Two-times defending league champions Eastbourne are back up to second in the division one table after coming out on their top in their clash with leaders Timperley. A crucial two points secured for the home side when the unbeaten Kasper Larsen (15) won the final race to confirm a 44-46 victory, his five race wins part of a haul of 11 from the Hyenas. Earlier they’d ridden to their third away win of the campaign on their visit to Greenhill, three wins from Larsen (12+1) with another three going the way of Harry Myers (13) as they eased to an eventual 42-48 victory with a race to spare. Stone Cross drop to third overall, with in-form Birkenhead climbing to fourth after extending their winning league run to four meetings. The third success in that sequence was recorded at Bullbridge, Mika Smirnov (15) racing to his second full maximum of the campaign in the 41-49 win. Bullbridge have now lost five of their eight home meetings and are detached at the bottom of the standings, some ten points adrift of safety. Also in trouble are Swinton, they down to ninth after suffering a single point home loss to Rugby, the Royals snatching all three points with a last heat 5-1 scored by Soren Soenksen (11) and Edo Olejnik (12+1).

Greenhill’s Luca Romano (15) scored a maximum to win the Continental Final for the first time in his career. The success In Pila was his fourth in a WSO meeting and a second this year after his semi-final win in Gyor. Romano, who finished third in his debut series two years ago, is back in the GP’s as a result, with Vaclav Koch (12) and Olga Burdin (10) taking the other two automatic places from the meeting. Koch began last years series as a reserve, but still featured in four GP’s, Burdin last raced in the series four years ago. Current World Champion Dusan Hobler (9) missed out on a podium by a point, he’ll continue his defence in the Play Off next month in Southampton, but Pila was the end of the road for SL23 World Champion and current world number eight Sergey Guerk (7), who finished down in ninth.

A first away win of the league campaign has taken Sawley within a point of the division two promotion places as we approach the halfway point of the season. Fredrik Ericsson (15) scored his second of three maximums since joining the club in the 41-49 victory at Wolverton, in fact the 28 year old has dropped just a point following the £201,000 switch from Pila. The Wolves bounced back from their first home defeat of the campaign with a draw at Birstall, Vaclav Koch’s (14+1) third win of the night sealing the visitors two points from a meeting they had trailed in by six. Elsewhere Wednesfield scored four 5-1’s in the first 12 races on their way to a 44-46 victory at Halesowen, reserve Jordan Brooks (8+2)—who joined the club on loan from Liden just last week—played a part in three of those four maximums.

Victory in their top of the table clash with Purton has taken Sunderland six points clear at head of division three standings. Neil Magee’s side fought back from eight down to claim their seventh away win of SL31 with a trio of 5-1’s involving Salvatoe Largana (12+1) in the final five races, Christer Krantz (17+1) winning and finishing as runner-up in another has he secured his sixth of seven league maximums this season.