Kings Lynn Stars v Edinburgh Monarchs

REPORT Tuesday 20th October 2009, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

This was a memorable performance at the Norfolk Arena and brought us our fourth national trophy in two years. Never at any stage were we put under pressure by the King?s Lynn side even though we ?enjoyed? virtually all of the bad luck going.

A strong start gave us the confidence we needed. As ever, Ryan was away to win heat 1, with Michal losing an early third place by drifting too wide.

Heat 2 was sensational. The home reserves went ahead, only to be swept aside by a whirlwind named Katajisto who was unstoppable! He came from last to first in amazing style.

We lost a 5-1 to the tough Sanchez/Schramm pair in heat 3 but Kevin Wolbert put us back on the winning trail in heat 4. Kalle was out again, beating Proctor and only failing to pass Graversen because he was so wild that he baulked the Finn with his out-of-control riding.

Fisher rode another superb first turn to win heat 5, and it was Kevin again in heat 6. This was brilliant stuff and the home side were completely rattled.

We should have shared heat 7, but Andrew was caught napping by Eklof, much to his annoyance. However we should have levelled the scores in heat 8 in which Sanchez fell in the first running.

The Raj led all the way in the rerun, with Kalle right behind him and trying not to bump into his partner. Sadly coming out of the last bend, Michal lifted and crashed heavily, which left the race as a 3-2.

We then had a long interval, which added to the long delay at the start stretched out what was a very cold night.

However we did not release our grip when racing eventually resumed. Wolbert was baulked on the way to the first turn in heat 9 ? but the previously out-of-touch Aaron Summers jetted away to beat Sanchez and Schramm! We were coming at them from all angles.

Ostergaard, a moderately effective guest, won heat 10 but after his first good start Eklof was overhauled first by Wethers and then late in the race by Tully. Score now was 31-28 and we were nearly there.

Fisher led again in heat 11 with Proctor chasing hard, and Katajisto getting the better of a good battle with Graversen. We thought Ryan had made it home but the ref gave the decision to Proctor by a hairsbredth ? however that was virtually enough to give us the aggregate win.

Aaron Summers was away again in heat 12, with Andrew third and pressing Eklof. At the end of lap three Aaron lost a chain, and Andrew took advantage of the mix-up to win the heat.

Luck didn?t improve in heat 13 in which Wolbert and Fisher were easily leading when Proctor fell at the back. The other three riders completed two laps ? but the rulebook requires ALL riders to have done so before a heat can be awarded.

In the rerun with Proctor out, Ostergaard gated, but Ryan came hard inside him and pushed him over, allowing Kevin up the inside. Ostergaard did not fall nor even look likely to, in an incident he must be familiar with from the Elite League, but the ref chose to stop the heat and exclude Ryan. He came out to wave his race jacket defiantly.

Finally Wolbert won the heat before we lost a 5-1 in heat 14, in spite of Kalle?s excellent efforts. Wolbert then won again to complete another fine night?s work by him and the team.

Full Result Details