Whitemoor’s SL28 trophy ambitions have been left in tatters after significant defeats in league and cup. It’s runners-up again for the Witches in the Division One Cup, last years defeated finalists going down 90-88 on aggregate to Rugby, a side that had failed to get through the first round group stage in every one of their ten previous campaigns. Trailing by ten from the first leg, the Gravediggers had it all to do in their home return, and having entered the final six races still eight behind their hopes of success looked over. However the early season Pairs winners would go on to secured their second trophy of SL28 with relative ease, a run of three 4-2’s and two 5-1’s earning them aggregate success with a race to spare. Reserve Marcel Miller won the second—and decisive—5-1 in the run, the 21 year old German continuing his good run of form of late, which had including a paid 11 last week against Chalvington which took Rugby through to the KO Cup final. They have that and the 4TT decider to come in the final month of the season, David Grainger has set his side a goal of winning both to cap an already successful SL28. Rugby are still mathematically in with a shot of the league title, but it’s now Bridgwater who are big favourites to land the crown following their 56-34 top of the table clash victory over Whitemoor, with the Witches also going on to lose their home fixture in the week against Sedgemoor, 40-50. That was a disaster for the long time leaders, who now find themselves four points off the pace, 21 year old reserve Jake Salisbury (11) racing to three of the Rebels eight victories as they inflicted Whitemoor’s first home league defeat in over two and a half years!

An excellent debut season for Bradwell continued at Kesgrave this week where they secured Division Three Cup success. Darren McCoy’s side limited the hosts to a 46-44 second leg win in this years final, a result good enough to see them take the trophy by eight on aggregate. With two wins from his four rides at second string, 22 year old American Marcus Polish (8+2)—who recently joined the club on loan from Bolsover—was the standout for the visitors. All focus for the Boars now back on the league, they currently lie third in the division three standings, but just five points clear of seventh placed Holt in the hotly contested promotion race.

For the third year in succession the Danish GP was won by a rider scoring a 15 point maximum. On this occasion it was the turn of Odell Espeseth (15) to take the limelight, the Bridgwater and Norwegian rider becoming the first rider to go through a GP unbeaten in year when snatching a heat 18 victory over Per Dalberg (9) on the final lap, the Swede missing out on a shot of a podium spot as a result. Risto Anttila (12) finished as runner-up, with Mike Conlon (10) taking third after defeating defending World Champion Bengt Karim in a race-off. Espeseth’s dominance in the scoring sees him go top of the World Championship standings by two points from previous leader, Taavi Raudnagel (9).

A Wilmington 1-2 in this season’s World Under 19 Championship with Philip Sorensen defeating team mate Vitas Kolesnichenko in a race-off to land the SL28 title. The two Wombat youngsters battled it out for the top two spots on the podium of the final at Linz, having both scored 12 in the main meeting. The top Brit was Netherton’s BU19 Champion’ Tyler Pennington (11), who finished third.

Wilmington were in the division two relegation zone just a month ago but a victory at Plymouth this week has taken them just a point off the promotion places. Vitas Kolesnichenko’s (13) last heat win securing the Wombats a crucial 44-46 victory. In division three still nine of the ten teams can mathematically take promotion despite there being just four rounds of racing left. Sixth placed Sandwell (38 points) boosted their hopes of a top three finish with a 44-46 win at Kesgrave (35), Holt (38)—who drew their meeting at Manston—were the only other side to pick up an away point.