Great Britain in silver medal position after first day of dressage

GREAT Britain made an impressive start to their European Eventing Championship campaign to lie in the silver medal position after the first day of dressage.

The British squad are bidding for an eighth successive European team eventing title and scored 98.2, with Germany leading on 84.2.

William Fox-Pitt, Oliver Townend, Tina Cook and Nicola Wilson form Great Britain's team challenge, while Lucy Wiegersma and Piggy French join them in the individual competition.

Fox-Pitt is Great Britain's most decorated rider at the Europeans, with seven medals to his name, and scored 41.5 overall to give him third place individually.

Wilson scored 56.7 but with Cook and Townend set to go tomorrow, Great Britain are well placed alongside hosts France and world and Olympic champions Germany.

Townend is the in-form rider, having claimed the Badminton and Burghley titles in 2009.

Frank Ostholt - part of the German team which captured gold in Beijing - leads the individual standings on 39.2, while Wiegersma - making her European Championship debut - is joint fourth with Germany's Michael Jung.

The dressage is completed on Friday before cross-country takes centre stage on Saturday before the showjumping finale on Sunday.