DIVISION 1 NEWS


Pre-Season

Berkshire Bandits- Have recalled Curtis and signed Riegler in place of Seslar and Worrall which gives them a solid looking top 4.
Boston Braves- Out have gone Houseley, Knight and McLeod in come Rigley and Marshall steps up from junior. The "experts" favourites for the title, just 1 loss in pre-season.
Brookwood Tigers- Porton and Hedman have gone in have come Chalk and Stallwood. They have an excellent top 3 and 4 second strings that can all make useful contributions.
Hoddesdon Hounds- Out has gone Fox in the only change from last years Division Two champions.
Pinders Heathans- Krejcik,Lee and Kersh have left with Freeman and Esp coming in. Top 2 are world class the remaining 5 will need to perform consistantly the champions want to retain their title.
Sedgley Sprites-Lee and Jones are replaced by Parry and Holdaway for last seasons Knock-out Cup winners.
Sennen Cobras- Somers for Saunders is the only team change. Also a change in ownership has taken place during the close season.
Stansted Spitfires- Poole,Karstadt,Saunders,Stallwood and Rigley have gone from last seasons Division Two side, in has come Edwards,Porter,Grant and Aldred.
Vange Vikings- Halle has been recalled for Butler in the only change from last year.
Wimbledon Stars- Riegler out and Seslar in is the only change for the newly promoted Stars.


Week 1 & 2

The big guns clash on the opening day of the season as bookies favourites, Boston, travel to Brookwood. Newly promoted,Stansted go to reigning champions, Pinders, then take on fellow new boys Wimbledon. The Stars start at home to Vange, while last seasons Division Two champions,Hoddesdon go to Sedgley then take on Pinders in the televised match of the week.The Club Pairs Championship takes place with Brookwood and Vange receiving byes into the next round,and five Division one riders will be looking to qualify through to the British Final.

Brookwood came out on top in the match of the week against Boston 47-43 thanks to 15 points from John Wood. The Tigers were also triumphant at Sennen to head the early season table. The Cobras despite that defeat still picked up 2 points thanks to a 4 point win at Berkshire. The Bandits also lost at Vange and were the only team not to pick up at least a couple of points. Sennen and Berkshire were the only 2 Division one teams to crash out of the Club Pairs Championship in the first round. Sennen finished 4th at Stag Hill and Berkshire finished 6th at Basildon. In the first British semi-final from Thames, of the 5 Division one riders contesting, only Stansted's Mark Edwards failed to qualify.

A tight first corner sees Berkshire's Mark Garner(red) sandwiched
between Sennen's Bob Gordon(white) and David Mullen(yellow) with Tim Sanders at the rear as the Cobras take the points.

Week 3 & 4

It doesn't get any easier for Berkshire to get their first points on the board this week as they take on 2 champions. First the tackle Division One Champions,Pinders at home and then travel to current Division Two champions Hoddesdon. Early leaders, Brookwood take on 2 newly promoted teams, Hoddesdon at home and Stansted away. This weeks televised match is Boston v Vange. The Club Pairs Championship second round takes place this week, with matches at Swindon and Winchester. Finally 7 more Division One riders embark on the World Championship trail as the second British semi-final takes place at Wigston.

Brookwood maintained their 100% record this week with wins at home against Hoddesdon and away at Stansted. Pinders kept up with leaders with 2 wins themselves, against Sedgley and Berkshire. Five Division One teams made it through to the final of the Pairs Championships, they are Brookwood, Pinders, Sedgley, Stansted and Wimbledon. In the British Semi-final four Division One riders made it through, the surprise was that Brookwood's John Wood only made it through as reserve.

Stansted's Sean Robson(blue) battles against Brookwood pair
Jouni Rasanaen(white) and John Wood(yellow)

Week 5 & 6

The Division One Cup provides a break in league racing this week. The main matches of note see Vange v Berkshire in group A and Brookwood v Wimbledon in group B. Elsewhere Pinders Carl Parker is the sole Division One rider in the World Under 21 semi-final from Vange.

Boston and Pinders appear to have a strangle hold on group A of the Division One Cup following the first round of matches as both of them secured 2 wins. In group B, Brookwood were unbeaten with a win and a draw but the second place spot is still up for grabs with 3 of the remaining 4 teams winning at home and losing away. In the World Under 21 semi-final, Carl Parker of Pinders qualified in sixth place, but most Division One promoters would have been impressed with winner, Chris Harlock. The 20 year old New Zealander is currently unattached.

Berkshire's Tim Sanders(red) attempts to pass Pinders' Dean Stansfield(yellow)
during the Heathans' 2 point win

Week 7 & 8

It's a return to league racing this week it means every club will have completed 6 matches and the new averages will come into force, also the transfer market re-opens. This weeks live match on TV is Wimbledon v Berkshire, other matches of interest are Sedgley v Brookwood and Sennen v Pinders. The Pairs Championship final takes place at Long Eaton and the second World Under 21 semi-final takes place in Russia, with Steve Thompson, Paul Wilson and Martin Aldred representing Wimbledon, Brookwood and Stansted respectivly.

Division One has new leaders with Sedgley Sprites winning both of their matches. There home win against Brookwood, who lost both of their matches, saw the away side ride with a weakened side to keep their averages down. Sedgley rode their full 7 in both matches, this coupled with the signing of Jack Kent meant that the Sprites are over the 52 point squad limit and will have to lose at least one of their top 7. Elsewhere Berkshire secured their first points of the season with a home win against Stansted. The Pairs Club Championship was won by Brookwood by one point from Pinders who were 2 points ahead of third placed Wimbledon. The World Under 21 semi-final was won by Wimbledon's Steve Thompson with Stansted's Martin Aldred second.

From the inside Lasse Lien(red), Tony Turner(yellow), Matthew Ford(blue)
and Aivars Erglis(white) make the start during Hoddesdon's and Boston's 45 all draw

Week 9 & 10

Back to Division One Cup action this week, where the semi-final places will be decided. Pinders v Boston, Brookwood v Sedgley and Wimbledon v Sennen appear to be the main matches this turn.