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Olympic Edition
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Comment now on the latest news at the Forum BELFAST AIM FOR FINAL RETURN Holders out after Sinks defeat Belfast have sealed a last four berth in the Division One Cup and eliminated holders Long Eaton at the same time. Out go the Rifles after the 50-40 defeat at the Sinks, a result which sends Paul Hunt’s through as runners-up in a group which is guaranteed to be topped by Totton, despite there still being a round of the qualifiers to be raced. Belfast have won the competition a record four times, but haven’t been in the final since the last of those successes a decade ago, this is only the third time they’ve made it through to the semi-finals in those ten years. Totton’s recent record isn’t great either, however after making it three wins from three in the current campaign at home against Balham (51-38), they can relax in the knowledge they will be semi-finalists for only the second time in the six years since they lifted the trophy in SL12. In the other half of the draw a last heat 5-1 earned Bradford what could prove to be a crucial 46-44 home win over Caversham in their final qualifier, the result leaves them on six group points, two better off than Bournville and the Swans, who meet at the latter in the final set of first round meetings. Belfast meanwhile turned a good week into a great one on their league trip to Harringay, the Sinks recording their biggest competitive away win in nearly seven years in beating the basement side, 38-52. Belfast scored three 5-1’s in the final six races to complete the rout, second string Tobas Andros (8) picking up the first of his two wins in the meeting in the hat-trick opener, in all Belfast riders raced to 11 heat victories. Elsewhere 11 points from 19 year old reserve Dusan Blahnik helped Bradford earn a draw in their meeting at Bournville.TODAY: Shorts Southend were involved in two of the five draws which littered the lower division results sheet this week. Paul Davison’s side dropped their first home point at the second tier level with the visit of Sedgley to their Southend Raceway home, six down with two races remaining, the visitors took a share of the spoils by closing out the contest with a 5-1 and a 4-2, Beck Sundling (8+4) was involved in both, finishing runner up to his second string Petter Gullikson (7+1) in the penultimate race, before taking third in the decider won by Vadim Kozel (11). Both Belal Dlouhy (14) and Balder Sall (12) had each won four out of four for the hosts prior to their heat 15 reversal. Similar disappointment at Stirling for the Eagles, and away point gained, but it would have been both going their way but for a final race 5-1 defeat, Dlouhy (11) again coming up short having won three of his four previous outings to the track and finished second in the other. The top-of-the-table meeting between south Yorkshire rivals Hallamshire and Barnsley also ended all-square, Marcin Jaworski (16) and Gustave Liden (11+1) scoring a last heat 4-2 for the former to earn them their fourth away point of the campaign in a meeting they had trailed in by eight. It’s just one defeat in the eight league meetings for Hallamshire this season, who now lead the second tier standings by two points from Barnsley.
Four point home wins—over Stoke and Shetland respectively—were good enough for Barnsley and Sedgley to become the first sides this season to reach the semi-finals of the Division Two Cup. They do so with a group meeting to spare, having both now won three out of three in the current campaign. Barnsley won the Division Three Cup in their debut season last year, Sedgley are previous two-times winners of this competition, they are gunning for Bradford’s record of three wins in SL18. A 48-42 home win over Bridgwater was enough to send Abdy through to the last four of the Division Three Cup, meanwhile Dudley won at Braintree for the second time this season by a 44-46 margin to secure their passage through to the last four, Lech Wysocki (13) winning a decisive last heat 4-2 for the visitors.
Dudley’s cup semi-final qualification followed the loss of their 100% start to the season. A 47-43 defeat at Heath brought their eight meeting winning run to an end, and their week would finish poorly too, the Cheetahs later held to a home draw by Wednesfield in their division three clash. The Wasps nabbed an away league point in the black country derby despite their septet winning just four heats, with three of those successes coming from one rider, reserve Adam Carroll (11+1). Carroll won both the 5-1’s scored by the visitors, and was also involved in both the 4-2’s they tallied. Dudley still lead the way from Wednesfield in the table, although the gap is down to two points, Bridgwater—whose meeting at Braintree ended all-square—are a point further back in third. Buxton are up to fourth, they beat Chesterfield 42-48 on the road after a run of four 4-2’s in the final five races.
Long Eaton’s Ethan Robertson (12) and Kalmar’s Tarjei Knutsen (14) earned victories in the opening World Championship ties of SL18. World number 13 Sven Roth (3) became the first of the SL17 GP riders to be eliminated, he finishing 13th in the Balham qualifier.
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