Three matches to decide the BSN Group

NEWS Wednesday 29th April 2026, 7:18pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scottish section of the BSN series will be decided over the three matches at the weekend, and Monarchs are in all of them – Berwick visiting Armadale on Friday, Monarchs heading to the borders for the return on Saturday and then going to Glasgow on Sunday afternoon. The good news is that Paco Castagna will be leading the side in spite of his spectacular crash last Friday.

Paco rode last weekend in Italy but felt the effects of the crash and missed King's Lynn's match on Monday, but will be back in the lineup for Friday. Glasgow are well placed in the group but we might just point out that while Glasgow and Berwick can both reach 7 points, Monarchs are the only ones who can get to 8!

That would require three victories which is a tall order, but team manager Alex Harkess is in no doubt that the team will be going for it. "We've got to be thinking about still qualifying for the semi-finals. We've just got to improve, we've got two matches with Berwick, if we can pick up the majority of points from these then it's up to us to go to Glasgow and do something.

"I'm sure Berwick will make it tough for us on Friday I don't doubt that. I don't know what Victor Palovaara will score, he might score very highly as he did at this stage last year, or he might not. It will be up to our heat leaders to gate in front of him! It's up to us but the one thing we cannot do is have so many last places as last week – in any match."

As well as last year's Monarch Palovaara, Berwick track Peter Kildemand and Nick Morris as impressive heat leaders, plus another ex-Monarch in Lasse Fredriksen. Unfortunately their sensational new reserve Reid Battye will not be fit but they are using Monarchs Academy rider Dayle Wood as a guest, and he has also started the season strongly.

Friday's match will be Live Streamed for those who cannot attend, details on www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk.

FRIDAY'S MATCH:

Friday 1st May: Edinburgh Monarchs v Berwick Bandits (BSN Series), Armadale, 7:30pm)

ROSS ECO TECHNOLOGIES MONARCHS: Dan Thompson, Jonatan Grahn, Justin Sedgmen, Paco Castagna (capt.), Kye Thomson, Mitch Cluff, Jordy Loftus.

R.E.D. BANDITS: Peter Kildemand, Jye Etheridge, Victor Palovaara, Lasse Fredriksen, Nick Morris, Jack Smith, Dayle Wood (guest).