On the rest day for the 25 finalists of the individual competition of the Italia. Open to Meraviglia – FEI Jumping European Championship Milan 2023, the CSI2* program closed with the Graziano Mancinelli Frecciarossa Grand Prix (against the clock with jump-off competition, 1.45m and 25,000 euros’ worth of prize money) at the Snai San Siro Racecourse.
Ten participants made it to the jump-off, and the victory went to a Polish rider, Andrzej Oplatek. Oplatek rode a precise and above all very fast course on Diaroubet (clear round in 38.74), and was the only one to go under 39 seconds.
Emilio Bicocchi climbed the podium in the second place and was the best of the Italian riders (Divina, clear round in 40.66), and the Belgian Jordy van Massenhove placed third (Olympic van de Padenborre, clear round in 40.82). Bicocchi had won two competitions at the Milano Jumping Cup in 2022, one on Divina.
The Graziano Mancinelli Trophy was awarded to the winner by Marco Mancinelli, the son of the unforgettable Italian champion, individual Olympic champion and team bronze medallist in Munich in 1972, previously also Olympic team bronze medallist in Tokyo in 1964, individual world silver medallist in La Baule in 1970 and individual European champion in Rome in 1963.
(ph. photoshopeventi/Viwa)
