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Surprise, Germany win fifth straight team dressage Olympic gold

From Sports Illustrated • SI Images: Photos from the Games • Brian Cazeneuve: Sheets leads U.S. past Cubans • Tim Layden: Track and field notebook • Richard Hoffer: Bennett's career remains promising despite loss • Jack McCallum: Wrestler who sued to make team earns silver | Gardner slays a giant • Leigh Montville: Armstrong chase for gold comes up short this time • John Walters: The Channel Guy -- The Sydney Games have provided a soap-opera spirit • Medal Picks: SI's Predictions More Features • Angelo Taylor Diary: Winning provides a great feeling • Sydney Scene: Luba Vangelova -- Oi, Oi, Oy • Day at a Glance: On track when it counts • Wake-up Call: Tracking the day in sports • Viewers' Guide: Sept. 27 • Quiz: Today's Tester Athletes • Just Checking In: U.S. soccer player Landon Donovan • Athlete Bios: U.S. Rosters Multimedia • Photo Gallery: Shots of the Day • Photo Gallery: Upsets galore • Multimedia Central: Photo Galleries, Video and More

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SYDNEY, Sept 27 (AFP) - Germany, led by Isabell Werth, captured their fifth straight Olympic equestrian team dressage gold medal Wednesday, ahead of arch-rivals Holland.

Werth, riding Olympic veteran Gigolo, set the stage for the German victory by scoring 1,908 points in rainy weather on Tuesday, and their lead held up through the second half of the competition.

The Germans finished with a total of 5,638 points, the Netherlands -- runners-up in Atlanta and Barcelona -- with 5,579 and the United States took bronze with 5,165.

Christine Traurig and Etienne scored 1,745 on the last ride of the competition to secure third place for the Americans ahead of Denmark.

"Amazing," Traurig said. "This moment has been a dream of a lifetime. I'm proud of my horse. He went in there and was there for me.

"It was a hell of a test for him," she added. "It's been only one and ahalf years since he has done Grand Prix, and only one and a half years before that that he was in serious dressage."

Anky van Grunsven, still chasing Werth for the individual title, led the Netherlands with 1,875 points. Germany's Nadine Capellmann and Coby van Baalen of the Netherlands were tied for third in the individual event, which continues on Friday with the Grand Prix Special.

"It's the best thing you can do, retiring with a gold medal," said Anton Fischer, head of the German Dressage Committee.

"I was lucky to be in six Olympics and it's been the most successful squad since I took over in 1973," he said of Werth, Capellmann, Alexandra Simons de Ridder and Ulla Salzgeber.

Despite Germany's history of success in the event, Capellmann said it was important not to get complacent.

"You have to go out there and do your competition and finish, otherwise you don't have the gold medal," she said. "My horse was pretty confident. The horse came from a quiet area and then to go into the stadium it's a bit scary."

And she said she wouldn't concede the individual gold and silver to Werth and van Grunsven just yet.

"There are four or five or six athletes who are in medal contention. If the freestyle goes well you never know.

The Grands Prix spread over Tuesday and Wednesday not only served as the team competition but also as a qualifying round in the individual event.

The top 25 riders progress to the Grand Prix Special on Friday, the top 15 after that compete in the freestyle round for the gold medal on Saturday.

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