The world number one went into the final without any great expectations of himself and the horse Iliana.
However, he had hopes. And a purpose. The World Cup's setup is similar to that of a championship, with several tough rounds within a few days. Iliana has only previously competed in one European Championship and needs to gain experience.
He got it, and so did the horse. The Swedish world star sawed through the riding performance.
"So badly by me"
What do you feel? It's real frustration from my side. So badly by myself in the second round. Stupid and clumsy. I had the chance, but didn't take it, he says and grumbles over some tactical mistakes.
Nearly 650,000 kronor in prize money and son Noah's birthday to celebrate may have compensated for the setbacks in the arena.
The pair were in the fight for the final victory until the third competition day in S:t Jakobshalle in Basel. They shared second place with the Swiss Martin Fuchs, two faults behind the Frenchman Julien Epaillard.
But when Iliana hit the pink obstacle with its hind legs in the first round, the chance of victory was practically gone. von Eckermann fell to sixth place, six faults behind the Frenchman and with four riders between him and the top.
With the elimination in the second round, it was mostly a question of which placement the day would end in.
French victory
Epaillard knocked down a hurdle in the final round on Donatello d'Auge, but it was enough for the Frenchman to celebrate his first victory in a World Cup final. The Brit Ben Maher and the Frenchman Kevin Staut came second and third.
I'm 47 years old and now I have my first title, says Epaillard to SVT.
He lost last year's final battle against von Eckermann, who won the World Cup finals in Omaha 2023 and last year in Riyad, then on King Edward. The Swede went into this year's final with the opportunity to win for the third year in a row.
The only one who has so far managed to do so is the Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa, who won 1998-2000.
