Riesenbeck International Gets Off the Struggle Bus in St. Tropez

Don’t call it a comeback… (but it is).

After riding the struggle bus for most of the 2026 season, Riesenbeck International finally stepped off in St. Tropez.

The team, historically one of the strongest in the GCL, were League Champions in 2023 and finished fourth overall in both 2024 and 2025. Consistency has been their calling card.

But their 2026 season has seen a slow start. In six legs, they podiumed just once—a second-place finish in Shanghai in May. In Miami Beach and Madrid, they didn’t even make the top 10 cut for the second round.

“We’ve had a rough season until now,” admitted team veteran Christian Kukuk.

They reset the GPS in St. Tropez.

In the first round, eight teams were separated by just a single rail with none managing to produce a clear score card. Rome Gladiators were eliminated by a costly refusal. New York Empire missed the Round 2 cut on time alone.

Riesenbeck International was still idling at the curb with mixed results. Ciaran Nallon and 9-year-old Casalla Blue PS delivered a clear in the first round, while veterans Christian Kukuk with Checker 47 dropped a pair of rails to put the team on 8 at the end of the first half.

“The new system is sometimes not so easy because, you come from a little warm-up yesterday and you jump straight away 1.60m. I was pretty busy the last weeks and Checker and me, we probably needed one round to get a little bit back in the flow,” said Kukuk.

Still, his belief never wavered.

“Even after the first round, I had a good feeling,” Kukuk continued. “Ciaran had a really, really great round and, to be honest, I was also happy with my round despite the two down because Checker felt very good.”

In Round 2, they battled from fourth into the top spot. All top three finishing teams returned to post clears. Riesenbeck International tied with Prague Lions on 8, but Kukuk and Nallon and quicker.

“In the second round I think [Checker] showed what he can do when he has to. I was under pressure and I needed to have a good time to put a bit of pressure on the other teams.

“Kieran did a great round again,” Kukuk added of his teammate who produced one of only two double clears on the day. “His performance was outstanding today.”

The win marked Riesenbeck International’s first GCL win of the 2026 season. Kukuk hopes it signals a shift in momentum.

“We’re super, super happy to be on top of the podium,” he said. “It’s the first time this year. We’ve had a rough season until now, but hopefully this is kind of a turnaround.”

The Prague Lions finished second with the day’s only other double clear from Thibeau Spits and Impress-K van’t Kattenheye Z. Mexico Amigos secured third to cap off one of their strongest performances of the season.

Nallon reflected on the dramatic change in fortunes between rounds: “At the halfway point, you couldn’t have expected that the second round would look completely different.”

With the victory in St Tropez, Riesenbeck International drives into the number two spot on the Championship Standings with momentum riding shotgun as the GCL heads to Paris, June 19-21.

Championship Standings After Stage 6