Odell Espeseth (13) and Andy James (7) had the prime viewing position as they suffered a reversal of fortunes from the Club Pairs semi-final in this weeks decider at Cambridge. The Bridgwater (20) duo topped the standings on 19 points alongside Whitemoor (24) after both sides had ridden five of their six heats, the two met in a “winner took all” contest in heat 19, and as soon as the tapes went up there was only one winner. That man was Bernd Hoover (13), a rider that had been with Bridgwater for nine years prior to his seven figure switch to the Witches in pre-season, even lifting the Pairs trophy in a Baboons race jacket after scoring an 18 point maximum in the SL27 final. Two years on he was leading around his new team mate Skjold Likness (11) to the 5-1 over his old club that would seal Whitemoor the first major piece of silverware of the new season. It was only the second maximum from the pairing of the night—they’d beaten Halesowen (18) by the same score in their heat four opener—but it was more than good enough to see them end the tie three points clear of last years winners Rugby (21), who snatched the runners-up spot on the podium from fellow semi-final winners Bridgwater with a 5-1 over Bolsover in heat 20. Whitemoor’s two victories in the Club Pairs Championship are the club’s only successes outside of the lower divisions in their 20 seasons in the sport, while promoter Trevor Walker will be happy to get this piece of silverware in the bag, he’s more than aware that it won’t be enough to satisfy the Sheepcroft faithful in SL29, who’ll be expecting more having gone so close to taking the league crown in both of the last two seasons.

Just as last season Whitemoor reach the first change in GSA’s of the campaign as the only unbeaten side in the country. A late season slump would eventually leave the Witches empty-handed in the silverware department in SL28, SL29 though has a different feel about it as far as Trevor Walker’s side is concerned, with confidence boosted further thanks to their Pairs success. Bernd Hoover (15) scored his second maximum of the league campaign as Whitemoor racked up a tenth straight competitive win in their home clash with Newport Pagnell, a last heat Hoover winning 4-2 seeing them snatch a 46-44 victory without the services of in-form reserve Dobry Borkowski, who will keep his 3.00 GSA for the next six weeks after his tactical absence from the meeting. Borkowski—who is averaging 8.33 at the start of the SL29 campaign—scored 7+1 in the Witches earlier 36-54 mauling of Netherton on their travels, the Pole finishing second to Hoover (12) in a heat 12 5-1 which clinched the points for the visitors. The size of defeat equalled Netherton’s—who remain without a point this season—biggest ever at home in the league. Elsewhere previous leaders Rugby lost for the first time in the league this season on their trip to Newport Pagnell, 54-36, and were then held to a home draw by Bridgwater, who took a share of the spoils thanks to a last heat 5-1 from Odell Espeseth (11) and Andy James (11+1). The Baboons had gone one better in the Division One Cup, their second trip to Cambridge of SL29 ending in second victory for Steven Potter’s visitors, again the Espeseth (13)/James (13+1) combination bringing it home, with a 44-46 win secured with a last heat maximum.

It’s taken them over two years but Bolsover have at last have made it to the top of the second tier standings. A fifth straight league win of SL29 moved them above Coalville in the table, with the 20 point home success over Broadwell having been proceeded by a 43-47 win at Great Barr. They’ve paid for their strong start however, with the combined GSA of Kevin Lilley’s preferred septet—that went through the first six meetings unchanged—having now gone over the 47 point team selection ceiling. Fabrizio Romano—who was paid for ten at reserve in the victory at the Ravens—has seen his GSA jump from 3.00 to 7.23, making him the top improver of the season to date.

Kesgrave have gone four unbeaten in the league since losing their first two of the current division three campaign. A second away win for the Kestrels secured at Bristol, 44-46, thanks to Phillip Beck’s last heat win, the visitors led in the meeting from a Beck winning 5-1 in heat seven. Elsewhere Longbridge’s tricky start to life in the British League—they won just one of their first four competitive fixtures—took a turn for the better with a 43-47 victory at Wimbledon, while Plymouth won at Halesowen by the same score.

A Bridgwater winner of the BU21 Final, but perhaps not the one many expected. 19 year old Christopher Dudley took victory in the meeting at Plymouth with a 15 point maximum, his Baboons team mate—semi-final winner and BU19 champion Charlie Richardson (12)—was only third after losing out on the runners-up spot to Ryan Lucas after a race-off.