Fox-Pitt tops world rankings

British equestrian eventer William Fox-Pitt will go to the London Olympic Games as world number one.

The final HSBC world rankings list before London, which was published on Monday, sees the Dorset-based rider retain top spot.

Fox-Pitt, 43, will spearhead Great Britain's bid for an eventing medal at Greenwich Park on his fourth Olympics appearance.

He won both three-star classes at the Bramham International Horse Trials in Yorkshire last month, which was the final competition before a five-strong British team for London of Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Piggy French, Tina Cook and Zara Phillips was selected.

Andrew Nicholson, who will be named in New Zealand's London eventing team, keeps second spot, just three ranking points behind Fox-Pitt.

Nicholson, based in Wiltshire, was first and second with Avebury and Quimbo in Sunday's Barbury International CIC three-star class.

Fox-Pitt's Olympic colleagues are all ranked outside the top 10, with French 12th, five-time Olympian King 35th, Phillips 51st and Cook 89th.

The closest British rider to Fox-Pitt is 2009 Badminton and Burghley champion Oliver Townend, who has climbed 38 places into seventh spot.