EURO CLUB 2016: Day Three | Ostrow champions after last heat drama

May 2, 2016 editor

Ostrow have claimed back to back European Club Championships on their home track in a last heat decider of the all-Poland final.

Czestochowa cruised through Semi-Final one on 52 points, along with Torun on 40. It was close for Ipswich, they finished just four points adrift from making it two Club Championships finals on the trot.

Failing to capitalise on their inside run of grids attributing to the downfall of the Eagles. Hethersett, in their first foreign competition came in at the back with 31 after a valiant effort all weekend.

In Semi-Final two, Ostrow and Leszno completed the Polish line up in the final, with 51 and 42 points respectively. Świetochłowice just 5 points adrift of qualification, along with Wednesfield, who finished on 28. The hosts, Ostrow, certainly signalled their intent, taking 8 race wins of the 16 heats.

Wednesfield pipped Świetochłowice by a single point in the consolation final to finish 5th overall. Świetochłowice having a dreadful run of heats off grid 4s left them with too much to do, despite winning 6 of the last 8 heats. Chris Jewkes just needing a third place to confirm the win for the Aces.

Ipswich rounded off a decent competition in 7th place just behind on 42 points. With 20 points came Hethersett, perhaps running out of steam after easily completing more matches and races than any other team in the competition on the way to the consolation final. They can be proud with what they have achieved though.

Bartek Grabowski (right) and Szymon Kowalczyk (left). Photo by Tuba Ostrowa.

In the grand final, world champion Bartek Grabowski once again proved to be the key rider for Ostrow, dropping just a single point to Leszno’s Michal Sassek in heat one.

The final was a close affair, with the top three teams sharing a similar amount of last places. Ostrow had the most heat winners, but it didn’t stop it going down to the wire. In the final heat, Czestochowa and Ostrow sat on 39 points and Torun on 38. It could have been anyone’s title.

Grabowski had the most to do off grid four, with Leszno’s Sassek on grid one. Former world champion Marcin Szymanksi on grid two and Torun’s Binkowski on grid three.

It was Grabowski who secured the title for Ostrow though, powering round from grid four into a packed first bend, emerging into turns three and four in front of Szymanksi and racing home to rapturous scenes from the home support (video below by Konrad Cinkowski).

It was a fitting way to end an excellent championships, congratulations to Ostrow and to all of the volunteers that have helped make the event possible.