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Vigo prepares for double World Cup
9 February 2004

The fifth and sixth leg of the FEI World Cup Driving will take place in Vigo, Spain, on 13th and 14th February 2004, with the warm-up round on the 12th.

After Bordeaux had dropped out of the World Cup Driving circuit, the organisers of Vigo offered to host two World Cup events on consecutive days.

The current leader in the World Cup standings and twice World Champion Michael Freund expects a lot of competition in this round from his Global Driving Team partner Boyd Exell from Australia. Exell already proved several times to be able to drive faster than Freund, and he is ready to take on Freund in Vigo with a new weapon - he will drive a team of Orlov trotters and German Warmbloods borrowed from Michael Freund !

Exell felt that the long trip to Vigo, without the stop in Bordeaux would be too heavy for the team of  Cobs he drove during last season and in Stockholm. He will, however, compete with this team again in 's-Hertogenbosch. Exell, winner of the CAIO Aachen 2003, tested his new but experienced and fast team last weekend at a high level indoor marathon competition, which he won.

But the Global Team partners can also expect strong competition from Mechelen-winner Gert Schrijvers, driving his team of Arab-Friesian sport horses. The Hungarian drivers Bozsik and Dobrovitz will both drive their second and third competition in Vigo and are eager to prove their skills during their first World Cup season.

Juan Robles received the wild card like last year and he will start with his team of Spanish horses. Robles, who is a professional carriage driver, has been champion of Spain eleven times. He competed at the World four-in-hand Championships in The Hague 1994 and Waregem 1996. Robles was the best Spanish driver at the World Championships in Jerez de la Frontera.

There will be one warm up competition on Thursday, 12th February at 14.30 hrs. The first World Cup competition takes place on Friday, 13th February at 11.00 hrs. and the second World Cup will be driven on Saturday, 14th February at 21.30 hrs.

CLICK HERE for the full results and points standing in the 2003-4 World Cup series.

World Cup Driving official website: www.worldcupdriving.com

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