Thrills aplenty in the Longines Trophy at CSI4* A Coruña, won by Marlon Modolo Zanotelli
A top-class equestrian competition took place in the Winner’s Round of the Longines Trophy, the main event on the second day of the CSI4* A Coruña. The final rider, Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, achieved what seemed impossible and claimed victory riding “Fusario d’Boissailles”.
Ten pairs qualified for the Longines Trophy Winning Round, a competition held over 1.50-metre jumps. It proved to be a thrilling final round, with a succession of performances improving on the previous benchmark.
The great Maikel Van der Vleuten took the lead in the provisional standings with “Beauville Z N.O.P.”, clocking a time of 40.25 seconds, which seemed unbeatable. However, the last two riders proved that it was still possible to go faster without knocking down any fences.
The first to achieve this was the Italian Emanuele Gaudiano on “Esteban de Hus”, who managed to finish in under 40 seconds, clocking 39.94 seconds. But Marlon Modolo Zanotelli was still to come, and the Brazilian was not willing to settle. Pushing himself to the limit around the turns and galloping with tremendous intensity, Zanotelli achieved what seemed impossible: crossing the finish line in 39.51 seconds. He was the last rider to finish and the winner of the Longines Trophy, an event that provided a spectacular show at Casas Novas. Flora Pérez presented the Longines Trophy.
Third place went to Maikel Van der Vleuten and fourth to Sergio Álvarez Moya, the top Spanish rider, who once again performed at the highest level with the young mare “Be Blue”.
Gaudiano, true to form, wins the Grupo EULEN Trophy
The afternoon programme had begun with a speed class, the Grupo EULEN Trophy, which featured the same riders battling for victory as in the Longines Trophy: Emanuele Gaudiano and Marlon Modolo Zanotelli. But on this occasion, it was the Italian who came out on top.
Gaudiano arrived at the A Coruña competition having won 30 international classes this season, and in the Grupo EULEN Trophy he added his 31st victory. He achieved this with the lightning-fast “Vasco 118”, with whom he was the first of the 26 competitors to break the 60-second barrier. Another star of the CSI A Coruña, Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, also managed it later on, but the Brazilian, riding “Rockwell RC”, finished 17 hundredths of a second behind the Italian.
Third place in the final standings went to a Spanish combination, the reigning national champion Álvaro González de Zárate and “Casa Diva PS”. The rider from Álava produced a brilliant round, but stopped the clock at 60.04 seconds, having to settle for the third step on the podium.
Carlota Álvarez Becerril, Deputy Managing Director of EULEN Seguridad, presented the Grupo EULEN Trophy to Emanuele Gaudiano, winner of the class with “Vasco 118”.
On Sunday, the final four classes of CSI A Coruña 2026 will take place at the Casas Novas Equestrian Centre. The fourth and final class will be the Casas Novas Grand Prix – Marqués de Riscal Trophy.