Vaulting always finds a special setting in Aachen. The atmosphere of the World Championships turns every performance into something more than just a competition and, year after year, the public responds by filling the stands to enjoy one of the most spectacular disciplines in equestrian sport.
Now that the 2026 Aachen World Championship is just around the corner, it is worth looking back and remembering how a 2025 edition was decided that left excitement, unforgettable farewells and a Nations Cup decided by very few points.
One of the most emotional moments came in the Pas de Deux. The Swiss vaulters Syra Schmid and Zoe Maruccio chose Aachen as one of the last major events of their sporting career. Having extended their farewell after winning silver at the World Championships in Bern and stepping onto the podium at the World Cup Final in Basel, both brought their story in the German arena to a close with a new victory. Alongside Latino V. Forst CH and under the direction of lunger Michael Heuer, they delivered a brilliant performance that put the finishing touch on a career full of success.
Meanwhile, the Nations Cup provided one of the closest finishes in recent memory. Germany, heavy favourites in front of their home crowd, lived up to expectations, although they had to fight until the final routine to claim victory. Germany I ended up taking the win with 26.321 points, ahead of Germany II, which scored 25.526. The Netherlands completed the podium with their first team, while their second line-up finished in fourth position, demonstrating the enormous depth of the Dutch talent pool.
Equality was the main protagonist. Germany II managed to build a significant lead thanks, among other things, to the excellent performance of Ronja Kähler. However, Germany I responded at the decisive moment and ended up tipping the balance in their favour by a narrow margin. National coach Kai Vorberg later summarised the team's sentiment by highlighting the high standard shown by their athletes across all categories and the satisfaction with the performance delivered throughout the weekend.
There was also space for the new generations. The young couple formed by Arne Heers and Jella Hamann caught the eye with two highly relevant performances in their joint debut in Aachen, making it clear that the next generation of German talent continues to come through strongly.
With that memory still very much present, the big question is inevitable: will those names be repeated on the 2026 podium? Germany will once again start as one of the strong favourites, driven by the depth of its sporting structure and by competing in front of its home crowd. The Netherlands also aspire to remain among the best, while other national teams will look to break the dominance shown last year and seize any opportunity to sneak into the medals.
Aachen rarely disappoints. If Vaulting taught us anything in 2025, it is that, even when there are clear favourites, the difference between glory and missing out can come down to a few tenths of a mark. In a few days the spectacle will return and all eyes will be on the arena to discover whether history repeats itself or if the World Championship writes a new chapter in a discipline where technique, synchronisation and emotion always go hand in hand.
