Belfast’s top two league finish—their sixth in a row—secured the club European Cup racing for a record equalling 13th time. Houston had been on course for a 14th appearance in the competition in SL18, however last day drama cost them the final qualification spot, with Caversham snatching third in the league at their expense. As the Swans were beating Sedgley, 53-37, Houston were going down to a third home defeat of the campaign, Hallamshire beating them 42-48 at The Stables, results which combined saw the Colts slip behind Caversham in the standings on points difference! Despite their second away win of the campaign, Matt Akers side failed to claw their way out of the drop zone, they facing the prospect of division two racing in SL18 after four years at the highest level, and just two since they won the league title!

A best of third on the podium in eight rounds is enough it seems to become world champion. Marcin Jaworski taking the unlikely route to landing the sports biggest individual prize at the age of just 20, with consistent scoring which belies his inexperience. The Poland and Hallamshire superstar topped the standings in this years GP series to improve on his fifth place finish of last season—when he did win a GP!—with seven scores of either nine or ten points, his seven point tally in Prague last week a relative outlier. As well as the youngest ever World Champion, Jaworski becomes only the second to win both the full and WU21 titles, Stephan Beck the first to complete the double in SL14. Brit’ Julian Harrison (13) took the silver medal after winning this years final round in Warsaw, the success his fourth in the series, but his first outside the British GP. Durok Karban (9)—the only rider to win more than one GP this season—held on to take bronze, as series leader going into the Polish decider, Lewis Adkins (5), dropped dramatically down the order.

Steve Donaldson’s Bournville took the final promotion place in division two after completing the season with back-to-back wins. They rounded off the campaign with a club record 36-54 win on their travels at Chesterfield, however an earlier 28 point home success over Harringay has already secured a debut season in the top flight, in what will be their sixth year of league racing. That loss saw Jonathan Symes’ Hoods slip two points behind Bradford in the standings heading into their final day title decider, however they were back at the summit by the end of SL17, they taking all three points on offer in the top of the table clash with a 48-42 victory.

Barnsley were the first to secure promotion from division three in SL17. A penultimate round 20 point victory over Heath taking Matt Akers second string six points clear of a bunch of three teams fight for the remaining spots. Shetland—managed by Derek Purvis—and Southend were successful from that trio after picking up points on the final day as promotion rivals Nottingham failed to do so, the former beating the latter 47-43 on home shale with the help from heat wins from second string Callum Hawkins (7+2) and reserve Julian Rowley (7+1). Meanwhile a draw at Heath earned Paul Davison’s Southend two vital league points, those secured with a last heat 5-1, one of three such scores for the visitors in the final five races.