NSWIS athlete Edwina Tops-Alexander has kicked off her 2012 Global Champions Tour campaign in style by taking out the opening round in Doha, Qatar atop her champion horse Cevo Itot du Chateau.

The reigning 2011 Global Champions Tour winner saw off the seven strong jump off to finish in an impressive 40.99. However being the first rider to traverse the course, Tops-Alexander admitted feeling some well justified nerves before her vastly experienced competition took to the field.

Marco Kutscher of Germany fell just shy of the mark coming agonisingly close, finishing second in 41.24. This was followed by Pius Schwizer of Switzerland and Billy Twomey from Ireland who finished in third and fourth with respective times of 41.32 and 41.44.

With less than half a second separating the top four places and a total of 80 horses comprising a hugely talented field, this is sure to be only the first of what will be a hotly contested Global Champions Tour with Tops-Alexander currently leading the charge towards the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The tour now moves to Valencia, Spain from the fourth to the sixth of May.

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