Their reign as Division One Cup holders will come to an end after two years this season, however Blackpool are looking well placed to improve on their third place league finish of SL34. A 51-39 victory over leaders Coventry took them to within two points of top spot, they would have taken over at the summit for the first time in SL35 had they gained a heat advantage in the last rather than a 3-3 which denied them the bonus point by one. Earlier the Blaze came away with maximum points at Witham, 43-47, their second away win of the campaign secured by Ashley Smith’s (12) fourth straight heat win of the meeting in the final race. Blackpool had gone behind to a Blacksmith’s 5-1 in heat one, a race in which Smith was excluded, however the visiting reserves hit straight back with a 5-1 in the next and from then the Blaze were never headed again, scoring further 5-1’s in heats four and 13, both of which involved Miroslav Ivanoff (11+1). The defeat left Witham in ninth, two points and one place better off than Peckleton, who lost their latest home fixture against Fort William (43-47). Their third defeat of the campaign at Sandwell Green was confirmed when Dennis Keller (12) and Daniel Bauer (12+1) picked up the minor places in the final heat for the visitors, who handed a debut at second string to free transfer signing, Thomas Fuzi (2+1). Adam Bennett meanwhile made his British League bow for York at Houston following his £212,000 switch from Prague, the SL34 British GP winner scoring 12+1 in their 49-40 win over the Mustangs.

Beverley’s Richard Lewis (14) put behind him his dreadful showing in last years British Final to regain the title he won in SL33. Lewis was World Champion at the time when finishing 16th of 16 at St Ives, he was back to his very best this week, dropping just a point in his four rides—that to world number four John Hawke (11) in heat 13—on his way to a two point victory over another two of last years GP riders, world number two, Harry Sloan (2nd) and world number 14, Adam Ashton (3rd). The top eight from Witham will be joined in next months Overseas Final by the top eight from this weeks Pacific Final, that meeting was won by 22 year old Fenny Stratford heat leader Ethan Mitchell (11), who beat fellow New Zealander’ Adam Bennett in a race-off to secure his first WSO victory since topping his WU21 qualifier three years ago.

In-form Timperley end the week in a season high second in division two after extending their unbeaten league run to nine. A 48-42 home victory over Warley saw them become the nearest challenger’s to Brighton, that followed a superb 44-46 victory at St Barts for the Pelicans, a victory which was completed by a Kemenes Cap (15) last heat winning 5-1. For Cap the night ended with a first maximum in the book for the campaign, but it was a meeting to forget for the visitors new £100,000 signing at reserve, Caleb Burns (0) failing to trouble the scorers in his first outing since making the switch from Nottingham. Leaders Brighton meanwhile recovered from six down to win at Redhill, 42-48. In division three there were away wins for second placed Buxton (43-47 at Bolsover) and Fenny Stratford, who moved off the bottom with a welcome 42-48 success at Great Barr in which second string Rob Greenwood scored 8+2 for the Stags.