Nothing defines Rolex, one of many world’s most well-known luxurious watchmakers, greater than its dedication to sport. For a lot of a long time, from tennis to golf to yachting to motorsport, Rolex has been a key supporter of among the most thrilling sporting occasions, sponsoring each main competitions and particular person athletes.
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Maybe none is a extra refined but superbly rugged encapsulation of the whole lot that Rolex stands for than the noble sport of present leaping. The watchmaker has been concerned in present leaping for nearly 70 years – together with, since 2013, because the sponsor of the Rolex Grand Slam of Present Leaping, the last word achievement within the sport. To win it, riders must triumph at three consecutive competitions among the many 4 main occasions on the calendar: the Dutch Masters, the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows “Masters” Match and the CHI Geneva.
The primary of these 4, the Dutch Masters, was contested over three days of intense competitors in early March within the city of ’s-Hertogenbosch within the Netherlands.
Since 2014, Rolex has been principal sponsor, in addition to title sponsor of the Grand Prix, the occasion’s most prestigious class, which itself was established again in 1966, and marked its fiftieth version in 2017. Some 37 riders battled it out for this yr’s Rolex Grand Prix over a course created by famend course designer Louis Konickx, with Dutch rider Willem Greve on 12-year-old stallion Freeway TN N. O. P finally popping out on prime. Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann bagged second place, with one other Dutch rider, Harrie Smolders, ending in third.
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The win implies that Greve takes over as the most recent Rolex Grand Slam of Present Leaping contender from German rider Richard Vogel, winner of the earlier occasion within the sequence, the CHI Geneva again in December. To date, the Grand Slam has solely been achieved as soon as, by Scottish rider Scott Brash, who claimed the honour in 2015. Brash is a Rolex Testimonee – particular person athletes the watchmaker helps, and with whom it has a private relationship. They embody lots of the foremost names within the historical past of the game, together with two who’ve taken dwelling the Rolex Grand Prix title on the Dutch Masters, each of them on multiple event: Germany’s Daniel Deusser, who received it in 2015 and 2022, and France’s Kevin Staut, who triumphed in 2010 and 2014.
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Providing assist to main athletes is how Rolex acquired concerned in present leaping within the first place. The story started in 1957, when it partnered with British present jumper Pat Smythe. A exceptional determine within the early historical past of the game, Smythe triumphed over quite a few private challenges, together with the lack of each of her dad and mom when she was younger, to change into a prolific competitors winner. She turned a trailblazer in 1956 when she turned the primary lady to compete in Olympic present leaping, after a ban on feminine opponents was lifted – and promptly took dwelling the bronze. Her spirit has fired Rolex’s involvement with the game ever since.