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THE competing clubs have been named for the hugely popular Premier League Pairs at Somerset on August 24.As has become traditional, the event takes place at the Oak Tree Arena the day before the British Grand Prix at Cardiff, and ten of the thirteen Premier League clubs will be taking part.Qualification has been decided on the basis of the top three eligible riders from each club from their August Green Sheet averages, using line-ups which stood on Thursday August 2.Clubs must then select two of their top three riders to take part, and they have been split into two groups of five for the meeting itself, with the top two from each group progressing to the semi-finals.Qualifying clubs: GROUP 1:PLYMOUTHBen Barker, Ryan Fisher, Cory GathercoleLEICESTERKauko Nieminen, Magnus Karlsson, Lasse BjerreWORKINGTONRichard Lawson, Rene Bach, Adam RoynonNEWCASTLEStuart Robson, Mark Lemon, Ludvig LindgrenREDCARUlrich Ostergaard, Aaron Summers, Matej KusGROUP 2:BERWICKRicky Ashworth, Sebastian Alden, Lee ComplinGLASGOWJoe Screen, James Grieves, Josh GrajczonekSOMERSETJason Doyle, Sam Masters, James WrightSCUNTHORPEDavid Howe, Josh Auty, Thomas JorgensenEDINBURGHCraig Cook, Andrew Tully, Theo Pijper
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POOLE star Krzysztof Kasprzak has been ruled out of tonights top-of-the-table clash with Swindon at Blunsdon.The Pole is suffering from a back injury after training in Gorzow, and the Pirates will use the rider-replacement facility.Promoter Matt Ford said: I have explained to Krzys just how important this meeting is for us, but he has said that he is in far too much discomfort and pain to be fit in time for the meeting. Obviously this is a major blow for us.Eight Elite League clubs are in action on Monday, including third and fourth-placed Eastbourne and Lakeside, who travel to Wolverhampton and Peterborough respectively, whilst Belle Vue host Birmingham.
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BIRMINGHAM have confirmed they are in advanced negotiations with Italian Grand Prix Wild Card Nicolas Covatti.Club bosses have productive talks with Covatti and his manager Armando Castagna, and subject to paperwork being completed satisfactorily the 24-year-old should be in line to make his Perry Barr debut a week on Thursday.Birmingham co-promoter Graham Drury said: Nicolas is a rider who weve had our eye on for a while after Phil Morris came across him during his continental travels.Its a little premature to say weve signed him because there are still some formalities to go through as is always the case when you bring in a new rider. But all being well we should be able to confirm everything in the next few days.
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MILDENHALL co-promoter Michael Lee pulled no punches after the Fen Tigers went down to a 45-47 home defeat against fellow National League contenders Stoke.The meeting was delayed to allow track work to take place after heavy rain, and it was the Potters who adapted better to conditions with Ashley Birks winning Heat 15 to end Mildenhalls 16-month unbeaten home record.Lee said: Josh (Bates) and Stefan (Nielsen) were the only pair of our regular team that showed the commitment needed to be top riders. The rest of them need to have a long hard think about things and improve their attitude. Maybe they thought they could just turn up and win. They could learn a lot from some of the Olympic athletes we've seen in the last week and the incredible dedication they have. Hopefully this is the wake-up call they needed and we can bounce back at King's Lynn on Saturday.
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SCUNTHORPE boosted their hopes of reaching the National League play-offs by taking their first away win of the season at Buxton.Three 5-1s in the last three races transformed the match as the Saints turned a 31-40 deficit into a 46-43 victory, with Gary Irving scoring a 15-point maximum.Manager Stuart Parnaby said: This is a fantastic result for us. It would have been great to come here and grab a point, but to get a win is just great. We did have a little bit of luck for once, but all our riders dug in and gave it a go, and Im proud of them.This is almost as good a feeling as winning the league last season. All the lads are buzzing after that. Im over the moonit was a fantastic effort from every one of them to come back into the meeting and win it.(FIXTURES)
MONDAY AUGUST 6:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Birmingham 7.30, Peterborough v Lakeside 7.30, Swindon v Poole 7.30, Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30
TUESDAY AUGUST 7:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Dudley v Stoke 7.30, Isle of Wight v Scunthorpe 7.30
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 8:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Lakeside 7.30, Coventry v Swindon 7.30, Kings Lynn v Eastbourne 7.30, Poole v Peterborough 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v Edinburgh 7.30
THURSDAY AUGUST 9:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Poole 7.30, Swindon v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar v Newcastle 7.30, Sheffield v Edinburgh 7.45NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Isle of Wight v Dudley 7.30
FRIDAY AUGUST 10:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Birmingham 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30, Plymouth v Workington 7.30, Scunthorpe v Leicester 7.30
