Equestrianism: Olympic course offers 'punishing' test, says Fox-Pitt

(PA)

British rider William Fox-Pitt has predicted "a test of athleticism" when the world's top eventers go for Olympic gold at Greenwich Park next year.

Fox-Pitt gained a glimpse of what is to come during yesterday's Olympic Test Event cross-country phase – held on a scaled-down two-star track, as opposed to the punishing four-star version that will await riders at London 2012.

Fox-Pitt's Great Britain colleague Piggy French retained her emphatic overnight lead heading into the showjumping finale today, with Sweden's Sara Algotsson-Ostholt second and Michael Jung third. But the course, a 19-obstacle challenge with an optimum time of just over five minutes, gave competitors an insight into Greenwich terrain.

"It is going to be a test of athleticism, and we are all talking about what is the ideal Greenwich horse. said world No 2 Fox-Pitt, who lies ninth on Gaucho.