Defending World Champion Richard Lewis (3) is out of contention for this years crown after finishing last of 16 in this season’s British Final. Beverley’s Lewis was the top averaged rider in this week’s national Championship decider at St Ives, a title he also won last year on his way to his maiden World Championship success. However league form was turned on it’s head in this years Battle of Britain, the 34 year old beating just three riders in his five heats, with his hopes of securing the necessary top eight finish to progress to the Overseas Final over as early as heat 11. A second successive last place finish for Lewis in that, Adam Ashton (11) taking the three points in the contest on his way to a surprise second place finish on the night. The uncapped Witham number one—who has been the breakthrough rider in the top flight this year—finished runner-up to Coventry’s John Hawke (12) in the meeting, the 32 year old world number five securing his third national title with a heat 18 win over Morgan Barnes (9), the three wins moves the 32 year old up to second on the all time winners list behind Richard Coward, who has four. Hawke is joined in the Overseas Final by, amongst others, fellow SL30 GP rider Harry Sloan, while both the world numbers two and 11, Luke Hughes (10) and Nathan Bluestein (8), progressed into that meeting from the Pacific section of the draw. Doncaster’s SL30 World Champion Joshua Sky (13) won this years running of the Pacific Final in Richmond, the title a third in four years for the American, who now has ten WSO meeting victories to his name. Jonathan Huggett (10) took second after beating Hughes in a race-off.

Warley are off the bottom of division one after doubling their league win tally for the season to four. The first of back-to-back victories for the Warriors was returned at York, 43-47, the Vipers having gone into the meeting defending a six meeting unbeaten run. With the change in GSA’s taking away the option of riding Vadim Chaban (7) and Tomasz Skrzypek (6+2) at reserve, it was always going to be difficult for the hosts to extend their sequence of successes, and so it proved, with a commanding performance from Vladilen Bunin (16+2) leading the visitors to their first away win of the campaign, and their first in the league at York in 27 years! York slip three points off the pace at the top as a result of the loss and later defeat at Blackpool, who move level on points with the Vipers thanks to a winning run of four. The Blaze had earlier claimed all three points on offer at St Ives, where reserve Aaron Farmer scored a season best 8+1 and raced to two of his side’s nine heat wins as they recorded a 43-47 victory. Coventry meanwhile returned to the top of the table after they claimed their biggest away league win in 25 years, reserve Tyler Holder (11+2) one of four riders to be paid in double figures as the Crusaders won at Boston, 35-55. The success came on the back of a surprise earlier home draw for Coventry when they hosted Houston, the Mustangs taking two of the three league points on offer thanks to a last heat 4-2 won by Branimir Klepp (13).

Four unbeaten now in the league for Nottingham who find themselves top of division two for the first time this season. Jacob Harvey scored maximums in both the Red Dogs wins this week, the first returned at bottom side Sneyd Green, where his 5-1 alongside Cato Kalberg (12) completed a 43-47 visiting side success.

In-form Brighton extended their unbeaten league run to six in division three with a single point home win over Redhill. A last heat 5-1 from Michal Matusovic (15+1) and Alex Dunn (9+2) required for the hosts to take the victory, in a meeting they had trailed in by six with five heats remaining. Much easier for the Rockets on their travels, they having secured the points at Bolsover with a race to spare, a meeting they won by ten. Elsewhere Fenny Stratford recovered from a heat one 5-1 reversal to win 44-46 at Kelvedon, second string Janne Turpeinen (10+1) impressing with three heat wins for the visitors.