RORY WINS AGAIN

NEWS Friday 1st August 2008, 10:01pm

by Graeme Paterson

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Rory Schlein brilliantly dominated the 2008 Scottish Open to regain the title which, as he has pointed out, he never lost!

It was an outstanding and very determined performance by Rory on his first visit back to Armadale since his transfer from Monarchs to Coventry at the end of the 2004 season.

The track had been affected by heavy rain overnight and in the morning, and also by drizzle during the event, but actually held up very well.

Right from the start it was clear that Rory Schlein was on a different plane from the others. He said afterwards "I wanted to come back here and show the Edinburgh fans the kind of rider they have helped me to become."

Runner up was Swindon's Travis McGowan with Belle Vue star Joe Screen in third, holding out the impressive Andrew Tully.

The unluckiest man was Ryan Fisher who rode exceptionally well. He scored 11 points from his first four rides and seemed certain to qualify direct to the final, only to suffer a crippling machine problem in his last race.

He then made a fast start in the semi-final - and hit problems again.

The other home rider to impress was Aaron Summers who just missed a final spot when passed by Tully.

Thomas Jonasson missed the meeting because his flight from Sweden was cancelled, and there were other late changes. In spite of this and the adverse weather, the meeting in the end was an entertaining one.

James Grieves was ruled out of the meeting after a heat 4 crash which occurred when his motor siezed as he reached the first corner, and he collided with Schlein.

Andrew Tully also took a heavy fall when Michal Makovsky lost control and knocked him through the fence, but amazing he emerged unscathed.

Qualifying points:

1. Robert Ksiezak - 1,2,2,2,1=8

2. Aaron Summers - 2,2,2,2,1=9

3. Matthew Wethers - F,1,F,2,3=6

4. Andrew Tully - 3,3,2,2,2=12

5. Anders Anderssen - 0,1,0,0,F=1

6. Tero Arnio - 1,1,0,0,0=2

7. Travis McGowan - 3,0,1,3,3=10

8. Michal Makovsky - 2,X,2,0,2=6

9. Trent Leverington - 1,0,3,1,2=7

10. Ryan Fisher - 2,3,3,3,R=11

11. Joe Screen - 3,2,1,3,3=12

12. Derek Sneddon - R,2,1,1,2=6

13. Ty Proctor - 1,3,0,1,1=6

14. James Grieves - FNS,NS,NS,NS,NS Withdrawn

15. Rory Schlein - 3,3,3,3,3=15

16. George Stancl - 2,1,3,1,0=7

Semi-final: McGowan, Tully, Summers, Fisher (ef)

Final: Schlein, McGowan, Screen, Tully

(Score data courtesy of monarchs-chatzone.co.uk)