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ELITE League Pairs Champions Chris Holder and Darcy Ward will go head-to-head in the prestigious Elite League Riders’ Championship at Swindon later this month.The spectacular Australian duo, who have played a starring role in Poole’s bid to take the league title this year, will be in direct competition in the showpiece event at Blunsdon on October 15 (5pm).Holder and Ward put on a perfect exhibition of team-riding to lift the Pairs crown for the Pirates at King’s Lynn in April – and they also thrilled stadium supporters and TV viewers alike with their stunning last-bend pass of Lynn’s Kenneth Bjerre in Heat 13 of the second leg of the play-off semi-final at Wimborne Road.But this will be a rare opportunity for British fans to see them racing against each other, and on a circuit where they have enjoyed plenty of success in 2011.Holder and Ward are unlikely to have matters all their own way, though, with every Elite League club represented at the event, and all of last season’s top four finishers back for another attempt at the silverware.Wolverhampton No.1 Freddie Lindgren defends the title he won at Peterborough in 2010, whilst Belle Vue’s Chris Harris is completing the season in blistering form and will be looking to finally win the meeting having finished as runner-up in each of the last two years.Bjerre finished on the podium last season as a home Peterborough rider prior to his winter switch to King’s Lynn, whilst Eastbourne’s Bjarne Pedersen has enjoyed a terrific first season at Arlington, and will return to Grand Prix competition in 2012.Reigning British Champion Scott Nicholls represents Swindon, whilst Australian duo Rory Schlein and Troy Batchelor will both be looking to round off impressive seasons, Tai Woffinden is another rider in strong form and Lee Richardson, like Batchelor, is a former Swindon man.BSPA Chairman Alex Harkess said: “It's always a quality line-up and it's a meeting we are very much looking forward to following the success of the Premier League version recently.“The meeting brings together a mouth-watering combination of world class Grand Prix riders and younger Elite League stars with aspirations to become the top man, not just in the league itself, but in the world.“The Elite League has been hugely entertaining this season, it's a competition which has worked well and the race for the play-offs was very exciting.“I'm sure we will see more excitement at Swindon for what should be a night of fast and furious action on a fine racetrack. It's a long winter ahead so I'm sure fans will want to get to Swindon for a piece of the action.”LINE-UP: Niels Kristian Iversen (King’s Lynn), Hans Andersen (Peterborough), Scott Nicholls (Swindon), Darcy Ward (Poole), Troy Batchelor (Peterborough), Rory Schlein (Belle Vue), Chris Holder (Poole), Lee Richardson (Lakeside), Joonas Kylmakorpi (Eastbourne), Freddie Lindgren (Wolverhampton), Chris Harris (Belle Vue), Ben Barker (Birmingham), Kenneth Bjerre (King’s Lynn), Tai Woffinden (Wolverhampton), Bjarne Pedersen (Eastbourne), Ryan Fisher (Coventry).

SUPER7EVEN SERIES SPEEDWAY GB EVENTSBRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: TAI WOFFINDENELITE LEAGUE PAIRS: POOLEBRITISH FINAL: SCOTT NICHOLLSPREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: GLASGOWPREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: SAM MASTERS ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon, October 15 PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS FINAL: Leicester, October 23

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BELLE VUE boss Jim Lynch believes his side are peaking at a good time as they bid to overcome Lakeside in the KO Cup semi-final and book a Final showdown with Poole.Lynch said: “Suddenly, we are as good as we have been all season in terms of riding as a team all the way through from No 1 to No 7.“We are looking very solid because all the boys are contributing. Charlie Gjedde has never been better all year and reserve Ricky Kling has made a great contribution in the cup.”BIRMINGHAM star Ben Barker says he would welcome a return to Perry Barr next season, when he will be racing in the Elite League only.Barker said: “It’s been great for me to be riding in two leagues this year but I know it cannot last and the rules will stop me from doing it next season so I’m just looking towards the Elite League.“And as long as Birmingham stay at that level then I would like to be back because everything has been so good here for me.”COVENTRY youngster Josh Auty hopes his performances for the Bees in their late-season Midland Cup matches against Birmingham will help him become more involved at Elite League level in future.Auty said: “It was good for me to get a Heat 15 for the first time at Elite League level, and I was really pleased to have a good away performance, because that’s where my performances have been questioned.“I focused on what I wanted to do, I felt I was good enough to get the scores I did, and there was some tough racing.”EASTBOURNE manager Trevor Geer felt the Eagles’ Heat 15 4-2 from Bjarne Pedersen and Joonas Kylmakorpi over Darcy Ward and Chris Holder could be a significant moment in the Elite League Grand Final.It enabled the Eagles to extend their lead over Poole to eight points, and it was also the first points dropped by Holder in three play-off meetings so far this season.Geer said: “The last race has given us a bit of confidence when we go down to Poole that their boys can be beaten. Bjarne has been struggling for the last half-dozen meetings but he looked good, and I’m sure he will really want to have a good one down at Poole. I’m sure it will be a humdinger of meeting.”KING’S LYNN have named a Stars Select team to take on the American tourists in a challenge meeting at the Norfolk Arena on Wednesday.The line-up will be made up of five members of the current Young Stars. Kyle Hughes spearheads the team at number one with Scott Campos and James Cockle making up the middle order while vastly improving Lewis Kerr takes the number five race jacket. The fifth member of the Young Stars team, Tom Stokes, will be joined by young Sam Woods who has been racing in Denmark this season, and at No.2 will be 22-year-old Tom Armstrong.LAKESIDE picked up a three-point advantage from the first leg of their KO Cup semi-final against Belle Vue.The Hammers led by ten after just three races, but the Aces hit back with their comeback sparked by a winning tactical ride from Chris Harris.Peter Ljung (11) top-scored for the Hammers, and he was joined in double-figures by Jonas Davidsson (10+1).PETERBOROUGH have confirmed that full-strength teams will be on track for their final Elite League fixture of the season against Swindon on Friday.Panthers call on doubling-up rider Richard Lawson to replace the injured Dakota North (broken collarbone) at reserve, whilst in the Swindon lower-order club No.8 Kenny Ingalls replaces the unavailable Cory Gathercole.Admission prices for this season’s Showground farewell have been cut to £10 for adults, £8 for concessions and £4 for juniors, with season-ticket holders receiving a free programme and a discount on 2012 renewals.POOLE promoter Matt Ford says the supporters can play a massive part in the second leg of the Elite League Grand Final at Wimborne Road next Monday, where the Pirates will look to pull back an eight-point deficit.Ford said: “This is shaping up to be a really exciting final and I can't appeal enough to the fans to come along and back the Pirates. We had a great turn-out of supporters at Eastbourne and they really lifted the team. “In the home fixture on Monday we can increase that considerably and I am sure the lads will respond in the best possible way. This is one meeting no-one will want to miss.”SWINDON co-owner Terry Russell says the club are delighted to be staging the Elite League Riders’ Championship at Blunsdon on October 15.Russell said: “This is sure to be a memorable meeting with some of the best riders in the world and we, as a club, are very proud to be hosting it.“And how lovely it would be if Scotty (Scott Nicholls) could give the Swindon fans something to celebrate after such a difficult season for the team.”WOLVERHAMPTON hero Adam Skornicki has accepted an invitation to race in the club’s popular Bank’s Olympique handicap event at Monmore Green on October 18 – and also in their late-season Midland Bowl clashes with Coventry.Wolves promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “We’re thrilled to see Adam back at Monmore Green and he was delighted when we offered him the opportunity.“As always, the line-up is being put together with entertainment very much the priority.”PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…

BERWICK manager Ian Rae says the Bandits will be out for revenge when they return to Newcastle later this month, having just missed out with a 48-41 defeat in last Sunday’s Premier League encounter.Rae said: “Our top men certainly adapted to the track well following the soaking it got, and the Newcastle track men deserved credit for rescuing the meeting, but one or two of our guy struggled more to get to grips and frustrating points were lost. Still, we’re back at Newcastle in two weeks’ time, and we learn quickly and like revenge!”EDINBURGH skipper Matthew Wethers says he is fairly satisfied with his performances this season, although he still feels there is more to come.Wethers said: “I always think I could have done better and look at those individual races where I have dropped points, which frustrates me. But it’s not been too bad a season. I spent a lot on my bikes this year to improve my starts, and I think it has paid off and helped the whole team.”GLASGOW boss Stewart Dickson had no complaints after seeing his side’s Double chances ended by defeat against Newport in the KO Cup Final last weekend.Dickson said: “Sometimes you just have to tip your hat and say over the two legs we have been done by the better team. I can’t put my finger on what went wrong at Newport. The track was fine and there was nothing untoward that way, but they were just so much better than us in the first leg.”IPSWICH reserve Chris Mills admits he is uncertain over whether he will be able to ride again this season after suffering a bruised lung and internal bleeding in a heavy crash at Foxhall last Thursday.Mills said: “It will be a few more days at least before I get back to normal and I don’t really know what to do for the best at the moment. I want to ride and don’t want to finish the season on a crash, but then again I don’t want to make anything worse as it took me longer than I had thought for me to recover from a knee injury earlier in the year.”LEICESTER boss Jason Attwood says the Lions’ encouraging run of form in the closing weeks of the season has given them some good options to consider for next year’s team.Attwood said: “The performances have been what I’ve been after for some time, and it’s just a shame the season is coming to an end. But after a few wins it’s all upbeat and we can go into the winter with the hope that we’ve finally got it right, and it definitely gives us some thoughts about what we want to do.”NEWCASTLE manager George English was pleased with the Diamonds’ team performance in their weekend win over Berwick, with track staff working hard to ensure the meeting went ahead after adverse weather.English said: “A few people foresaw a Berwick win, but we rode well to contain their Swedish trio and took a very well deserved win and it just a shame we ended up having to send Adam (McKinna) to hospital for checks on his collarbone.”NEWPORT have won major team silverware for the first time since 1999 with their KO Cup victory over Glasgow last weekend – and it was their first Cup triumph since the 1964 triumph over Cradley Heath.PLYMOUTH promoter Mike Bowden is looking for his team to continue the spirit they showed last Friday after Ben Barker had pulled out injured, despite the Devils captain now being ruled out of the rest of the season.Bowden said: “We were already operating rider replacement for Kyle Hughes, so losing Ben after only one race meant we were down to five riders but they rallied around brilliantly to beat a team who were second in the league. I believe the boys can show the same spirit against Ipswich to give us our sixth successive home win and gain revenge for the four-point defeat we suffered on their previous visit.”REDCAR will welcome the American Touring Team to the South Tees Motorsport Park on Thursday – with promoter Brian Havelock having fond memories of previous tourist Chris Kerr’s time with the club.Havelock said: “Chris was given an opportunity by co-promoter Chris Van Straaten to join the Bears after top scoring for the American tourists when they visited Third Division tracks in 2005. It was a gamble but it worked. How we would love to find the next Chris Kerr among the current crop of visitors, so it is a match we are very much looking forward to.”RYE HOUSE reserve Nelson completed a bumper weekend of points scoring with 15+2 in the home win over Scunthorpe as the Rockets overcame the loss of Luke Bowen, who suffered a broken foot and concussion in a first-ride crash.Nelson said: “My starting is definitely getting better, and I’m learning now how to work with the team.  I must admit I was pretty bad at team riding at the start of the year. I’ve also got a good engine tuner, and he’s doing the best he can for me to get me going a bit better, and I seem to doing that everywhere now. Hopefully it all forms the basis for next year.”SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey has confirmed the club plan to run the Kenny Smith Memorial Meeting in honour of their former team manager at the start of the 2012 season.He said: “It is difficult to bring together a decent field at the end of the season when you don’t know when the meeting will be run. So rather than devalue it and run it as a second half we have agreed with Stockton Van Hire to open next season, and probably every season thereafter, with the meeting in honour of Kenny.”SHEFFIELD manager Eric Boocock is optimistic his side can finish a positive season with good results in their last two Premier League fixtures.Boocock said: “We tend to do quite well at Workington, it's similar to Sheffield. They are both very difficult meetings but if we have a full team I don't see any reason why we can't grab a win at Workington, definitely. Ipswich will be a different kettle of fish because we didn't do too well there earlier in the season, but we have to give it a go and we'll see what we can do.”SOMERSET are set to welcome Cory Gathercole and James Holder back into their team for Friday’s clash with Premier League champions-elect Glasgow, after both riders returned from injury in last week’s Somerset Open Championship, a meeting won by Coventry’s Ryan Fisher.WORKINGTON boss Tony Jackson admitted his disappointment as the Comets narrowly missed out on a win at Sheffield, going down by two points in a last-heat decider.Jackson said: “It was a brilliant speedway meeting, a great advert for the Premier League and we should have won it. The team wasn’t expected to get as close as this, but they all put a lot of effort in and to turn it round as we did, only to lose it late on was very disappointing.”

FIXTURE PICTURE…WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Belle Vue v Lakeside 8pmCHALLENGE: King’s Lynn v USA Touring Team 7.30

THURSDAY OCTOBER 6:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Leicester 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Sheffield v Belle Vue 7.45CHALLENGE: Redcar v USA Touring Team 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 7:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Swindon 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newport 7.30, Plymouth v Ipswich 7.30, Scunthorpe v Redcar 7.30, Somerset v Glasgow 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Hackney v Scunthorpe (at Lakeside) 8pm

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Newport 7pm, Workington v Plymouth 7pm NATIONAL LEAGUE: Newport v King’s Lynn 7pm GRAND FOURS CHALLENGE: Leicester v Coventry v World Select v USA Touring Team 7.30CHALLENGE: Stoke v Birmingham Bulls 7.30

SUNDAY OCTOBER 9:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 1.30, Glasgow v Somerset 3.30, Newcastle v Newport 6.30, Rye House v Workington 2pm USA STYLE SPEEDWAY INDIVIDUAL: Buxton 3pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 10:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Poole v Eastbourne 7.30TUESDAY OCTOBER 11:CHALLENGE: GB U21 v USA, Dudley 7.30

THURSDAY OCTOBER 13:PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Somerset 7.30CHALLENGE: Sheffield v The Americans 7.45

FRIDAY OCTOBER 14:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newport v Glasgow 7.30, Plymouth v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Scunthorpe 7.30, Workington v Ipswich 7.30 PRIDE OF THE MIDLANDS: Leicester 7.30 PRIDE OF THE EAST: King’s Lynn 7.30SATURDAY OCTOBER 15:ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon 5pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pm

SUNDAY OCTOBER 16:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newport 1.30, Glasgow v Newport 3.30, Rye House v Ipswich 2pm, Newcastle v Berwick 6.30, Workington v Sheffield 3.30

TUESDAY OCTOBER 18:BANKS’S OLYMPIQUE: Wolverhampton 7.30

THURSDAY OCTOBER 20:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Sheffield 7.30