WEEKEND PREVIEW: It’s the Laurels weekend

It’s a bumper weekend of individual action, with Astley and Tyldesley hosting their 25th Anniversary Meeting at Gin Pit tomorrow, which sees many categories catered for and finishing off with a social gathering in the adjacent Miners’ Welfare Club after the racing has ended. Likewise, East Park host their Junior Invitational, which we previewed earlier this week. We start off this weekend’s preview down in Poole, where the prestigious Ade Gale Laurels event takes place on Sunday.

Ade Gale Laurels

Mark Carmichael returns to Poole to defend his Laurels title from last year, against a similar group of faces. As usual the line up for the senior event is packed with quality. Here are the riders going into Sunday’s draw:

Chris Timms, Matt Smith, Bobby McMillan, Neil Hollebon, Mark Boaler, Andy Angell, Josh Brooke, Adam Peck, Mark Carmichael, Nicky Evans, Greg Gluchowski, Rob Hunt, Lee Aris, Paul Heard, Ben Mould, Gavin Wheeler.

Last year’s Youth champion, Matt Smith, looks to stake his claim in the Senior event, with Gluchowski and McMillan offering up some international flair amongst at mostly British line up. Both Pole and Aussie are set to represent their countries in the upcoming ICSF Worlds.

Here are the competitors for Youth, Junior and Women’s categories:

Youth

Ricki Johnson, Dan Drewett, Arron Herbert, Jesse Moore, Zak Payne, Richard Fellget, Ashley Hill, Charlie Rumbold, Oli Sidwick, Jacob Soper, Aaron Morgan, Haydon Chant, Dean Hook, Arron Smith, Brandon Whetton, Lee Kemp.

Junior

Ieuan Payne, Mason Phillips, Josh Marsh, Ollie Morris, Thomas Croal, Conner Tucker, Pierce Bacon, Ben Harvey, Adam Bennett, Callum Smith, Callum Albin, Jake Neighbour.

Womens

Bailie Phillips, Sammi Marsh, Chloe Horton, Lauren Hookway, Charlie Jane – Herbert, Lily Gedge, Michelle Whithead, Macie Smidt, Bethany Briggs, Kristina Mines, Rebecca Davies, Alice Neighbour.

Travellers to Poole should be aware of Bank Holiday traffic and roadworks, see our article here. Good luck to all involved, it looks set to be a good day, let’s hope the weather holds!

Northern League

Moving onto the Northern League, the Edinburgh v Stockport clash is set to be feisty, with the anticipation hotting up between the sides on social media this week, including a preview video, courtesy of Alan Hewitson! Stockport’s division 2 side will also make the trip to Glasgow to take on the Glaswegians.

Sheffield host Northumbria at Cookson Park. Sheffield have consolidated themselves in mid-table, while Northumbria could do with pulling one out of the bag against the Rockets.

Bury make their way over to Hull and will be expected to come away with the points after an impressive start to the season has seen them slip up only once, narrowly to Stockport in week one. Hull have struggled more than usual after losing Adam Stephenson at the end of last season.

Finally Astley & Tyldesley welcome Heckmondwike to Gin Pit, to conclude a busy weekend of racing for the Greens, with their 25th Anniversary meeting the day before.

Eurovets

Eurovets round 2 takes place at Birmingham tomorrow. Birmingham’s Mark Winwood and Bob Prince were winners in round one at Swindon and go into the meeting as favourites on their home track. They face some stiff competition though and it will sure to be a good afternoon of vets racing.

The only other racing this weekend is also tomorrow, in the South East Youth league, where Kesgrave Pumas make the short trip to Great Blakenham.

Safe trip to all travelling this weekend, enjoy your racing.