Dusan Hobler scored 17 as league leaders Stone Cross recovered from six down to earn a draw at bottom of the table Auckland. In fact the Crusaders fell six adrift of their hosts on three different occasions and were behind throughout the night right up until the final race, when a 4-2 from Hobler and Benjamin Hess (14+1) levelled things up for the first time. Earlier Auckland had claimed only their second away point of the season thanks to a draw on their travels, the scores at Sawley finishing level thanks to the minor places from Daniel Bodell (10+1) and Andy Daniel (14+2) in the decider, the pair had scored a 5-1 two races earlier. The Rhinos end the week nine points adrift of now seventh placed side Sawley, and safety.

After two previous exits at this stage of the competition, it was third time lucky in the semi-finals of the Division Two Cup for Nottingham. They came through a tricky tie with Purton by four on aggregate, a last heat 5-1 from Birstall bound Joakim Naess Lund (14) and Olga Burdin (13+1) decisive in the second leg at the Pirates, who had levelled the scores up a race early with a Michael Connolly (12+1) winning 4-2. Naess Lund could have been on the opposition side in the final if Birstall had come through their tie with Wednesfield, a reunion was denied though by the Wolves, whose progressed to their first ever final in any competition by ten on aggregate despite a 48-42 second leg loss on their travels.

Birstall have ended the latest rounds of fixtures outside of the division two relegation zone for the first time in nearly two months. Four league wins in a row now for Tony Slater’s Bulls, including a 44-46 success at Liden on their latest road trip courtesy of a last heat win over home number one Jason Davis (11+1) for second string Aaron Taylor. It was Taylor’s fourth success of the night and saw him finish with season best figures of 14 from five, fellow second string Jussi Rissanen (9) also impressed with two wins, while on loan 19 year old reserve James McLean (10) picked up three victories from just four rides. At the top end of the table second placed Nottingham were held to a home draw by Wednesfield, who lie third, the Wolves—who have lost just one of their last nine in the league—snatching a point with a last heat Victor Bitkin (15) winning 5-1.

SL27 winners Coleshill are back in the Division Three Cup final for a second time after coming through their last four tie with Lakeside. Andy Harvey’s side progressed with a race to spare and limited the Aces to a 47-43 second leg victory on their travels, they go on to meet Tey Grove in the decider, the Turtles winning their semi-final tie against Burrett Road by six on aggregate.

Krakow and Poland star Olesia Duda (15) is the new World Championship leader following a maiden GP success for the 25 year old in Germany this week. Duda scored a maximum to take the title in Kassel in what was his 11th career GP appearance, he finishing four points clear of Benjamin Hess (2nd) and Roope Hokkanen (3rd), who fought out a race-off for the minor podium spots. Meanwhile Burrett Road reserve Aiden Chaney (12) claimed the BU21 title in this weeks final at Stone Cross by a point from teenagers Ryan Holmes (2nd) and Harry Sanderson (3rd).