What a start to SL33 for Birkenhead. On a high from being named as this season’s British Grand Prix hosts, the Bombers excelled on the track this week as the new campaign got underway, the club winning their first three meetings in league and cup, with two of those victories earned away from their Merseyside Arena home. Almost point for point Glyn Hughes side matched their three successes from the opening week of last season, five of the septet to appear in those fixtures went to the circuit for the Bombers as their SL33 schedule go underway at Timperley, all five provided race wins to the cause, with £210,000 addition George Ogle (5+1) making it six race winners on the night for the visitors. They led from Philip Weber and Ogle’s 4-2 in heat three to the finish, with both league points secured in the eventual 43-47 victory with the side’s second 5-1 of the night in heat 14, that scored by Weber and reserve Tony Swift (8+3). Weber (11+2) was also instrumental in Birkenhead’s later Division One Cup victory at Sawley, the German playing a part in heat ten and 15 5-1’s as last years runners-up recovered from 14 points down to win the meeting 43-47. Weber finished second to Kristian Norgaard (15 from six) in the decisive final race, which has set the Bombers a clear path towards another semi-final appearance. Birkenhead rounded off a superb opening week with a 48-41 home win over Swinton, a last heat 5-1 from second string Aleksandrs Zirnis (12) and Norgaard (13+1) this time taking the Bombers to victory.

An unlikely team has kept Birkenhead off the top of the division one table, with top flight newcomers Wednesfield hitting the summit after home and away wins. Cestmir Boros (15)—who has increased his average in each of his three previous seasons with the club—scored a maximum as Daz Smith’s Wolves snatched a 44-46 opening day victory at Sawley in the final heat, Boros leading around pre-season loan signing Petr Bonus (11+1) to the decisive 5-1. The Wolves went on to beat Timperley 52-38 to go clear of the Bombers on points difference in the standings.

SL31 winners Stone Cross have put themselves in a strong position to reach the semi-finals of the Division One Cup for the third successive season. Three vital away group points secured when they became the second club to win at Timperley’s Robinson Arena in SL33, four race victories apiece from Dusan Hobler (14) and Benjamin Hess (13+1) helping keep the Crusaders noses in front in the tie from heat two onwards, the same two riders going on to secure the points with the minor places behind Olga Burdin (15 from six) in the last heat decider. Nottingham meanwhile made a winning start on the road in the opposite side of the draw, the club—who’ve reached the semi-finals in each of the last five years of the competition’s various guises—beating Dundee, 44-46, with the help of a useful paid eight from 17 year old Kiwi second string, Riley Mitchell.

Division three newcomers Birmingham (23) made an eye-catching start to SL33. Back-to-back wins in the league for Peter Hay’s Bulls, but it was in the Club Pairs Championship in which their impact was felt most. Connor O’Brien (16) and Carl Rogers (7) scored a 5-1 over Auckland’s GP duo Andy Daniel and Daniel Bodel before adding three 4-2’s to win their first round tie at Bournemouth by a point from Whiddon (22), top flight Stone Cross (19) were lucky to go through from third with both Auckland and division one outfit Sawley eliminated. A stunning 39-51 victory at Coleshill followed in the league for the Bulls, where O’Brien (15) went through the card unbeaten, as would have second string Mustanen Rantala (13) but for a late pass on him by Juhani Heikkinen in the final heat.

Home advantage helped Bolsover (23) win their Club Pairs first round tie. They go through to round two for only the second time in their eight year history, Timperley (22) took second, Lakeside (19) qualified through in third. Top flight duo Southampton (24) and Wednesfield (24) won their respective first round ties, the latter sharing the spoils on home shale with Eastbourne (24), Grangemouth (22) qualified from third there. The Saints topped the standings at Burrett Road ahead of Greenhill (23) and Kirkcaldy (21).

18 year old Owen Briggs (14) won an all-Dundee race-off against Scot’ Alex Murdock to win his BU21 semi-final at Whiddon. Murdock is currently on loan at this weeks hosts from the Cakes, who enjoyed a podium shutout with James Maclean (13) taking third. Swinton’s David Cox (13) won a race-off against John Gordon to win the second of the semi-finals at Bullbridge.