GREAT Britain skipper Craig Cook capped off a memorable week by qualifying for the Grand Prix Challenge.
Cook, who was named as captain of Team GB on Monday, stormed to the top of the rostrum in his Grand Prix Qualification Semi-Final in Teranzano in Italy on Saturday night.
The Belle Vue and Workington ace saw off a number of big names, including current Grand Prix stars Patryk Dudek and Matej Zagar, to come out on top with 13 points.
The result means he will now head to Togliatti, Russia on Saturday, August 19 knowing a top three finish would earn him a full-time spot in the 2018 Grand Prix series - and a delighted Cook admits he is now relishing the biggest meeting of his career.
“I’m delighted,” Cook said. “I didn’t really know what to expect, especially with it probably being the tougher of the two semi-finals.
“I’m just taking it one step at a time and this is another step out of the way. I’m five races away from being a Grand Prix rider, so I’m really pleased with the result.
“Anything is possible now. I’m confident and enjoying my speedway, but at the same time I know things can change pretty quickly.
“I won’t get too excited, I’ll save that for if I qualify in Togliatti, but I’m pleased to get through to the Grand Prix Challenge and I’m already looking forward to trying to make that top three.”
2018 GRAND PRIX QUALIFIER, SEMI-FINAL: Craig Cook 13 (1st), Vaclav Milik 12 (2nd), Matej Zagar 10 (3rd after run-off), Przemyslaw Pawlicki 10, Peter Kildemand 9, Max Fricke 9, Patryk Dudek 8 (all seven qualify for Grand Prix Challenge), Michael Jepsen Jensen 8, Linus Sundstrom 7, Kevin Wolbert 7, Jurica Pavlic 7, Grigory Laguta 6, Pontus Aspgren 5, Dany Gappmaier 5, Paco Castagna 2 (reserve), Matej Kus 1, Daniele Tessari 1 (reserve), Guglielmo Franchetti 0.
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UPCOMING FIXTURES...
25/04/18 1930 King's Lynn v Poole (Premiership)
25/04/18 1930 Rye House v Wolverhampton (Premiership)
25/04/18 1930 Birmingham v Kent (EC)
26/04/18 1930 Ipswich v Newcastle (Championship)
26/04/18 1930 Sheffield v Redcar (CS)
26/04/18 1900 Isle of Wight v Eastbourne (NLKOC)
26/04/18 1900 Poole v Yarmouth Bloaters (Ch)
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...
TUESDAY APRIL 24:
CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD
Peterborough v Ipswich - OFF
MONDAY APRIL 23:
PREMIERSHIP Belle Vue 59 (Dan Bewley 13+2) Rye House 31 (Krzysztof Kasprzak 14+1) Premiership points: Belle Vue 3 Rye House 0
