PREVIEW: Battle of Britain and HSBC UK Elite Grand Prix Series

Astley & Tyldesley Cycling Club are staging two major cycle speedway events at Gin Pit, the club’s final race meetings of the season, this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday.

The final round of the Men’s Battle of Britain and HSBC UK Elite Grand Prix series is on Saturday, 12 noon start. The Battle of Britain match is on first and promises to be a closely contested match. The Midlands team pipped the South & South Wales team by a single point in the previous round at Birmingham in August, with the South East & Eastern team third and the North & Scotland team fourth. The match is followed by the Men’s Individual Grand Prix round. Birmingham’s Chris Timms leads the Men’s Grand Prix series, ahead of team mate Paul Heard and Horspath’s World Champion, Ben Mould.

The final round of the Women’s Battle of Britain and HSBC UK Elite Grand Prix series is on Sunday, 12 noon start. Again, the Battle of Britain match is on first. The North & Scotland team won the previous round at Birmingham in August, finishing ahead of the South & South Wales team, with the Midlands team third and the South East & Eastern team fourth. The match is followed by the Women’s Individual Grand Prix round, for Intermediate and Elite categories. Astley & Tyldesley’s British Women’s Champion, Emily Burgess, leads the Women’s Elite Grand Prix series, ahead of Poole’s Sandra Tamborska and Leicester’s Lizzie Rigley.

The racing takes place at the Astley & Tyldesley Miners’ Welfare Club. Meanley Road, Gin Pit, Tyldesley, M29 7DW. There’s free admission for spectators, with programmes and refreshments on sale trackside. Car parking is available on the main Miners’ Welfare Club car park only, as there is a full programme of football matches taking place on both days