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Monarch Edition
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Comment now on the latest news at the Forum HIGH FIVE Vipers set new best with another Pairs win Don Valley have moved clear at the top of the all-time Club Pairs winners list after recording their fifth success in the competition. An un-matched record it maybe, but the win was the cub’s first in 13 years, they having not even appeared in the final since SL18. Despite their poor recent run, with a World Champion in Valeri Lach (14) and another SL23 GP star in Samuel Murphy (10) representing them the Matt Akers side were always going to be one of the favourites for the silverware this season, with first round and semi-final victories only adding to expectations ahead of the Laceby decider. At halfway they were already three points ahead of the field, however that advantage was aided by a fall and subsequent exclusion for Birmingham’s Wlod Szczepanski (11) which handed them a first of successive 5-1’s in heat six of the meeting. They picked up their second against Brighton before moving further clear with a 4-2 over the second of the semi-finals winners Ramsgate in heat 12. They were seemingly cruising to the trophy at that stage, but there would be a twist in heat 15 when they came up against Manor, the Miracles duo of Waclaw Kozlowski (15) and Dale Bailey (6) popping out in the lead from the gate and not really challenged by the Vipers pair. 5-1 Manor, game on. Manor though blew their chance to increase the pressure when Bailey finished a distance fourth in their final race three heats later, and two after that Lach and Murphy made sure of things with their third maximum of the contest, this time against Gateshead. Manor had done enough to take second spot, Birmingham third, but this was the Vipers night.TODAY: Shorts Second best in the Pairs but Manor’s unbeaten start in the main seven-team format continues on. Top spot for them in the league for the first time since their title winning season of SL22, a 49-41 home win over Don Valley taking them to the summit, while a draw at Quantock (they cruelly denied victory when Dale Bailey was excluded in the last) sees them take a single point lead into the first GSA change. In-between those results they won at Brighton in the Division One Cup as part of their current nine meeting unbeaten run, 5-1’s from maximum men Waclaw Kozlowski (15) and Bailey (13+2) in heats 13 and 15 taking them to a 43-47 victory and onto the verge of qualifying for the semi-finals of the competition.
Defending champions Ramsgate bounced back from their double league defeat last week by recording back-to-back victories this. Their first away win of SL23 was returned at newly promoted Dunmow, 43-47, with second string Gleb Litvin (7+2) putting in one of his better performances since signing for the club in a £1/4million pre-season deal. The 21 year old Russian won the first of five 4-2’s scored by the Rams in heat three of the meeting.
Oliver Hollis’s injury didn’t prevent Laceby picking up both league points on their trip to Wednesfield. Kieran Riley took on some of the slack at reserve, a busy night for the 27 year old who would score a season best 12+2 from his seven rides in the 42-48 victory. Riley’s point for third in a penultimate heat 4-2 won by second string Andrew Humphreys (8+2) secured the points for the Avenues, who end the week three clear at the top of division two. Riley moves up to second string in Martin Smith’s team following the GSA changes, with his mark increasing from 4.33 to 6.71, a situation—given Laceby have a top seven closer to 49 than the 47 point limit— which could actually see the signing from Ramsgate dropped from the side altogether. Elsewhere Hertford raced to their first away win at the second tier level, the Bears overturning a six point deficit with two races to go at Medeswell in scoring a 44-46 victory, 5-1’s from tactical substitute Andy Rose (14) plus Jaroslav Fingerhut (4+3) in heat 14 and Rose alongside Claus Kalberg (11+3) in the last proving decisive. Not so clever in the Division Two Cup though for Hertford, they suffering a 44-46 home defeat to Buxton after conceding a last heat 4-2.
Birmingham have inflicted newcomers Plymouth’s second home league defeat on them with second string Lewis Finch (11+1) playing a starring role in the 44-46 victory. Finch beat home heat leader Bradley Lewis (9) on his way to his first double figure haul of SL24, the 26 year old—who has ridden in just 44 league meetings in his 11 year career—moves up to a heat leader position with the Lyons at the first GSA change.
Quantock’s club record £1million signing Luke Zonta (15) scored a maximum to win his WU19 semi-final in Horsens this week. Zonta finished runner-up to Hans Bissen in last years WU21 Championship. Home advantage helped Rokus Dery (13) of Newquay win the second of the semi-finals.
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