Walk the Rio Olympics cross-country course: pictures of every fence

Want to walk the Rio Olympics cross-country course but your bank account wouldn’t quite allow for the airfare to Brazil? No problem! Our fence by fence pictures are the next best thing to taking a stroll around the Deodoro venue yourself.

The track has been designed by France’s Pierre Michelet and in line with the rules for the the modified four-star format used at the Olympics the optimum time will be between 10 and 11 minutes.

The Olympic eventing starts on Saturday (6 August) with two days of dressage. The cross-country takes place on Monday (8 August) with the final showjumping on Tuesday (9 August). Swat up on the format here.

Fence 1: Copacabana Flower Bed

Fence 2: Arch Of Lapa

Fence 3: Picnic Table

Fence 4abcd: Botanical Garden

Fence a

Fence 4bc

Alternative fence 4c

Back of alternative fence c

Fence d

Fence 5: Pine Wood Ramp

Fence 6ab: Corners Question

Fence 7: Burghley Fence

Fence 8abc/9: Sugar Loaf
Fence 8ab


Fence 8c


Fence 9


Fence 10: Bamboo Keyhole

Fence 11ab/12: Pan Am Wall Combination
Fence 11a


Fence 11b


Fence 12

Fence 13: Amazonian Log

Fence 14ab: Narrows Wood Piles
Fence 14a

Fence 14b

Fence 15: Log Pile And Ditch

Fence 16abc: Old Water Complex
Fence 16a

Fence 16b

Fence 16c

Fence 17: Palm Tree Question
Fence 17a

Fence 17b

Fence 18: Flower Box

Fence 19/20ab: Ski Jump
Fence 19

Fence 20ab


Fence 21: Wood Pile Launch

Fence 22: White Oxer

Fence 23/24: Malmesbury Cottage
Quick route over fence 23

Slow route over fence 23

Fence 24

Fence 25ab: Web Water Jump
Fence 25a

Fence 25b

Fence 26: Bamboo Vertical

Continued below…

Related articles:

• Beginner’s guide to Olympic eventing
• Who will compete in the eventing at the Games?
• Timetable and how to follow the Olympics

Fence 27: Fruit Wagon

Fence 28/29ab/30: Fisherman’s Lake
Fence 28

Fence 29ab

Fence 30

Fence 31: Knowledge Bridge

Fence 32: Brush Fence

Fence 33: Sambodromo

Full report of the Olympic eventing from Rio in H&H next week, out on Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week to allow us to report the full eventing from the Games.

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.