Half the top flight sides that entered the first round of the Club Pairs are now out of the competition. Holders Stowmarket and last years runners-up Wentworth received a bye in round one, but of the eight that appeared from division one, four have already gone by the wayside, including SL20 and 22 winners Huntingdon, who currently have the highest ranked partnership in the country. With a combined GSA of 19.41 Jake Campbell (7) and Miloslav Dorosh (6) were the ones to beat on paper, however the Hunters top two conceded three 5-1’s on their way to finishing last in the tie at Greenhill (22), which was won by Runcorn (23) courtesy of the third of those 5-1’s in heat 19 of the meeting. That result pushed the hosts back into second spot, Kelso qualified from third. At Mid Cams (25) both Coventry (18) and two-times winners Dudley (18) missed out on making the cut by a point to Small Heath (19) in a meeting won for the hosts by Timo Lampi and Jonathan Kirk, the Harriers scoring four 5-1’s from their six heats on their way to finishing two points clear of another third tier outfit, Wolverhampton (23), who extended their 100% record of reaching the second round. Better outcomes for the top flight sides in action at Hale, where both Leeds (25)—who have won the competition a record five times—and Cradley Heath (19) made it through alongside Wimbledon (19). Meanwhile at Earley (19) it was Brickhill (25) who topped the standings, with their rider Hakon Sylte scoring a SL33 first round best of 17 out of a possible 18, Linlithgow (13) however finished last in the tie.

Stowmarket have opened the league season with home and away wins for the third successive year. For the fourth time in five years the Witches hosted Runcorn in their home division one opener, and it was another victory—seven from seven now in the league against the Rockets at Green Meadow—with the 47-43 success secured with a last heat Lasse Classen (11)/Oliver Schmidt (12+1) 5-1. It was an almost identical tally at Dudley, where another four point victory followed for Bill Jones’s side, Schmidt (11) this time winning a deciding race maximum from Classen (13+1), a special mention also to 20 year old reserve Hamish MacKay, who impressed with a paid 11 from his five rides. Stowmarket sit second in the league standings on points difference to Linlithgow, who equalled their best ever start to a top flight campaign—their fifth in their 26 year history—having proceeded a six point home victory over four-times defending champions Leeds by beating newly promoted Coventry on the road, 43-47. 19 year old second string Mads Dahlby (12) starred in that one, winning four of his five rides, including a last heat decider ahead of home top scorer Marcus Fireman (12).

Second string Sven Roth (9) raced to two second half wins as Runcorn came out on top in their Division One Cup opener at Cradley. A set back from the hosts, who now face a battle to get through the group stage for what would be a fifth successive season, they have finished as runners-up in both the last two campaigns. Mark Jolly scored an unbeaten 18 for the Cobras, but despite his six wins it was Runcorn that dominated the tie, leading from heat two onwards and by eight points at one stage, before securing victory thanks to a second place finish for Frank Klien (11+1) behind Jolly in the last.

For the first time in 33 years all ten sides in the second tier won their opening home league fixtures. Newly promoted Beverley came closest to taking an away point, but even with an 18 point haul from Piotr Slusarski they went down 46-44 at Derby. That was the first of three maximums scored by the SL29 and 31 World Champion, the second came when the Hammers were held to a home draw by Eastbourne in their Division Two Cup clash, the Seagulls—racing in this specific competition for the first time ever—denied victory when Slusarski beat Cerek Ostrowski (15+1) and Stig Martinson (14+1 from six) in a last heat decider. Fellow relegated side Coalvile meanwhile did get an away win over the line in their first Division Two Cup appearance in nine years, the Kings recovering from eight down to take a 44-46 victory with two 5-1’s and a 4-2 from George Stevens (15+1) and Travis Foxman (11+1) in the closing three races.

Bolsover continues to be a happy hunting ground for Claygate. The Bears made it four league wins out of five at Castle Park to top the division three standings after the opening two rounds of racing, Daniel Bailey (13+1) the standout performer for the visitors in the 44-46 win with four wins and a decisive final heat third. Elsewhere Peter Kokko (12) beat Lukas Gruber (11) and Andreas Klein (11+1) in a last heat decider as Wolverhampton earned a draw at Didsbury Village.