Eastbourne’s record run of successive top flight seasons will go into a 29th year after they confirmed their spot in division one for SL31. The seven times league champions—who have spent the majority of the season in the bottom three—went into the latest round of fixtures just three points off the drop zone, they end it seven clear of eighth placed and the now relegated Brickhill after recording home and away wins. The latter was taken at bottom side Linlithgow, 40-50, a meeting in which Stig Martinson (15) rode to his seventh maximum of the season, the 28 year old winning both the opening and closing races of the contest in which the visitors led in throughout. Stuart Smith’s side still have a slight chance of snatching a European Cup berth for SL31, however the last remaining place available for the Brits is almost certainly heading the way of Cradley Heath, who end the week five points clear of a group of three chasing the spot thanks to a 53-37 win over Runcorn in their latest fixture. Leaders Leeds meanwhile head into the final two rounds of meetings having seen their advantage at the top cut to two points by Stowmarket who claimed both bonus points on offer to them this week, Leeds dropped one at Runcorn, who’d beaten them in the reverse fixture earlier in the season at the Hawthorne.

Huntingdon are back in the top flight after two years away. The second tier leaders securing promotion with a 56-34 home win over Dudley (47 points) in their top of the table clash, having earlier in the week claimed only their second away win of the campaign on their trip to Swindon, 40-50. Ultimately that result sees the Serpents become the first side to be relegated to division three this season, defeat in what had been a tightly fought meeting confirmed with a Jake Campbell (10+1)/Charlie Fry (8) 4-2 for the visitors in heat 14. Coventry (47) and Bradwell (45) will likely vie with Dudley for the two remaining promotion spots available, with Coventry hosting Dudley in their next fixture.

Up go Greenhill in their first season to division two fresh from winning the Division Three Cup last week. The Lurchers secured promotion with a 40-48 victory at Normanton, late-season addition Edvard Kraschowitz (15) scoring his fifth maximum in the decisive victory for the club since arriving from Hale (47 points) just three months ago. With second placed Margate (52) also winning away—they beat Claygate 43-46—Hale’s own chances of promotion are dwindling, they sit fourth with Wolverhampton (51) looking strong in third.

Cork’s Steve Vitale (13) capped his best ever season by winning the British GP in Coalville this week. The 35 year old had won just two WSO meetings prior to the start of SL30 having ridden in 39, he has since won both the American and Overseas titles, with the success at the Kings his first in a GP in 15 attempts. Vitale is out of World Championship contention however, he currently sits sixth in overall, the standings still led by Viktor Pohek (9) despite a third successive meeting without a podium finish. Pohek heads to the final round in Poland two points clear of Lasse Classen (11).