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Regent Edition - ENHANCED
- news - results - div one - div two - div three - - rider search: gsa/age - rider search: name - transfer list - statistics - averages - honours -
Comment now on the latest news at the Forum REPEAT DEFEAT More cup horror for Cougars Cambridge Cougars poor run of form in the KO Cup continued this week with a second first round defeat in the competition is as many seasons, and as last year their victorious opponents were from the lower divisions, Claygate Riders following the example set by Durham. Three 5-1’s in the space of four heats in this weeks home second leg for Cambridge had seen them wipe out their 16 point first leg deficit, second string Tom Phillips’s (9+3) win in heat eight starting the successful spell, one which would go on to see off two Riders tactical substitutes. However Claygate weren’t about to capitulate, reserve Ryan Briggs (7) taking his second win of the night in a heat 12 5-1 with Sebastian Andersson, that got them back in front, while a tactical substitute at last brought some reward for them in heat 14, Adrian Joseski’s (10+1) extra ride giving him his second win of the contest and more importantly a tie winning 5-1 for the visitors. Claygate’s reward for their comeback is a second round tie with third division Kent, the lowest ranked side left in the competition. Wordsley Wizards’ had hopes of causing a cup upset of their own when entertaining Whitby Whalers with just a four point deficit to recover, at one stage they halved it, but that’s as close as they got, surprisingly Whalers lower order riders Simon Wallace (11+1) and Lev Bilokapic (12) key for them as they took a 43-47 victory on the night in winning by eight on aggregate, heat leader Nihad Klaric (4+1) again extremely disappointing for the visitors. Following Cambridge out from the competition were fellow division one sides Smethwick and Whitehaven, they losing out in all top-flight encounters with Chalvington Chiefs and Seaton Meteors respectively.
TODAY: Shorts With six of last years GP contingent in action, this weeks World Championship first round meeting in Prague was perhaps the strongest of the opening qualifiers, with GP series runner-up Russell Draper (9) leading the charge for the Brits. He made it through to the next round by a point, a far cry from last season when he won all three of his qualifiers, the Cambridge man will have to improve in the last 64 if he’s to go further this year. The meeting was won by Rushden’s Mattias Jigenheim (14), the 28 year old claiming what was his first World Championship victory by a point from World Number 4 Marek Najewski (13). Of the other SL9 GP riders in action Aki Johansson (11), David Ridenton (6) and Ilpo Kinnunen (9) all finished in the top eight, however World Number 16 Magnus Barnes (4) did drop out at this stage, as did fellow British hopefuls Andy Warren (4) and Dario Blake (3). In London a much easy draw helped Brits Huw Hughes (10) and Wayne Knight (8) progress, the meeting won by former double World Under 19 Champion Nicola Milanzi (14), who was making his full World Championship debut.
After opening the league season with ten winless meetings Durham Saints surprisingly won both their division two fixtures this week, a ten point win over Tiptree and a 44-46 success at Plymouth seeing them climb off the bottom of the table. Durham boss Neil Magee has brought in three new riders since the transfer market opened up last month, two of which—David Falk Andersson (5) and Paul Hando (17+1)—he had at his disposal this week, the pair costing just over £26,000, but their experience could prove invaluable for the club. Their re-jigged line up not only looks capable of survival but one that could challenge for promotion, Hando was the star this week at Plymouth, he unbeaten in six rides as the visitors fought back from a six point deficit to win by two, Hando winning a last heat 4-2. The loss sees Plymouth themselves drop into the bottom three, the gap between the Pilgrims in 8th, and 9th placed Durham cut from ten to five points in the week. At the other end of the table Stone Seagulls moved three points clear at the top with a fourth away league win of the season, that returned at Eastbourne, 40-50. The change in averages brings about a major headache for Stone boss Matt Bernard though, his top 7 now averaging 53.81, which means he’ll almost certainly have to lose one of his top four, possibly even World Champion Mario Obrecht who could return to parent club Cambridge. Obrecht claimed maximum 15 point hauls in both league fixtures this week, including Stone’s 52-38 win over Houston, a meeting in which Peter Vascak (12+2) made his last outing at reserve for the Tigers before obtaining a new GSA, his revised 9.65 mark making him the club’s new number one! Elsewhere another strong reserve helped Rugby Gravediggers close in on the top three, 18 year old Allan Leaver (10+2) racing to two wins and a second in a heat 12 5-1 at Port Talbot as the visitors claimed a 43-47 victory.
Wordsley Wizards strong start to their debut league season continues at apace, they going top of division three this week after recording their second league win of the campaign on their trip to Ashton, the 43-47 victory secured with the help of four wins from second string Micky Atkinson (12). Bradford Dukes won by the same score at Paull, to move into second spot as previous leaders Wembley dropped down to third.
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