CLUB NEWS: Hawks riders headed for Poland

Hethersett Hawks/Myhill Decorators have four riders in Poland this weekend to contest the European Open Individual Championships. It will be a logistical challenge for Owen Wells as he also competes in the Junior Championships with the rounds split between two tracks an hour apart.

The three Senior riders taking part – Leigh Cossey, Harley Hamill and Dan Butler – were all part of the successful Hethersett team that finished 8th in the Club Championships in Poland two years ago. All three are also in the Ireland squad for the European Nations Cup over the weekend.

Wells warmed up for the Poland trip with an excellent performance at Coventry where he dropped just two points in his three rides to help South-East & Eastern defeat the Midlands 97-96 in their Junior Battle of Britain fixture, courtesy of a dramatic 6-4 win in the final race by the Brinkhoff brothers from Kesgrave.

This was a stark contrast from the previous week when Wells was disappointed by his show in the British Youth & Junior League Grand Prix at Ipswich. A tough draw saw him just make the B final of the Juniors and he cold not force his way from the back in that race. He was overshadowed by young Shaun Kell who announced himself on the national stage dropping just one qualifying point in the Under-10s and winning the B Final.