The Flying DutchmanAt the end of a thrilling Marathon day, The Netherland’s Ysbrand Chardon takes the lead with a total result of 145.30 after two competition days. Felix Marie Brasseur of Belgium is in runner up position (146.37); Thomas Eriksson is third (153.24). There’s no end to Aachen’s wonders and today’s marathon course was one of them. The marathon, the object of which is to test the fitness, stamina and training of the horses and the driving skill, judgement of pace and general horsemanship of the drivers, .consists of three sections: A, D and E. The total length of today’s course was 16.600 km, which is close to the maximum of 17 km authorised by the FEI. Section A is 7 km long; the choice of pace is up to the competitors. Section D is 1 km long and has to be covered in walk. The third and most exciting one is section E, 8 600 km, which comprises obstacles. Today’s fences were imaginative, well built and horse friendly, allowing for good contact between the competitors and the public. The first fence, FEI WEG 2006, built on a light slope and consisting of wooden barriers placed on the letters “WEG 2006” was a challenging technical test, which proved of difficulty to many. Two carriages overturned causing minor injuries to one driver and one groom. Luckily, these accidents did not upset the competition. Fence 2, the Sunflowers, was straight from a Van Gogh painting leading the way to the first water, the impressive Rolex complex, the Seaside Resort. The distinct Roman arches of Aachen’s cathedral provided the demanding setting of fence 4. The next obstacle, which can only be described as a mad Mikado maze, consisted of bright poles thrown seemingly in disorder in the manner of pick-up sticks. The fence caused many difficulties and only very few were able to make the short route. Then on to the Dreiländereck (the cross roads where three countries meet) all strewn with the logo and the pictogrammes of the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games, the Arabian Oasis complete with a water point and palm trees to the final eighth fence and the dainty Eifel village and its painted houses covered in ivy and wisteria. Ysbrand’s flawless marathon clearly puts him in a good position for the supreme title, but nothing in final before the last competition, Obstacle Driving, has taken place. Tomorrow is another day and everyone knows it. Where the teams are concerned, Germany is in the lead (311.84), followed by the The Netherlands (315.03) and Belgium (315.95).