WORKINGTON won the Championship title at Derwent Park on Sunday with a dominant 61-29 home win over Lakeside.
It was a first-ever league success for the Comets, as they overturned a ten-point first leg deficit in front of a bumper crowd to complete the double after last week’s KO Cup victory.
The aggregate scores were levelled within just three races, and the Comets led 28-8 on the night after six – clinching the title with a 4-2 from guest Tero Aarnio and Mason Campton in Heat 12.
In-form Danes Nicolai Klindt (15) Rasmus Jensen (14+1 paid maximum) led the scoring backed up by Aarnio with 11+1 and Rene Bach on 10+3, whilst the Hammers were limited to just two race wins, Adam Ellis top-scoring on nine.
Comets boss Tony Jackson said: “Words can’t adequately describe how I feel right now. This has become a fantastic end to the season for everyone connected with the club and we are so pleased to finally bring some success for our supporters.
“After so many years of heartache and after a variety of problems we have had to overcome this year, both on and off track, this feels oh so very sweet
“I would also like to compliment Lakeside as a club and their officials who could not have been more gracious in defeat and we hope that they are able to continue as a club following their problems this year.
“Our team spirit was great from the start of the season but the team have gelled even more as the season has progressed and they are all acting as one right now; it’s a bit like a runaway train.
“Although Dan (Bewley) and Ty (Proctor) have been on the injured list in recent weeks we have kept everyone involved and the way our skipper Ty has worked with the team over these past few weeks while he has been out injured should not be under-estimated at all.
“I feel so pleased for Laura (Morgan) after all she has done for the club over the past six years since taking over and this is her just reward. She deserves this so very much. Not many people are aware of the personal sacrifices we have all had to make for this to happen, especially those by Laura, but right now everything seems worthwhile.
“In recent weeks we have had so much support from people all over the country too, and it has reminded me of when Leicester City won football’s Premier League a few seasons ago; nobody really fancied us to do this well at the start of the season, but as things have gathered momentum a lot of people have said that if they couldn’t win it then they really wanted us to win it, which was so nice to hear.
“And, on a personal level, from having stood on the Derwent Park terraces as a 10 year-old cheering on the Comets, and been a speedway fan ever since; to then become co-promoter and team manager with my hometown club and be involved in this success is very humbling and makes me extremely proud of the work and effort that every single person has put in to make this happen. I could not be happier!”
26/10/21 1930 Glasgow v Poole (Champ Grand Final.1)
26/10/21 1830 Kent v Belle Vue (NDL)
27/10/21 1930 Poole v Edinburgh (Champ KOC Final.2)
29/10/21 1930 Poole v Glasgow (Champ Grand Final.2)
31/10/21 1500 Kent v Armadale (NDL) - Staged at Leicester
LATEST RESULTS...
SATURDAY OCTOBER 23:
PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL, Belle Vue 1 Dan Bewley (Belle Vue) 2 Ryan Douglas (Wolverhampton/Leicester) 3 Max Fricke (Unattached) 4 Chris Harris (Peterborough/Birmingham) 5 Luke Becker (Wolverhampton) 6 Nick Morris (Wolverhampton/Leicester)ENDS
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 1st leg Edinburgh 42 (Richie Worrall 11) Poole 47 (Benjamin Basso 13+3)
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE Armadale 34 (Tom Woolley 11) Mildenhall 56 (Jason Edwards 16+1) NDL points: Armadale 0 Mildenhall 4 Mildenhall confirmed as 2021 NDL Champions
TEST MATCH, Glasgow Great Britain 36 – Dan Bewley 11 Poland 35 – Bartosz Zmarzlik 8+1 Abandoned after Heat 12 (rain) – Result stands
TUESDAY OCTOBER 19:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
Kent 44 – Dan Gilkes 15
Mildenhall 45 – Jordan Jenkins 12
NDL points: Kent 0 Mildenhall 3
MONDAY OCTOBER 18:
RORY SCHLEIN FAREWELL, Wolverhampton 1 Danny King (Ipswich/Poole) 2 Ryan Douglas (Wolverhampton/Leicester) 3 Rory Schlein (Wolverhampton/Poole) 4 Luke Becker (Wolverhampton)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 16:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F, 1st leg
Edinburgh v Glasgow - OFF
Re-staging date: Friday October 22 - 7.30pm
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester 40 – Ryan Douglas 12 Poole 50 – Steve Worrall 12+1 Poole win 98-82 on aggregate.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 15:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP SEMI FINAL, 2nd leg
Edinburgh 55 – Richie Worrall 13
Glasgow 35 – Craig Cook 11
Edinburgh win 92-88 on aggregate
THURSDAY OCTOBER 14:
PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL, 2nd leg Peterborough 51 (Bjarne Pedersen 13+1) Belle Vue 39 (Dan Bewley 15) Peterborough win 95-85 on aggregate and are crowned 2021 Premiership Champions.
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 13:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F, 1st leg Poole 48 (Steve Worrall 12+1) Leicester 42 (Kyle Howarth 12)
TUESDAY OCTOBER 12:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF QUARTER-FINAL, 2nd leg
Edinburgh 57 – Josh Pickering 12+1
Redcar 33 – Lewis Kerr 12
Edinburgh win 108-72 on aggregate
Leicester 38 – Nick Morris 12
Scunthorpe 28 – Connor Mountain 7+2
Abandoned after 11 heats due to weather/track conditions – Result STANDS
Leicester win 92-64 on aggregate
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
Kent 59 – Jake Mulford 15
Leicester 31 – Tom Spencer 8+2
NDL points: Kent 3 Leicester 0
MONDAY OCTOBER 11:
PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL, 1st leg Belle Vue 46 (Dan Bewley 15) Peterborough 44 (Scott Nicholls 14+1)
