UK NATIONALS: Britain’s Elite finally get to race!

This week, in warm up for the National Championships, two British Challenge matches took place, enabling the best of British to get in some practice laps.

Plymouth Select v GB Young Lions

On Tuesday in Plymouth, a match finally went ahead following the intervention of local government. Just a few hours before tapes were due to go up, British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had gone on national television saying the country was to go back into lockdown meaning spectators could no longer go to sporting events. Uncertainty reigned for several hours as to whether the Plymouth v Young Lions was allowed to go ahead until the last minute when the teams were given permission to race from the local government who said that Johnson’s words could not take effect until the following day.

That was good news for the riders, especially Tom Brennan and Joe Thompson, who will both be in the UK championship on Monday. In Plymouth they represented the Lions who lost 51:39 to the home team.

BikeRight Aces v APTI All Stars

On Thursday a prestigious line up met in Manchester as the BikeRight Aces met the APTI All Stars.

Wroclaw rider, Dan Bewley and Orzel Łódź, Brady Kurtz were there, alongside three times World Champion, Jason Crump and Rory Schlein, who raced in League 1 between 2011-2015.

Alongside Crump and Schelin were four other riders who will be in the National Championships – Steve Worrall, Lewis Kemp, Danny King and Richie Worrall.

The match was tight, but the hosts nicked it 49:41, with Bewley (13+1) high scoring for the Aces, whilst Schelin took 11+1 for the All Stars. He was also the highest scorer of all the participants in Monday’s national championships, whilst Crump scores just 6+1 for the Aces. It means that Australian born Schelin, is one of the favourites for Monday night’s meet which will take place on the same track.