Hallamshire’s (84) exit from the 4TT this week marks their first failure to reach the final of the competition in four years. Not only did they finish behind group winners Belfast (124), but also adrift of Matt Akers’ second string promotion, Barnsley (92), from the third tier. Hallamshire’s embarrassment was completed when the Sinks added 32 points to win leg four on the Sheffield side’s Tapton Wreck circuit, just days after scoring 42 to take control of the tie in Northern Ireland, a meeting in which the host riders took 11 of the 16 heat victories. Belfast—runners-up last year—are looking to win the competition for a fourth time in five seasons and take a record extending sixth victory overall. Holders Long Eaton (126) will be seeking to match the Sinks tally of five 4TT victories next month, the league leaders impressive winners of a semi-final group which also included Totton (120), who qualified through to the decider as the highest scoring runners-up of this weeks ties. Totton took the lead in the semi-final with an eight point victory over the Rifles in leg one at Stirling, however Long Eaton took control of things with a 45 point haul at home in leg two before adding 33 to finish a close second to Swinton in the third meeting. A strong final four is completed by Houston (121), they runners-up in the first three legs of their semi-final, before breezing through to the final by 17 with success in leg four at home.

Houston end the week in a season high second in division one after securing a stunning victory at one of their title rivals. A 44-46 win at Totton leaves their defeated hosts all but out of contention for a top of the table finish, the Colts meanwhile leapfrog Belfast in the standings and close to within four points of pacesetters Long Eaton. Four down with three heats to go at the Testwood, Houston levelled the scores up with a Samuel Hill (12)/Leon Henrichsen (13+1) 5-1 in heat 13, Blake White won the next, before Hill and Henrichsen returned to completed the visitors narrow victory with a 4-2 in the decider.

Harringay are seemingly on their way to successive lower division titles after making it six league wins out of six. Their run of half a dozen completed with a 43-47 success at second tier bottom side Chesterfield, where second string Patrick Parry dropped just a point in earning a season best score of 8+3. Parry finished second in 5-1’s behind his number one Julian Harrison in heats one and ten as well as winning heat eight, in a meeting the Hoods led in front start to finish. Long time leaders Bradford have now slipped six points adrift of Jonathan Symes’ side in second, although still comfortably in the promotion places. A last heat 5-1 meanwhile secured a draw at Buxton for Bournville, who move back into the top three at the expense of East Hull on points difference. In division three a 44-46 victory at Abdy saw Nottingham climb back up to second in the standings, another last heat 5-1 doing the damage to the hosts.

An eighth career GP win for Durko Karban (14) brought the SL11 and 12 champion into this years World Championship race. He moving to within four points of new series leader Marcin Jaworski (9) following the singly point victory over Bradley Turnbull in the Swedish round.