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Sovereign Edition
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Comment now on the latest news at the Forum OUT OF ROAD Jags Euro challenge falls flat Leeds bid for a first European Cup success and with it a trophy clean-sweep came to an end with a four point loss in this years final to Malmo. Their time will undoubtedly come, but not in SL30 with the Jags falling short of over-turning an eight point first leg deficit to the Swedes on home shale this week, that despite tying up the aggregate scores on home shale by the end of heat ten. Their advantage lasted just one race, with GP star Viktor Pohek (15 from six) winning heat 11 and 13 4-2’s for Malmo. With the rest of the remaining races ending 3-3—including the decider in which Pohek took a trophy clinching second—it was Malmo celebrating their second victory in the competition, rather than Leeds their first. The aggregate loss compounded a miserable start to the week for the Jags, as having gone 83 league meetings without suffering a home defeat they lost for the second time in three at the Hawthorne, with Coalville adding to their recent woes at the venue. A match-winning performance from second string Jay Kelly (13) took the Kings to a 43-47 victory on the circuit, the win and later success over Wentworth seeing Alan Fellows side close to within two points of the defending champions at the top of the table. Stowmarket sit between the two in second spot, they now only points difference off the pace and will hit the summit for the first time this season if they win the top of the table clash between the two sides at Green Meadow next week. Better though for Leeds in the two other competitions they competed in this week, they remain on course to reach the final of the KO Cup for a fourth time in five years after winning the first leg of their semi-final tie at Wentworth, 42-48, the Trappers on the back-foot after conceding three 5-1’s to the visitors in the opening ten races, two of which were provided by Nathan Kay (9+1) and Oliver Steel (5+2). Steel and Kay were part of the Leeds quartet—admittedly the back-up part—that strolled through to the final of the 4TT for the first time since they lifted the trophy in SL27, leg wins at home and Wolverhampton setting Leeds on their way to an eventual comprehensive 19 point victory over Wentworth in the tie.
Wentworth’s 100 point haul over the four legs wasn’t enough to see them through to the 4TT final as the highest scoring second round runners-up. They fell 11 short of the total achieved by Coalville in finishing second to holders Stowmarket (116) in group A, and with a foursome which features two GP men with ten point averages in Lasse Classen and Paul Hope, the Witches again look the team to beat in the final. Joining them in the decider are Group C winners Cradley Heath (121), the Cobras booking their place in only their second 4TT final in their 14 year history with two leg wins out of four in their latest tie, including one at home where Mark Jolly scored a maximum 12 as his side picked up 42 out of a possible 48 points.
Defending World Champion Piotr Slusarski (12) marked the halfway point of this years GP’s with his first win in the series. The 34 year old Plock number one topped the standings in Horsens by a point from Brit’ Aaron Macaulay (2nd) and current series leader Viktor Pohek (3rd), who fought out a race-off for the minor podium places. In taking his maiden victory in the Danish round, Slusarski takes his tally of career GP wins to three, he also won the Continental title for the first time earlier this year. Pohek retains his three point lead over Macaulay in the SL30 world championship race.
The Czech Republic will race in division three of the International League for only the second time in their history after defeat to Germany saw them relegated to the bottom tier. Slovenia meanwhile confirmed their return to the top flight with a 50-40 victory over Russia, Viktor Pohek (14) top scoring in the promotion securing win.
Just one defeat in six now for in-form Runcorn after they won at bottom side Linlithgow, 42-48. The Rockets though are still nine points adrift of Eastbourne and top flight safety, with eight league meetings remaining.
Time running out too for Early at the bottom of division two. The Gravediggers bid to avoid an immediate return to the third tier though was boosted with a first away league win of the campaign this week, 5-1’s in heats 13 and 15 from Robert Zemljic (13+2) and Christopher Hall (12) taking them to a surprise 42-47 success at then leaders Dudley. Dudley had earlier picked up an away point thanks to a draw at Swindon, while new pacesetters Huntingdon’s meeting at Cork also finished all-square. In division three a draw at Normanton was enough to take Margate top for only the second time this season, with previous leaders Hale slipping to third after they were held to a home draw by Greenhill.
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