IRELAND'S Denis Lynch, riding Thomas Straumann's bay gelding Lantinus, finished fifth in the first leg of the new Rolex World Cup season at Oslo in Norway this afternoon (Sunday), collecting 12,000 euro for his place,

Tipperary-born Lynch, who finished 15th overall in the 2010/2011 season standings, was one of 14 riders to go through to the jump-off from a starting field of 40, but though posting a second clear round, was unable to match the time of the last combination into the arena, Switzerland's Pius Schwizer and Carlina, who collected the first prize of a Land Rover Evoque.

Lynch, however, was one of nine riders to record a double clear round in the competition.

Cian O'Connor and his new gelding Carpe Diem picked up four faults first time out, while Ireland's third competitor Billy Twomey, who finished fifth overall last season, retired Tracey Forrest's chestnut stallion Romanov II in the first round when the horse's martingale broke after the fifth fence.

Meanwhile Irish rider John Hickey was victorious in Saturday night's bareback Puissance competition at Oslo, winning on the fourth jump-off at a height of 2m10 with the bay gelding Cactus.

In Kiel, Germany, Antrim-born Jessica Kurten was third in the three-star Grand Prix today with the Dutch-bred gelding Vincente, finishing one-and-a-half-seconds off the pace of Dutch winner Gert-Jan Bruggink and the 13 year-old Primeval Wings.

Tipperary's Shane Breen placed fourth in the three-star Grand Prix at Saint Lo in France with Balloon on a double clear round, with the USA's Lauren Hough taking the trophy on Quick Study.
 

Denis Lynch - fifth in the World Cup class