BIG EVENT LATEST...
SEVERAL of the World's top riders will do battle at King's Lynn in the Elite League Pairs on April 27.The top-flight newcomers are staging the event for the first time having enjoyed a successful start to their season following their winter elevation.And with Danish stars Kenneth Bjerre and Niels-Kristian Iversen at the head of their team, the men from the Norfolk Arena will be amongst the favourites for the meeting.Coventry's trophy winners from 2010 have both moved on over the winter, with Chris Harris now representing Belle Vue and Krzysztof Kasprzak joining another promoted club, Birmingham.Hoggart said: "King's Lynn always provides fabulous racing and I don't know of one rider who doesn't look forward to racing there."The facilities are excellent and attendances are up, surely testimony to the great wok that Keith, Jonathan and Cheryl have put in over recent years."Hoggart has also confirmed that the sport's newest venue, Leicester, will host the Premier League Fours on Sunday, August 7 following a hugely-successful opening night at Beaumont Park when around 4,500 fans packed into the stadium.And the Elite League Riders' Championship, the series finale for 2011, moves to Swindon and will take place on Saturday, October 15.Meanwhile British Speedway Youth bosses will be staging a Training Day at Buxton later this month.The event will take place at the National League venue on Wednesday April 27, from 10am to 3pm and will be provided free-of-charge by the BSPA to any riders who own their own bike and equipment. It is open to youngsters aged 16-or-under.Former World Individual Speedway Champion Gary Havelock will be in attendance to pass on his vast knowledge, along with the Young Lions management team Phil Morris and Neil Vatcher.Morris said: "This is a great opportunity to get some quality track time with experienced riders giving out welcome advice."Riders are asked to confirm attendance by emailing younglionsspeedway@hotmail.co.uk Further good news on the youth front sees a total of 42 riders already signed up to take part in the six-round British Youth Championship later this year - double the number of entries received last season.Morris commented: "It's great to see the numbers increase by one-hundred-per-cent. This really makes all the hard work that Neil and I are doing to try and get the feel-good factor back in British Speedway, worth it."
SUPER7EVEN SERIES SPEEDWAY GB EVENTSBRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Lakeside, April 15 ELITE LEAGUE PAIRS: King's Lynn, April 27 BRITISH FINAL: Wolverhampton, June 6 PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, June 24 PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Leicester, Sunday August 7 PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, September 25 ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon, Saturday October 15
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST...
BELLE VUE boss Jim Lynch had no complaints after the Aces' were beaten at home by table-topping Eastbourne, with Polish reserve Tomasz Piszcz quitting the club in the aftermath.Lynch said: "You have to give Eastbourne credit for a strong display. They were good all the way down to number six and they had Lewis Bridger in great form at reserve. I thought we'd have come through to win at the end when we had our big hitters out, but we didn't do enough."Piszcz's manager came up to us after the match and said that he wanted to resign because mechanical problems were preventing him doing the job he wanted. Under the circumstances we felt it was only fair to agree to his request."BIRMINGHAM have been boosted by the news that key reserve Claus Vissing may be back on track after a broken wrist before the end of the month.Manager Graham Drury said: "Claus is confident he could be back in the saddle within the next fortnight and that will be a welcome boost for the team."To lose our key reserve who could be so vital to our chances of success this season without actually riding a league meeting was a crushing blow to us but hopefully he can make a good return."COVENTRY boss Alun Rossiter was delighted with the contribution on and off-track of new skipper Edward Kennett in the Bees' home win in their season-opener against Peterborough.Rossiter said: "We were a bit nervy early on after what was a poor display at Peterborough, but the team is coming together now and there were some really good signs."I think that was probably the best I've seen Edward ride. I certainly haven't seen him looking as sharp and fast as that for a long time, and that has to be very encouraging for us."EASTBOURNE: The Eagles are four points clear at the top of the Elite League table after a dramatic 45-44 win at Belle Vue on Monday.No.1 rider Bjarne Pedersen kept Chris Harris and Rory Schlein at bay for the 3-3 the visitors needed in a crucial Heat 15 - and the result follows hot on the heels of an emphatic 66-24 home victory over newcomers Birmingham which kept up the Eagles' 100 per cent record at Arlington.KING'S LYNN manager Rob Lyon had high praise for his riders after they ran up a 65-point total against Lakeside on Monday, with Danish trio Kenneth Bjerre, Niels-Kristian Iversen and Mads Korneliussen all scoring paid maximums.Lyon said: "I think the boys excelled tonight with 100 per cent commitment, and they've made our supporters very proud. They've ridden hard and they've got the rewards for it."This is our first year back in the Elite League so we'll be happy to entertain our fans and win the majority of our home matches, and we'll see what we can pick up away which will determine where we finish in the league. Obviously we're aiming for the play-offs."LAKESIDE boss Jon Cook insists he will not allow the Hammers' 65-30 defeat at King's Lynn on Monday to dent their prospects for the season as a whole.Cook said: "We'll be okay. Both away tracks coming up (Birmingham and Belle Vue) are ones which should favour us a bit more, and the spirit is still good. Sometimes you have to accept you're second best, and this was one of those nights."If you dwell on it too much then the season won't really start. It's only our third match and we have some places to go to where we certainly hope to get some results."PETERBOROUGH youngster Dakota North transferred his blistering Premier League form into the top flight with an impressive nine (paid eleven) score for the Panthers at Coventry, as his side took aggregate victory in their opening challenge matches.North said: "If I can carry on like that I'll be happy and all I want to do is win a full-time place in the Panthers' side next season."I enjoyed it when I was in front but I know I've got to improve my gating but I think that will come."POOLE are hoping to have World Under-21 Champion Darcy Ward back in their side this week as he continues his recovery from a broken wrist.Manager Neil Middleditch said: "We will have to assess his full fitness and the signs are promising, but nice as it would be to have a full seven-man team back on track it is important that he is 100 per cent happy with everything before he comes back."If it means extending the use of rider replacement then we will, and it is good that we have the resources to cover it."SWINDON co-promoter Gary Patchett took great encouragement from the team performance at Wolverhampton, where Scott Nicholls' wins in the crucial Heats 13 and 15 enabled the Robins to take a point from the meeting.Patchett said: "This was an encouraging team display and it's nice for us to claim our first league point of the season."Wolverhampton is a difficult place to come and get a result and hopefully we can now build on this. Scotty was superb but there was a lot of effort from everyone tonight."WOLVERHAMPTON boss Peter Adams admitted a degree of frustration to his side being held to a 48-42 win over Swindon, which limited them to two Elite League points rather than three.Adams said: "I have mixed feelings about this, obviously it's nice to have won the meeting but disappointing not to have claimed all three points."But hopefully we will be able to build on this when we face Eastbourne, who are such a good side these days, at home next Monday."
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST...
BERWICK manager Ian Rae said the club's faith in reserve Tamas Sike had been justified by his performance in the Bandits' impressive home win over champions Edinburgh.Rae said: "It was a very strange match, but the lads held it together and took a deserved victory, and I have to point out what a superb ride Tamas took in Heat 7 to hold out the tenacious Craig Cook for four laps - amazing race!"EDINBURGH co-promoter John Campbell says he expects more from talented Finnish rider Kalle Katajisto, who picked up just three points in the Monarchs' weekend defeat at Berwick.Campbell told the Scotsman: "Those six 5-1s we lost, Kalle was out in three of the races, and we cannot have a No.5 rider not beating anybody, as was the case on this occasion. That was our biggest problem, and he cannot waste his ability by not preparing properly."GLASGOW: The Tigers are finally set to get their 2011 season underway following a winter of extensive track modifications, with Berwick due to visit Ashfield in Premier League action on Sunday.IPSWICH boss Pete Simmons is expecting another major battle against Workington this week - and is pleased his side go into it following a win at Newport, after being overturned by Somerset in their previous fixtures.Simmons said: "That great win at Newport helped put right the wrongs from the previous two days and my targeted five points from the three matches was nearly achieved. We must just forget all that happened against Somerset and move on as the Workington team are going to be another really tough test."LEICESTER: The Lions were defeated by Scunthorpe in their first Premier League fixture, with another big crowd packing into the new Beaumont Park venue. Leicester face back to back home and away clashes with Newcastle this weekend.NEWCASTLE No.1 Rene Bach is likely to be ruled out for a considerable period of time after breaking his leg in Sunday's home win over Rye House.Manager George English said: "I'm delighted we won all the points available but that is secondary in our thoughts at the moment as we await to see the full extent of Rene's leg injuries."NEWPORT have suffered a second injury blow with Robin Aspegren joining Alex Davies on the sidelines, the Swede suffering a broken right foot in a crash during the Wasps' home defeat against Ipswich.Co-promoter Steve Mallett said: "We are considering various options of who is available at home and abroad and will be busy on the phone. We hope matters will be in place to make a further announcement as the time ticks forward to our next league fixture."PLYMOUTH: The Devils launch their season at the St Boniface Arena this Friday when they take on the USA Touring Team, with the home Premier League opener set to take place a fortnight later with the visit of Sheffield. The Tourists will include former British Champion Joe Screen as a guest.REDCAR promoter Brian Havelock is relishing the prospect of Thursday's local derby with fierce rivals Newcastle, with the Bears just one point down from the first leg of the Challenge fixture.Havelock said: "There is nothing we enjoy more than putting one over on the Geordies but recognise they have a really good team although they will be missing their number one Rene Bach who unfortunately broke a leg racing on Sunday evening."RYE HOUSE skipper Chris Neath opted not to visit his local hospital for x-rays on a blow to his arm following a crash at Scunthorpe on Friday.Neath missed the Rockets' Sunday meeting at Newcastle after also suffering a facial laceration and further assessment of his fitness was due to take place in the early part of the week.SCUNTHORPE are awaiting the results of an MRI scan on Tero Aarnio as they contemplate their team options, with Carl Wilkinson now set to be out for three months with a broken leg.Team boss Richard Hollingsworth said: "We already know we need to find a replacement for Carl because he is facing a twelve week recovery period. He had his operation on Saturday but he has six weeks before he can even put weight on his leg."SHEFFIELD boss Eric Boocock is pleased with the early signs from his team this season, and expects they will only get stronger as the year goes on.Boocock said: "We've had some good performances in the early stages of the season but we all know there is a long way to go. We are strongly fancied by the experts but it's not about what we look like on paper, it's about what we do on the track and I think we can only get better as the season progresses."SOMERSET will remember one of their all-time great riders this Friday when the club stages the Emil Kramer Memorial Trophy at the Oak Tree Arena.Promoter Debbie Hancock said: "We have assembled a field that we think is worthy of Emil's name and have tried to combine riders who had a connection with Emil together with some top Elite League riders and some of the current Somerset septet. It promises to be a great night of racing."WORKINGTON owner Keith Denham praised the contribution of reserve Charles Wright, who collected paid-eleven in the Comets' well-earned home win over Sheffield.Denham told the News and Star: "I am over the moon for Charles. We managed to get the best out of him and I though he was superb, and Rusty (Harrison) is just continuing on from where he left off last season."
FIXTURE PICTURE...
WEDNESDAY APRIL 13:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Belle Vue 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Hackney 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 14:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Lakeside 7.30, Swindon v King's Lynn 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Workington 7.30, Sheffield v Somerset 7.45 CHALLENGE 2nd leg: Redcar v Newcastle 7.30
FRIDAY APRIL 15:BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Lakeside 8pmSKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Birmingham 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Berwick 7.30, Newport v Rye House 7.30, Scunthorpe v Workington 7.30CHALLENGE: Plymouth v USA Touring Team 7.30 EMIL KRAMER MEMORIAL: Somerset 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 16:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Poole 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Scunthorpe 7pm, Leicester v Newcastle 7.30, Rye House v Newport 7pm, Workington v Redcar 7pmCHALLENGE: Stoke v Scunthorpe 7.30, Northern Select v USA Touring Team (at Workington) (follows PL fixture)
SUNDAY APRIL 17:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Berwick 4pm, Newcastle v Leicester 6.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Dudley 4.30, Newport v Stoke 2.30CHALLENGE: Buxton v USA Touring Team 3pm
MONDAY APRIL 18:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Lakeside 7.30, Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30
TUESDAY APRIL 19:NATIONAL SHIELD 1st leg: Dudley v Buxton 7.30 PETE REDFERN MEMORIAL TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Sittingbourne Select 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 20:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Swindon 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Mildenhall 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 21:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Birmingham 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Newport 7.30, Sheffield v Ipswich 7.45
FRIDAY APRIL 22:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 1pm, Birmingham v Swindon 7.30, Coventry v Peterborough 7.30, Eastbourne v Lakeside 7.45, King's Lynn v Poole 7pm, Lakeside v Eastbourne 1pm, Peterborough v Coventry 11am PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Leicester 7.30, Ipswich v Sheffield 2.30, Somerset v Scunthorpe 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Hackney v Stoke (at Lakeside) (follows EL fixture)
SATURDAY APRIL 23:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pm, Leicester v Rye House 7.30, Newport v Edinburgh 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 24:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Eastbourne 3pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newcastle 4pm NATIONAL SHIELD 2nd leg: Buxton v Dudley 3pm
MONDAY APRIL 25:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Glasgow 7.30, Rye House v Leicester 2pm, Scunthorpe v Somerset 5.30, Workington v Berwick 7pm NATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v King's Lynn (follows PL fixture)CHALLENGE: Newport v USA Touring Team 2.30
TUESDAY APRIL 26:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v Birmingham Bulls 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 27:ELITE LEAGUE PAIRS: King's Lynn 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Isle of Wight 7.30