At Cannes, some stars walk the red carpet. Others fly over fences. On Friday night, under the floodlights of the equestrian arena just a stone’s throw from the Croisette, the Global Champions League delivered a script worthy of a festival-closing blockbuster: twists in every scene, favourites crashing out, outsiders charging up from the back of the bill, and a finale packed with edge-of-your-seat suspense.
When the credits rolled, only one name appeared in giant letters: New York Empire
Not necessarily the flashiest team on the night, but undoubtedly the cleanest. In an evening where rails fell like savage reviews after a failed premiere, the American squad claimed the Cannes leg by achieving what no one else could: completing the entire competition without a single rail down.
Brash, the cool Scot
As the pressure began turning the arena into a pressure cooker, Scott Brash slipped effortlessly back into his role as a veteran of the biggest stages.
D’abord un sans-faute précieux avec Hello Jefferson in round one. Then, when everything hung in the balance, he returned with a masterclass on Hello Chadora Lady. Just one time fault. No rails. No nerves.
Alongside him, young Max Wachman played the perfect supporting role. Two solid performances with Fancy de Kergane, a few seconds lost against the clock, but no disasters. The result: five time penalties in total and a victory built the old-fashioned way — through composure, precision, and smart calculation.
« The atmosphere here is always incredible under the lights said Brash afterwards.A fitting summary of a night when the noise levels rose just as quickly as the tension.
Falcons come out of nowhere
Yet the story of the evening could easily have belonged to the Doha Falcons. Doha Falcons.
Sixièmes après la première manche, Jessica Mendoza and Sanne Thijssen launched a comeback that gradually turned the grandstands into the trading floor of a stock market in freefall.
Mendoza erased her initial eight penalties with a flawless performance aboard In The Air. Then Sanne Thijssen, imperious with Cupcake Z, delivered a second consecutive clear round.
Suddenly, the Falcons found themselves in second place, watching rival teams crumble one after another.
« We kept seeing teams behind us picking up faults and we were on the edge of our seats until the very end " said Mendoza, clearly captivated by the unique magic of Cannes.
They eventually finished just three points behind the winners. Cruel. But spectacular enough to leave a lasting impression.
Prague, the points machine
While New York celebrated, Prague Lions may have completed the most important mission of the night.
No victory. No wild celebrations. Just a masterclass in consistency.
Thibeau Spits and Pieter Devos went about their business like accountants armed with oversized calculators. A few faults here and there, never too many. Always in control. Always in contention.
Third in Cannes on twelve penalties, Prague leaves the Riviera with something far more valuable than a stage win: the championship leader's armband.
« We came here to protect our position », explained Devos. Mission accomplished, and then some.
With 89 points, the Lions now sit atop the overall standings.
Cannes, a stage for shock exits
Like every great disaster movie, this one needed a few high-profile casualties.
Defending champions St Tropez Pirates, exited in the first round after a brutal and unexpected double elimination.
Même sort pour les Scandinavian Vikingssuffered a similar fate following Jur Vrieling’s retirement.
Later, the Shanghai Swans represented by Deusser and Cadasei, started round two in second place before collapsing under pressure.
The Riyadh Knights aw their campaign end with the elimination ofEmanuele Gaudiano , after Tom Wachman had already left the arena carrying 11 penalties.
Meanwhile, the Basel Cosmopolitans, the Monaco Aces , and local favourites Cannes Stars watched the podium drift further away with every falling rail.
In Cannes on Friday night, nobody was safe.
A title race more open than ever
The biggest consequence of this round may not be New York’s victory.
It may be what happened to the championship standings.
Prague now leads with 89 points. The Istanbul Warriors sit just one point behind. The Basel CosmopolitansBasel Cosmopolitans are three points back. New York’s Riviera triumph propels them into fourth place, while the Monaco Aces remain firmly in the hunt.
The top five teams are now separated by just 13 points.
In other words: almost nothing.
With every round, the 2026 Global Champions League looks increasingly like the final lap of a Formula 1 Grand Prix sprint. Flat out, unpredictable, and impossible to call.
Find the full GCL Cannes results here.
(Photos ©LGCT/Stefano Grasso)
