MATCH REPORT: Nowacki, Hookway and Jeffery winners in Laurels

Lukas Nowacki once again showed his liking for the Baiter Park circuit as he successfully defended his Ade Gale Laurels title, sponsored by Precision Engraving, in maximum style with five faultless rides. A perfectly time pass on Ashley Hill in heat 18 enabled the Polish star to take the outright win, avoiding a run-off with fellow Horspath Hammer Zac Payne who finished runner up on 19 points.

The third rostrum  place was decided by a race off featuring two home based riders, Dawid Bas and Wil Bristowe with the Polish rider getting the verdict. The cut and thrust on the track was typified in heat 9 by the coming together of Steve Harris and Leon Mower with the A&T man painfully entangled with both machines on the deck, requiring careful extrication.

Fortunately he was fit to complete his rides with nothing more than a few additional bruises to add to his collection!

Perfect weather conditions and an immaculately prepared circuit provided a fitting backdrop for the annual event staged in the memory of inspirational Poole rider Ade Gale and it was pleasing to see so many of his former club mates amongst the healthy sized crowd.

SLIDESHOW: Photos by Graham Robins

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Lucas Nowacki 20, Zac Payne 19, Dawid Bas 17, Wil Bristowe 17, Ashley Hill 15, Leon Mower 15, Fraser Garnett 13, Adam Peck 12, Adam Watson 12, Steve Harris 10, Will Jeffery 10, Aaron Sellick 10, Jay Briggs 9, Tom Bewick 8, Connor Tucker 8, Hayden Rowles 5.

Womans Laurels – sponsored by Read Fabrications

In the Womans event, Exeter’s Lauren Hookway dropped 3 points on her way to a place in the sudden death “A” Final but she made no mistakes from gate 1 in the decider with hot prospect Emily Burgess in close pursuit. Maddie Saunders pleased the home supporters, holding off the challenge of Niamh Morton to clinch the third rostrum place.

Gemma Hill outpaced Charlie Jane Herbert to win the “B” final while Chloe Pearce finished ahead of Anna Tuttle in the “C”.

Reigning trophy holder Macie Schmidt, nursing a broken collarbone suffered the previous week, could only watch on in frustration as her fellow competitors dished up some great racing to entertain an appreciative crowd.

SLIDESHOW: Photos by Graham Robins

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Maddie Saunders 14, Emily Burgess 14, Lauren Hookway 13, Niamh Morton 13, Charlie Jane Herbert 12, Laura Watson 10, Krissie Mines 10, Gemma Hill 9, Chloe Pearce 8, Anna Tuttle 7, Jasmine Oddie 5, Daisy Sherwood 5.

Ade Gale Junior Laurels – sponsored by Colemans Insurance

The curtain raiser for the day’s events featured a talented line-up in the Junior Laurels and they did not disappoint when it came to the track action, providing 20 scintillating heats and proving that emerging young talent at this level is of the highest quality.

When Lewis Brinkhoff won his second race in heat 6, lowering the colours of Will Jeffery in the process, a rostrum place looked to be an early certainty. Fast forward to heat 12 and Pierce Bacon outpaced the Kesgrave star from his gate 1, by which time Jeffery had already taken his total to 11, level with Brinkhoff.

Further wins apiece for Jeffery and Brinkhoff took their respective totals to 15 with Michael Preston and Pierce Bacon breathing down their necks on 14 apiece. The Horspath rider looked to have 4 points in the bag from his heat 18 gate 1, so Brinkhoff knew he had to pull something out of the bag in heat 17 as he trailed Preston before executing a superb pass taking his total to 19.

With Jeffery matching this total in heat 18, the stage was set for a race-off for the Dave Lanning trophy and drama was to follow as Brinkhoff won the toss and led his opponent for a couple of laps before both riders hit the deck as they struggled for supremacy.

Judged a 50:50 racing incident, the race was allowed to continue but while the Horspath rider was quickly back in the saddle, it was clear that Lewis had sustained a painful injury which required lengthy on track first aid attention.

Michael Preston held his nerve to take the third rostrum slot while Jack Ellis, Fraser Garnett and pierce Bacon were the best of the rest.

SLIDESHOW: Photos by Graham Robins

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Will Jeffery 19, Lewis Brinkhoff 19, Michael Preston 17, Jack Ellis 16, Fraser Garnett 15,  Pierce Bacon 15, Max Evans 14, Louis Wright 14, Harrison Bacon 13, Devon Campbell 12, Dan Wright 11, Nathan Goulden 9, Hayden Rowles 8, Owen Johnson 7, Josh Nottle 6, Mackenzie Briggs 5.