Equestrian: Course not Olympic standard, Nicholson says

7.30am - By KEVIN NORQUAY

ATHENS - Three-day eventer Andrew Nicholson today made a declaration of war on the Olympic Games cross-country course after lowly dressage scores dented New Zealand medal prospects.

Sixth after the dressage, New Zealand will have to attack the cross-country tomorrow in a bid to go free of time penalties, Nicholson said.

But even that might not move them into medal contention in the cross-country on what he criticised as "not an Olympic standard course".

"I am very disappointed in the course," veteran Nicholson told NZPA after his dressage score left him 52nd of 75 riders.

Top riders would have little trouble avoiding time penalties for failing to complete the 5570m circuit in under nine minutes 46 seconds, he felt.

"We came here expecting a very strong cross-country course and now we will be playing catch up until the end of the competition," he said.

"The water jump is very difficult, it's very, very deep and up to standard, (so is) the coffin, but there are 35 jumps and that's about four or five of them."

New Zealand has plenty of quality above them in the team competition.

Counting only the best three riders, Britain led on 113.20 points, from France (113.40); Germany (114.40); United States (128.40), Australia (129.40), and New Zealand back in sixth place (154.60).

Olympic rookies head the New Zealand effort, with Heelan Tompkins and Glengarrick in 13th place on 44.00 penalty points, and Matthew Grayling and Revo in 22nd on 47.20.

Nicholson and Fenicio made up the counting three, on 63.40 points.

Olympic champion Blyth Tait and Ready Teddy were 54th on 63.80, and Daniel Jocelyn on Silence 61st with 66.80 penalties.

While it looked grim, Nicholson was not about to raise the white flag.

Fenicio was noted for his jumping ability, not his dressage, Nicholson said.

"We've got to do it all tomorrow. Also you've got the showjumping... it's easy for people to think it's all about the dressage.

"If I always gave up after the dressage I'd be going home early a lot of times."

New Zealand coach Mark Todd, who won eventing gold medals in 1984 and 1988, said other riders also had concerns about the cross-country.

"It's certainly on the easier side of what we expected," he told NZPA.

"Still, there's 30-odd jumps to get over. There's a long way to go yet.

"Our only chance is to get five rounds inside the time, clear (of penalties). Then we can reassess the situation tomorrow.

"We're not lying down yet. We've got fast horses, we've got good riders."

Only Tompkins and Grayling now appear to be in contention for individual medals, though in 1992 Tait won a bronze from a similar situation to the one he has found himself in at Athens.

Grayling was pleased with his dressage performance, especially given the atmosphere.

"Revo rose to the occasion," he said.

"The atmosphere was tremendous, there is just no comparison to events back home. In retrospect, I think our score isn't too bad.

"I was hoping for a 45 or better as he usually pulls a score similar to Glengarrick's.

"He can go better than he did today but overall I was pleased."

Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint heads the individual competition on Galan de Sauvagere, after an outstanding dressage test of only 29.20 penalties.

Pippa Funnell of Britain was second on 31.40, with first day leader Bettina Hoy third on 32.00 penalties.

- NZPA