CHAMPIONS - THREE IN A ROW!

Neil Middleditch believed "it was written in the stars" that the Poole 'Ready Power' Pirates would secure their third Elite league title in as many seasons to become the first club in more than four decades to do so

"The number that is on all our minds at present is 43 which is Darcy Ward's racing number" explained the Poole team manager, "and it was 43 years since Belle Vue achieved the treble. If you add 4 and 3 together it makes 7 and this is our 7th league title so I am convinced our names were on the title since Darcy's tragic accident in August."

Middlo, like all associated with the Pirates was made to sweat by a resilient Belle Vue side before their dream became a reality, despite the Dorset side getting off to an unbelievable start with a double 5-1 in the opening two heats. With a 4-2 to follow there was a danger of the meeting slipping into a no-contest but the Aces responded with straight heat advantages of their own, determined to try and stop the Pirates in their tracks.

With Pole Kacper Gomolski looking far from comfortable in his early rides he made a blistering start in heat 8 and with Kyle Newman providing excellent backing the Pirates were able to again extend their lead with a vital 5-1 over Max Fricke and Steve Worrall.

An intense battle between GP riders Janowski and Zagar was worthy of a Grand Final with the Poole skipper just coming out on top in heat 10 which put eight points between the two sides and it took a great ride by Chris Holder to deny the Aces a 5-1 in the eleventh heat as the meeting remained delicately poised.

Newman took victory in the reserves heat but Starke on his second machine couldn't add to the Pirates' cause but a dominant heat 13 ride by Janowski held the advantage at 6 and the Pirates tantalisingly close to the title but the Aces still in a position to win it themselves.

Gomolski made an excellent gate in heat 14 and was holding off a battling Grajczonek but the tensions rose when North fell. He scrambled to his feet just in time to avoid the race having to be stopped, an effort that was rewarded with rapturous applause which continued to echo around the packed stands as the coccyx injured Gomolski stuck to the task of holding out Grajczonek to seal the Pirates win and that much sought after dream.

The Aces inspired by Cook and Nicholls all evening closed the meeting out with a consolation 5-1 knowing that they had played a major part in this title race but the Pirates just had that added edge and were the team celebrating probably long into the night.

POOLE 46 (92)
C. Holder 2',0,2,0=4+1
D. Watt 3,2,2,0=7
D. North 3,2,1,F=6
K. Gomolski 1,0,3,3,0=7
M. Janowski 1,3,3,3,1=11
P. Starke 3,0,1',0=4+1
K. Newman 2',0,2',3=7+2

BELLE VUE 44 (90)
M. Zagar 1,1,2,1'=5+1
M. Fricke 0,3,1,0=4
J. Grajczonek 0,2,1,2=5
S. Nicholls 3,1',3,1',2'=10+3
C. Cook 2,3,3,2,3=13
S. Worrall 1,1,0,1'=3+1
S. Nielsen 0,2',0,2=4+1

Ht 1 D. Watt C. Holder M. Zagar M. Fricke 5-1 (5-1) (59.56)
Ht 2 P. Starke K. Newman S. Worrall S. Nielsen 5-1 (10-2) (60.16)
Ht 3 D. North C. Cook M. Janowski J. Grajczonek 4-2 (14-4) (60.21)
Ht 4 S. Nicholls S. Nielsen K. Gomolski K. Newman 1-5 (15-9) (60.47)
Ht 5 M. Fricke D. Watt S. Worrall P. Starke 2-4 (17-13) (60.34)
Ht 6 C. Cook D. North M. Zagar K. Gomolski 2-4 (19-17) (60.46)
Ht 7 M. Janowski J. Grajczonek S. Nicholls C. Holder 3-3 (22-20) (60.03)
Ht 8 K. Gomolski K. Newman M. Fricke S. Worrall 5-1 (27-21) (60.94)
Ht 9 S. Nicholls D. Watt P. Starke S. Nielsen 3-3 (30-24) (59.50)
Ht 10 M. Janowski M. Zagar D. North M. Fricke 4-2 (34-26) (60.59)
Ht 11 C. Cook C. Holder J. Grajczonek D. Watt 2-4 (36-30) (59.47)
Ht 12 K. Newman S. Nielsen S. Worrall P. Starke 3-3 (39-33) (61.66)
Ht 13 M. Janowski C. Cook M. Zagar C. Holder 3-3 (42-36) (60.47)
Ht 14 K. Gomolski J. Grajczonek S. Nicholls D. North (Fell) 3-3 (45-39) (61.63)
Ht 15 C. Cook S. Nicholls M. Janowski K. Gomolski 1-5 (46-44) (59.75)
Referee Jim Lawrence
Gates:  Belle Vue on gates 2&4. POOLE 2&4 HEAT 15