FOURS WINNERS FOR THE THIRD TIME

NEWS Sunday 14th July 2013, 8:44pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The incredible Scotwaste Monarchs thrilled their travelling support and those at home watching updates when they battled through the tightest of semi-finals and final at Peterborough to win the Fours for the third time.

It was in every way a team performance and another display of the power of team spirit. Craig Cook and Claus Vissing may be the big guns, and boy did they do their job, but there were absolutely crucial points from all the others as well.

It's not good for the old ticker. To begin near the end, with the final four heats to be contested, the scores were Somerset 13, Edinburgh 12, Ipswich 12 and Berwick 11. The inside two gates were working far better than the outside two, and we had gates 2 and 1 in the last two (higher scorers) races, so what we needed was points from heats 9 and 10.

Theo delivered a point from gate three in heat 9, won by flying reserve Bellego for Berwick, so it was Berwick and Ipswich 14, Edinburgh and Somerset 13.

We made a big decision for heat 10, to replace Derek with Jozsef off the dreaded gate four. Derek had crucially won heat 2 of the final, whereas Jozsef had had just a single ride for a point in the semi. However the decision was vindicated as Jozsef missed the start but came from way back to pass Barker and Ashworth late in the race!

It was now Somerset 16, Edinburgh and Ipswich 15, Berwick 14 but we knew we were strong in the last two heats.

In fact Craig wasn't away well in heat 11 and he was involved in a titanic three-way tussle with Tungate and Bellego, when going into lap two the Frenchman misjudged his entry to the first corner of lap two and collected Tungate's back wheel.

They both went down and into the fence very heavily. The fence was in a mess and we had a big delay while the injured riders were looked after.

As ever, the fans waited with great patience till the racing resumed. Everyone of course accepts that the welfare of the injured riders comes first.

Eventually the riders emerged, Bellego ruled out of the rerun. Reserve Heeps replaced Tungate, and made a great start even though it was his first race of the day!

Grajczonek was right in there as well for Somerset, but Cook hit the wide outside line as he had twice previously, and pulled off another stunning move to get to the front. Breathtaking.

So now it was Edinburgh 18, Somerset and Ipswich 17, Berwick 14 and we were in the driving seat. However Claus still needed to beat Lanham and Davies to keep us in front.

He powered to the front, withstood a strong challenge from Lanham and raced home to complete the job - for once it wasn't Cookie who had to Perform the last act!

Claus met a dancing group of Monarchs on his victory lap, and was thrown high in the air.

In the semi we had been in FOURTH spot with two races to go, but Claus won heat 7, leaving Craig a tough task from gate three in the last heat, needing a win.

Sure enough he gated last and was still at the back going into the third bend. That's when he produced the first of his wonderful wide-riding heats, passing all three to get us into the final.

Did we think we'd win it? Well the team believed they could, and they did.

There were delays early on to add to the inevitable one near the end, so it was a very long day. The riders of all teams, though, showed as ever their great commitment and skill. Perhaps Somerset are due a special mention for coming so close without Jason Doyle, delayed in Poland on World Cup duties.

Whilst we celebrate we would certainly not forget to send best wishes to David Bellego and Rohan Tungate, and also Kyle Howarth who was injured early in the meeting.