Local Sites & Colorful Delights: Pan American Games Cross Country Course Preview

By on Aug 1, 2019 6:03 pm -

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Hello dear readers from the start box of the Pan American Games cross country course. Jose Ortelli (ARG), with input from advisor Pierre Michelet (FRA), has crafted a beautifully ornate track. Set to the CCI3*-L level, the course is abundantly charming, with designs and details that pay homage to the host nation including fences that imitate the Cathedral of Lima, Machu Picchu and more.

The track twists and turns as it reveals its many difficulties. With so many fences filling a winding track, Erik Duvander believes time will play a crucial role come Saturday.

“This course is the minimum length but has the maximum number of jumps, which makes it very twisty and technical. Time will be a huge factor,” he said, but the footing gives riders every opportunity to chase the clock.

“The cross country is the same grass that they had in Rio (for the 2016 Olympic Games), and it has a little bit of the same feel. I actually think that the root system is stronger, so it has more spring to it. It’s quite fast going,” Erik continued.

Riders have taken a tour of the colorful course, and Boyd Martin says it reminds him of Pau’s CCI5*-L track in France.

“It’s the maximum degree of difficulty for the three-star level and on top of that it’s quite a twisty course. It’s a bit more than what I expected to see. I think it’s harder than the course in Toronto (at the 2015 Pan American Games),” Boyd said. “It’s going to be a thrilling day on Saturday because there’s so many places you could have a mistake or slip over the time. We’re all on seasoned horses, but we’ve still got a tough mission ahead of us.”

Take a walk around this technicolor track with photos courtesy of Shannon Brinkman:

Pan American Games: Website, Entries, Technical Manual, Order of Go for First Horse Inspection, Ultimate Guide, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage