POOLE will host the British Under-21 Final on April 26 – and gritty Yorkshire lad Josh Bates faces a tough start to defend his title.
Bates, who became a proud Dad recently, will face Belle Vue’s pocket rocket Dan Bewley in his first outing at Wimborne Road.
It’s an impressive line-up with Bates, Bewley, former Poole man Adam Ellis and Robert Lambert expected to be amongst the frontrunners for the prestigious title.
Home hopes are with James Shanes for Pirates fans after his superb victory in the semi-final at Peterborough in a tense contest.
“I’m so pleased to qualify but to win the semi-final is also a bonus for me,” said Shanes.
“Now I want to go out there and do well in the final in front of my own fans at Poole.
“There’s some great riders in the field and I know how hard it will be, but I’ll go into the meeting and do my best as I always do.”
Reigning champion Bates said: “Winning the title twice is something I’m very proud of and of course I’d love to do it again.
“But there’s 15 other riders out there who feel they have a chance and it will be a really tough, competitive meeting.”
British Speedway chairman Keith Chapman said: “It’s a very exciting line-up and we do have some talented young riders in the UK.
“I can’t pick a winner, I’m sure the fans at Poole that night will be served up a great night of entertainment – it’s a prestigious title and all the boys will be going for it.”
DRAW: 1. Danny Phillips (Newcastle/King’s Lynn Young Stars), 2. Max Clegg (Wolverhampton/Edinburgh), 3. James Shanes (Poole), 4. Ellis Perks (Rye House/Redcar/Buxton), 5. Nathan Stoneman (Kent), 6. Danyon Hume (Ipswich/Birmingham), 7. Liam Carr (Berwick), 8. Adam Ellis (Swindon), 9. Zach Wajtknecht (Swindon/Lakeside), 10. Nathan Greaves (Wolverhampton/Isle of Wight), 11. Jack Smith (Belle Vue/Glasgow/Belle Vue Colts), 12. Robert Lambert (King’s Lynn), 13. Dan Bewley (Belle Vue/Glasgow/Belle Vue Colts), 14. Josh Bates (Leicester/Sheffield), 15. Connor Mountain (Ipswich/Mildenhall), 16. Luke Harris (Cradley). Reserves: 17. Josh Bailey (King’s Lynn/Scunthorpe/King’s Lynn Young Stars, 18. Danno Verge (Mildenhall).
BRITISH SPEEDWAY MAJOR EVENTS 2017 SGBP PAIRS: KING’S LYNN BRITISH FINAL: Belle Vue, June 19 SGBC PAIRS: Somerset, July 21 SGBC FOURS: Peterborough, August 6 SGBP RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Belle Vue, September 16 SGBC RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow, September 24
OTHER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DATES BRITISH UNDER-21 SEMI-FINAL: JAMES SHANES BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Poole, April 26 BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: Plymouth, July 6 BRITISH SEMI-FINALS: Newcastle, April 30; Sheffield, May 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Leicester, September 24
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UPCOMING FIXTURES...
27/04/18 1930 Edinburgh v Berwick (CS)
27/04/18 1930 Redcar v Sheffield (CS) 27/04/18 1915 Plymouth v Isle of Wight (NT)
28/04/18 1900 Berwick v Lakeside (Championship)
28/04/18 1930 Eastbourne v Belle Vue (TPNL)
28/04/18 1930 Mildenhall v Stoke (TPNL)
29/04/18 1830 Newcastle v Sheffield (CS)
29/04/18 1500 Buxton v Birmingham (NT)
29/04/18 1500 Coventry v Cradley (NT)
30/04/18 1930 Belle Vue v Somerset (Premiership)
30/04/18 1930 Leicester v Rye House (Premiership)
30/04/18 1930 Wolverhampton v King's Lynn (Premiership) 30/04/18 1830 Kent v Birmingham (EC)
01/05/18 1900 British U21 Final, Berwick
02/05/18 1930 King's Lynn v Swindon (Premiership)
02/05/18 1930 Somerset v Poole (P-KOC)
02/05/18 1930 Belle Vue v Plymouth (TPNL)
03/05/18 1930 Sheffield v Peterborough (Championship)
03/05/18 1930 Ipswich v Lakeside (C-KOC)
03/05/18 1930 Redcar v Scunthorpe (CS) 03/05/18 1900 Isle of Wight v Mildenhall (NT) 04/05/18 1930 Edinburgh v Peterborough (Championship)
04/05/18 1930 Glasgow v Sheffield (Championship)
04/05/18 1930 Scunthorpe v Redcar (Championship)
04/05/18 2000 Lakeside v Ipswich (C-KOC) 04/05/18 1930 Workington v Berwick (CS) 04/05/18 1915 Plymouth v Mildenhall (NT)
05/05/18 1900 Berwick v Workington (CS) 05/05/18 1900 Stoke v Belle Vue (TPNL) 05/05/18 1930 Eastbourne v Isle of Wight (NT) 06/05/18 1830 Newcastle v Ipswich (Championship)
06/05/18 1500 Buxton v Coventry (NT)
06/05/18 1500 Mildenhall v Kent (NT)
07/05/18 1500 Rye House v Somerset (Premiership)
07/05/18 1930 Swindon v Poole (Premiership)
07/05/18 1200 Belle Vue v Wolverhampton (P-KOC) 07/05/18 1930 Leicester v King's Lynn (P-KOC)
07/05/18 1530 Kent v Buxton (TPNL) 07/05/18 1930 Cradley v Stoke (NT)
LATEST RESULTS...
THURSDAY APRIL 26:
CHAMPIONSHIP Ipswich 60 – Danny King 14+1 Newcastle 29 – Ashley Morris 12 Championship points: Ipswich 3 Newcastle 0
