Who can stop Rory Schlein?

NEWS Thursday 13th June 2019, 6:17pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

This Friday at Armadale we will be pleased to at last present the Harrison's Scottish Open Championship, the 63rd staging of what is probably the sport's longest-running individual event. The holder is Rory Schlein (Somerset) and he is back to try to withstand a challenge by riders from eight different clubs.

Rory has four titles to his name – 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2018, a record of which he is rightly proud. Amongst his strongest challengers are likely to be home captain Ricky Wells (runner-up the last two years) and first-season Monarch Cameron Heeps who has become such a favourite with the Armadale support.

Richie Worrall, now with Leicester, was also in the Grand Final last season and is well capable of taking the title, as is top prospect Dan Bewley (Belle Vue) who returns to Armadale for the first time since suffering serious injuries last August.

Club chairman Alex Harkess said "We are very pleased to be staging this event again and we thank all the sponsors who make it possible, including of course Harrisons Ford Centre of Peebles. It hasn't been easy putting it together after last week's postponement and commitments that various riders have, but we are confident that we have an interesting lineup and look forward to a good night's entertainment."

As well as the riders already mentioned, Glasgow's Paul Starke is a track specialist as of course is ten year Monarch Matthew Wethers, now at Newcastle. Berwick Bandits are represented by Kevin Doolan, and unattached riders Ben Barker and Theo Pijper also have good Armadale records.

Friday 14th June: Harrison's Scottish Open Championship 7:30pm

The Field:

Paul Starke (Glasgow), Ricky Wells (Edinburgh), Richie Worrall (Leicester), Matthew Wethers (Newcastle), Dan Bewley (Belle Vue), Cameron Heeps (Edinburgh), Kevin Doolan (Berwick), William Lawson (Edinburgh), Ben Barker (Unattached), Theo Pijper (Unattached), Rory Schlein (Somerset), Jordan Stewart (Redcar).

Saturday 15th June: Berwick Bandits v Staggs Bar Monarchs (Championship), 7:00pm

Full Result Details