a) then two angled shoulder brushes after the water (fences 21bc and d)

    Fence 21a on the direct route

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 21a direct route

    Fence 21bc on the direct route

    Looking over fence 21bc to fence 21d on the direct route

    Fence 21d on the direct route

    The longer route consists of a different arrowhead on the island (fence 21a), then a loop round to two shoulder brushes (fence 21b and 21cd) on an easier angle than on the direct route.

    Fence 21a on the long route

    Fence 21b on the long route

    Looking over fence 21b to 21cd on the long route

    Fence 21cd on the long route

    Fence 22: Vittorio’s Moles Tunnel

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 22

    Fence 23: Trakehner

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 23

    Fence 24abcd: Longines Hydroconquest Combinations

    The direct route consists of a big log into the water (fence 24ab) and then a corner in the water (fence 24cd).

    Fence 24ab on the direct route

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 24ab direct route

    Looking over fence 24ab to fence 24cd on the direct route

    Fence 24cd on the direct route

    Riders on the long route jump a rolltop (fence 24a), then go round the island to two boats (fences 24bc and fence 25d).

    Fence 24a on the long route

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 24a long route

    Fences 24bc and 24d on the direct route

    Fence 25: Thor’s Kennel

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 25

    Fence 26ab: Intesa San Paolo Brush

    Everyone jumps this fence 26a, then there are two options for fence 26b.

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 26a

    Fence 26b on the short route

    Fence 26b on the long route

    Fences 27 and 28: KEP Italia Open Oxers

    Riders have a choice of two similar oxers at fence 27, with one offering a slightly tighter line.

    Fence 28

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 28

    Fence 29abcd: Pratoni Horses

    There are three main routes through this final complex. The direct route consists of just two jumping efforts.

    Fence 29abc on the direct route

    Fence 29d on the direct route (this is also fence 29d on the slower routes)

    This slightly slower route requires riders to jump two angled horses (fence 29a and 29bc) before 29d.

    Fence 29a on the slightly slower route

    Fence 29bc on the slightly slower route

    The longest route involves jumping a horse at fence 29ab, then looping back left-handed to fence 29c, which is jumped on a line to the final element (fence 29d).

    Fence 29ab on the slowest route

    Fence 29c on the slowest route

    Fence 30: Finish

    Eventing World Championships cross-country course: fence 30

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    Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout the World Eventing Championships with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Check back tomorrow for the riders’ reaction to the eventing World Championships cross-country course. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report (on sale 22 September) including opinion from Mark Phillips and ground jury president Christina Klingspor.

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