Teams Longines League of Nations St Tropez - Gassin bekend
The Chefs d’Equipe of the ten nations eligible to compete in the 2025 series have announced the athletes selected for their teams, set to line up in St. Tropez-Gassin (FRA) in just under a fortnight’s time.
On 21 September 2025 the Longines League of Nations™ will for the first time land in the picturesque village of Gassin, perched upon the mountain-side offering spectacular views of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, to host the final qualifying leg of the series before the Final in Barcelona in October.
Newly crowned European Champions, Belgium have named Longines League of Nations™ first timers Jeroen Appelen and Annelies Vorsselmans alongside Rik Hemeryck and Jos Verlooy to bolster their chances of qualification for Barcelona. Lying in equal fourth position in the league standings, a strong result here will secure Belgium’s place at their first Longines League of Nations™ Final.
France brings an experienced quartet, accustomed to the demands of the Longines League of Nations™ format to their home event, as reigning Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Champion Julien Epaillard makes his seasonal debut. He is joined by young sensations Nina Mallevaey and Jeanne Sadran, both making their third Longines League of Nations™ appearance of the year.
Last but by no means least they once again call upon team stalwart Kevin Staut, who has remarkably competed in every Longines League of Nations™ competition that has been staged thus far. Mallevaey, Sadran and Staut were all members of the French team that took second place in Rotterdam (NED) and joined by Epaillard, the French, currently sitting at the top of the league standings, look to be a formidable force back on home territory.
A surprise omission from last year’s Longines League of Nations™ Final having failed to finish in the top eight of the league in 2024 and currently in sixth place in the standings, Olympic Champions Great Britain have only reached the podium once this season, and will be looking to rectify this in St. Tropez-Gassin. Di Lampard sends out two Longines League of Nations™ debutants in Mark Edwards and Adrian Whiteway. They are joined by Jack Whitaker and Tim Gredley.
Reining Longines League of Nations™ Champions Germany lie in third place in the league going into the fourth and final leg of the 2025 series. Richard Vogel, who secured the inaugural series title for Germany in Barcelona (ESP) last year with his emphatic second round, comes to St. Tropez-Gassin as the newly crowned Individual European Champion. He is joined by three athletes making their first Longines League of Nations™ appearance in Laura Klaphake, Daniel Deusser and Sandra Auffarth. Auffarth, already an Olympic Team and World Championship Individual Gold Medallist in Eventing, will be vying to top the podium for the first time in a 5* team Jumping competition.
Team Ireland lie second in the standings and bring two members of their victorious team from Abu Dhabi’s (UAE) opening leg to St. Tropez-Gassin. Jason Foley made an impressive Longines League of Nations™ debut in Abu Dhabi, clearing all the fences and just picking up two time penalties. Michael Blake once again puts his faith in the young talents of Foley and Michael Pender who produced a double clear from his anchor position to seal an emphatic victory for Ireland in the season’s opener. Longines League of Nations™ debutants David Simpson and Sean Monaghan complete Blake’s quartet.
Italy have made their mark in their first season competing in the Longines League of Nations™ series. They sit in eighth place in the league standings, on the cusp of qualification for what would be their first Longines League of Nations™ Final. Piergiorgio Bucci, Emanuele Camilli and Giacomo Casadei are joined for the first time in the Longines League of Nations™ series by the experienced Italian team athlete Riccardo Pisani.
Fresh from their win on home turf at the third leg in Rotterdam, Netherlands returns eager to keep up this momentum. Lying in seventh place, perilously close to relegation in terms of Barcelona qualification, last year’s Longines League of Nations™ Final runners-up require another stellar performance in St. Tropez-Gassin in order to secure their place at this year’s Final in just under a months’ time. Willem Greve, the only member of the triumphant team from Rotterdam is named once again alongside Kevin Jochems and Longines League of Nations™ first-timers Bas Moerings and Frank Schuttert.
Switzerland have yet to fire in the Longines League of Nations™ series this season following a series of uncharacteristic finishes. Failure to complete after two unprecedented eliminations in Ocala (USA) and therefore not picking up any points for that leg sees them languishing at the bottom of the table with little chance of qualifying for this year’s Longines League of Nations™ Final.
However, they will be hungry for a strong finish to the season. Peter van de Waaij has called upon 20-year-old Gaëtan Joliat to make his Longines League of Nations™ debut in St. Tropez-Gassin alongside the experience of Swiss team regulars Alain Jufer, Barbara Schnieper and Janika Sprunger.
Reigning World Champions Sweden, like Switzerland have had an aberrational campaign this season, failing to rank higher than eighth in any of the three legs. Consequently, they lie ninth in the league standings and require a return to their usual sensational form in order to clinch a qualifying spot for the series finale in Barcelona next month.
Jens Fredricson, a team Gold Medallist at the World Championship in Herning (DEN) 2022, makes his first Longines League of Nations™ appearance in St. Tropez-Gassin. He is joined by European Team Gold Medallist from Milan (ITA) 2023, Wilma Hellström, alongside Amanda Landeblad and Erika Lickhammer-van Helmond.
USA bring four athletes with a wealth of Longines League of Nations™ experience to St. Tropez-Gassin. Robert Ridland has recruited Karl Cook, Alex Matz and Alessandra Volpi to join the highest ranked female athlete in the Longines World Rankings - Laura Kraut - who is the only member of USA’s winning team in Ocala to line up for the season’s final qualifying leg.
After three legs of the Longines League of Nations™ 2025 series, France heads the league standings with 240 points. Ireland holds second place with 225 points just ahead of Germany in third with 220 and USA and Belgium in equal fourth with 200 points apiece. Great Britain sit close behind in sixth on 195 points with Netherlands in seventh on 185. The final qualifying position is currently occupied by Italy who hold onto eighth position with 165 points. Sweden and Switzerland occupy the ninth and tenth positions with 120 and 90 points respectively.