SUPERB PAIRS WIN FOR MAX AND SAM

NEWS Friday 11th July 2014, 10:11pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

With one of our 1986 Pairs winners watching (Doug Wyer), our 2014 pairing of Aussies Sam Masters and Max Fricke thrilled the travelling support by coming back from a slow start to win this year's contest at Somerset.

They thoroughly deserved it, let's say that right away, though there will inevitably be discussion over the final heat in which the Scotwaste Monarchs were holding the advantage round the first turn, only for Nick Morris to come down attempting to squeeze outside Max off the second bend.

It was too far round the turn to invoke the traditional 'first bend bunching' and referee McGregor watched the replay several times to make sure he got it right.

In the rerun it would have been a mistake to even attempt to race Ollie Allen so for some this will have been an anti-climax. But not for the Monarchs' fans or riders though! In the main our victory was sportingly received with handshakes from the home riders.

The trophy seemed a long way off early in the night. We were out against Somerset in heat 2, and lost a 2-7 by a margin. With two qualifiers from each group this wasn't necessarily a disaster as long as we bounced back quickly against what seemed a weakish Plymouth outfit.

However Kyle Newman won the heat and we could only get a 5-4. Our riders seemed at this point to be finding the track tricky as they gave chase.

Next we were out in heat 14 against Berwick, who had taken 7 off the Devils earlier. We were out in front at one point with a strong outside surge from Max, but in a good battle with Vissing, Sam was pushed back to third.

By the time we reached our final race in heat 20 things were clear cut. Somerset had 25, second was between Edinburgh and Sheffield and we needed a 6-3 or better.

Our pair were not going to let it slip now. Sam made a superb run round the first corner with Leigh Lanham and Max battling for second and Stead in close proximity. Right on the line Max grabbed second and we'd made it in style.

Our semi was against Redcar and as so often in team events this year, we were just getting stronger and stronger. Sam was away from the inside and Max brilliantly flew past the Bears pair and slipped onto the line inside Sam by the third bend. That was that.

And so to the final. Again we had Sam on the inside, away like a train, and Max holding perfect position round the first corner to make it as awkward as possible for Nick Morris to get a good position.

Let the celebrations begin!