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Olympic Edition
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Comment now on the latest news at the Forum GOOD AS GOULD Caversham land Euro prize Caversham have won the European Cup for the first time in their history after a dramatic finish to their all British final against Long Eaton. David Grainger would certainly have been wary of his opponents despite trailing them by just two points heading into this weeks second leg decider at Kings Meadow, the Rifles having beaten them on aggregate twice in as many seasons in the KO Cup, their latest exit following a draw at the Berkshire venue just a month ago. And again the hosts found themselves in trouble as the two fought it out for the European silverware, Caversham holding the aggregate lead just once prior to the final race, that despite scoring two 4-2’s and a 5-1 in the opening eight races of the return. 17 year old reserve Magnar Wisniewski (7+1) was involved in two of those early heat advantages, however all three were answered by identical scores by the visiting side in the very next race. Wisniewski returned to beat Long Eaton’s Thomas Dobson twice late on, including in heat 14 were he picked up a crucial two points for second place which meant the scores going into the last were tied on the night, with Caversham remaining in touching distance of the trophy. Still they needed a 5-1 to seal the deal, but with the unbeaten Garry Gould (14+1) and Steffan Juhlin (12+1) to come—two riders that had combined for maximum points in heat 13—the hosts would have been confident of pulling it off. And they did, Julian Harrison (11+1)—who’d won three of his previous four races—not a match for the pace of the hosts top two from the start, they getting away off to a flyer, a comfortable 5-1 in the end to complete Caversham’s two point aggregate victory.TODAY: Shorts Long Eaton (119) will go for a third successive 4TT victory in this years final but there will be no Belfast (104) in the SL18 decider. Belfast have finished either first or second in each of the previous five seasons of the competition, lifting the trophy for a record fifth time in SL15. However they are out after finishing 18 points adrift of Totton (122) after the fourth leg of their second round qualifier, the Sinks failing to recover from a last place finishing in the opening leg at Stourbridge, the Tigers—who took third overall last year—won on home shale and the leg at Bradford. Long Eaton scored 40 at home on their way to a 16 point aggregate win over Dudley, while Caversham (110) and Hallamshire (108) fought out a tight qualifier in which both would eventually do enough to reach the last four. Wednesfield (91) missed out in that after failing to win leg four on home shale, the Swans nabbing the group win after scoring 29 at Under Rock as Hallamshire managed just 20.
Totton go into the final two months of the season with plenty of chances of ending their six season run without a major trophy. They have finals of both the 4TT and Division One Cup to come, plus will take a six point lead with them to Long Eaton next week for the second leg of their KO Cup semi-final tie. They are also set well to make a late challenge for the league title—which they last won in SL11—they becoming Bradford’s closest rivals after cutting the deficit between themselves and the leaders to four points with home and away wins. The latter came at Balham, 44-46, where both their second strings—Izak Zaloudek (9+1) and Sebes Makos (6+1)—were amongst the heat winners, although it was a Simon Snow (13)/Lewis Atkins (10+1) 5-1 in heat 13 which took the Tigers back in front, a lead they would turn into a fourth away victory of the campaign with successive 3-3’s. Totton will look to build on that success when they travel to third placed Houston, who themselves picked up a point in their latest away fixture at bottom of the table Harringay, promoter George Seymour will be disappointed it wasn’t two given the Hoods haven’t won any of their last seven league meetings.
Defending World Champion Marcin Jaworski (13) has returned to the top of this year’s GP standings with his second meeting victory of the series. The Poland and Hallamshire rider added to his opening round success in Totton after winning a race-off against Samuel Williams for the Swedish GP crown in Malmo, Izak Zaloudek (11) took third. Staffan Juhlin drops from top to second in the standings after scoring just eight on the night. A race-off too settled the podium spots in the first of the WU21 semi-finals in Belfast, Barnsley’s Jan Vogel (13) taking the meeting win after beating Zobor Denke and Leon Henrichsen in the extra race.
Swinton moved five points clear of the division two relegation zone with their second away win of the season. 18 year old reserve Dano Toman (10+3) top scoring for the visitors as they took the points at Southend, 43-47, the result leaving the Eagles rock bottom of the table. Earlier the Spartans had been held to a home draw by leaders Hallamshire, while second placed Barnsley also took a point on the road at East Hull.
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