MATTHEW WINS BUT CRAIG GOES DOWN

NEWS Friday 17th August 2012, 11:12pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Matthew Wethers came through to pip Rory Schlein in the final of his own Testimonial on a light-hearted Armadale night, but on the downside Scotwaste Monarchs' no.1 Craig Cook has a suspected broken wrist after crashing in his second race.

There was a great deal of track work required in the afternoon, and a lot of shale removed, after heavy rain overnight and in the morning. But it proved to be worthwhile as returning hero Rory Schlein broke Ryan Fisher's two year old track record in heat one. The new time is 53.7.

16 year old Max Fricke made an early impression with a second place in his first ride, and he visibly grew in confidence, finishing with a highly creditable 7points.

Cook's misfortune came in heat seven. Leading on the opening lap, he went into the third turn fast as always, but lost control and was thrown through the air. There was a long delay before he went off to hospital, and the early diagnosis was a wrist injury, a shoulder injury plus winding.

There was some enjoyable racing though at times some of the riders seemed to be taking a rather casual approach. We even had a wrong-way-round race in heat 8, which explains the time of 83.2!

Because of the Cook delay the remainder of the heats had to be rushed through, though there was time for an enjoyable mini-bike race before the final.

In the last race, Rory Schlein gated and rode wide, but Matthew's cunning inside line proved slightly better and he came through to win.

Afterwards the Testimonial man said "I think maybe Rory could perhaps have won it. But it's been a great night, I hope people enjoyed it and I hope Cookie's OK."