Pentele Kalman (13) became the first Hungarian to win the WU21 Championship after he beat 16 year old sensation Nelek Walczak in a race-off to claim the title at York this week. A St Ives top two in the final was assured when Walczak forced the extra race with victory over British duo Sean Leach (6) and Harry Sloan (8) in heat 20 of the meeting, that loss ending a difficult night for the World Under 19 champion and pre-meeting favourite Sloan, a night that began for him with a fall in heat three. Walczak—a £200,000 purchase for the Pirates a couple of months back—lost out in the decider after being forced wide by his more experienced team mate coming out of the second bend, the victory for 20 year old Kalman his third in a WSO event, he having won the WU19 title two years back and his semi final to qualify for this meeting earlier in the year.

Already the oldest winner thanks to his SL25 success Henrik Kojefors (15) this week broke his own record at 38 to land the Scandinavian Championship for the sixth time. The Sweden and Beverley rider scored a maximum to extend his lead over Timo Viitikko (four victories) at the top of the all time winners list, he also awarded with a place in the GP’s for a tenth time, only Rustem Fakhrudinov (13), Anders Jansson (13) have appeared in the series on more occasions, although Marcus Innanen will make it 11 this year after he took one of the other automatic spots from Malmo this week. Innanen finished third with 11 points behind Kojefors and Kristofer Gorqaj but level with world number nine Abdul Mattiasson, who he beat in a race-off. Mattiasson and the remainder of the top seven from Malmo will get another chance to qualify for the SL29 series in the Play Off round later in the month at Stafford.

York returned to the top of the division one table with a single point win over Doncaster at the South Yorkshire Arena this week. The Vipers raced into a ten point lead in the fixture after they followed up a 5-1 from their reserves in heat two with a run of three straight 4-2’s. However they were behind by the end of heat ten, with the home side putting together a sequence of three 5-1’s in the space of four races, both Kristian Madar (12) and Andras Korosi (14+2) involved in two apiece. The same two riders couldn’t prevent a York victory in the last though, with Alexander Gill (9) taking the chequered flag in front for the visitors to claim a vital two league points, the result leaving Doncaster bottom of the table and six points shy of safety. Monkston remain in ninth after they were held to a fourth home draw of the campaign, this time by previous leaders Warley, who took a share of the spoils thanks to Ivan Khalitov’s (15) last heat victory over home second string pairing Morten Andreasen (10+1) and Michael Bell (10+2).

A second away win of the season had lifted St Barts to within a point of the promotion places in division two and left their defeated hosts seven points adrift at the bottom of the standings. New loan signing Andreas Johnsen made an immediate impact, the Houston veteran scoring 13+1 at second string on debut for the visiting side as they beat Buxton, 43-47. In division three new £1,000 arrival Jacek Kawiak scored seven points at second string for Fort William as they beat Hawick 42-48 on the road.