A question that often comes up in cross-country is whether there was a benefit from where you are drawn.
Of course, going in the first few horses is usually a disadvantage as you don’t know how the course is jumping. But going later may mean that the ground conditions have changed (worsened) and or that its got warmer. So what happened yesterday in Paris on the cross-country?
Well, we can see from the first figure that it did get warmer as the XC progressed with a maximum air temperature of 25°C and a WBGT Index of just under 24°C – well below the FEI threshold for heat mitigation of 28°C, although we have seen ~27°C today in the eventing jumping final. There was also the view that the XC course did become a slightly more greasy/unstable as more horses went round.
However, if we look at time penalties, jumping penalties or eliminations/retirements, there is no evidence that order of go had any significant effect or advantage. All in all a great XC course with 12 riders making the time and as far as I am aware, no serious injuries to horses or riders. A great advert for equestrianism in the Olympics!
