Team GB vaulters sweep the board at Saumur

British vaulter and European champion Joanne Eccles (pictured) has retained the top women’s title at CVIO** Saumur (2-4 April) for a third time.

The rest of the British team members also performed strongly to take second (South Scotland Select team) and fifth (English Vaulting Squad) places in the team competition.

And due to their good team results Britain entered two teams in the Nations Cup — GBR1 taking first place and GBR2 third.

The Nations Cup team competition is made up of two individual routines and a team freestyle. The scores are added together to make a final mark.

Chef d’equipe Lucy Bell said: “All the members of team GBR1 performed fantastically under pressure in a tense, packed arena, to lead throughout and clinch the top spot. This is the first time GBR has won such a class.

“GBR2 also meant business, clinching third place on the podium, with France managing to hold on to second in between them.”

Joanne Eccles’s sister Hannah finished in fourth in the ladies’ competition, with team mate Lucy Phillips in fifth.

Ross Foreman came fifth in the men’s competition, which was won by French European champion Nicolas Andreani.

And even the Team GBR horses were in the prizes — South Scotland Select team’s ride Bart Simpson won the best team horse prize and the best individual horse title was won by Joanne and Hannah’s WH Bentley.

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