The Stage Is Set: GCL Championship Finals 2025

After fifteen thrilling stages across the globe, the season comes down to this - one final showdown beneath the Riyadh skyline. The numbers tell the story of a championship still wide open: Valkenswaard United hold the lead on 296 points, narrowly ahead of the defending champions, the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames, on 290. Behind them, the Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team sit on 256, the Shanghai Swans on 253, and Riesenbeck International powered by Horse Gym on 241.

Six points separate the top two. Twelve points separate fourth from fifth. Every rail, every second, every heartbeat counts.

In one corner stand the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames - the defending champions, led by three German powerhouses this week in Riyadh: Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, Sophie Hinners, and Katrin Eckermann. The same trio who opened the season with victory in Doha now ride for the title in Riyadh. Their campaign has been defined by precision, trust, and unrelenting determination - proof that resilience can be as powerful as raw speed. Could they start and finish the season on top?

Their fiercest challengers, Valkenswaard United, are built for greatness. Multiple-time champions and perennial title contenders, they bring one of their most experienced and balanced squads to Riyadh: Gilles Thomas, the newly crowned LGCT Champion; John Whitaker, a living legend; and Hans-Dieter Dreher, the model of consistency. United by legacy and fuelled by experience, they know what it takes to turn pressure into performance. Valkenswaard are fighting for not just the title, but for a historic third Championship win. 

Just behind them, Riesenbeck International powered by Horse Gym have made a bold call - travelling to Riyadh with only two riders. It’s a daring gamble, one that places enormous weight on Christian Kukuk and Emanuele Camilli as they chase a place inside the top four.

As the GCL Championship Finals unfold at the magnificent King Abdullah Financial District, everything that defines this league - teamwork, trust, resilience, and respect - will take centre stage. The battle lines are drawn. The teams are ready. The margins are impossibly fine.

When the final rail falls and the dust settles, the title will belong not just to the fastest, but to the team that stands strongest together.

Watch Live on GCTV

Don’t miss a second of the action.
Round 1: Thursday, 15:55 (local time)
Round 2: Thursday, 18:35 (local time)