Despite agonisingly missing out on the league title it was a hugely successful season for Birkenhead. After their early season Pairs triumph, trophy number two in SL32 came in the KO Cup, Glyn Hughes’ side winning that competition for a second time after completing a six point aggregate victory over Greenhill. The Bombers had wiped out their second division opponents six point first leg advantage in this years final by heat two of their home return, and although the Greyhounds would briefly lead again, back-to-back 5-1’s from the hosts in heats eight and nine followed by a 4-2 in heat ten put the tie to bed.

A first foray into Europe awaits Greenhill next year following their KO Cup final appearance. The Greyhounds will also return to the top flight for a fourth season at the highest level after a year away, doing so as division two champions, which was confirmed with a penultimate round 46-44 win over closest rivals Wednesfield. The third promotion spot went to Nottingham, again secured with a meeting to spare as they beat Bolsover at home by 18 with the challenge of Bullbridge—who had been unbeaten in four—coming to an end with a defeat at Grangemouth. Joining Greenhill in the European Cup next season are of course league champions Stone Cross and KO Cup winners Birkenhead, plus Swinton, who like the Greyhounds will feature in the competition for the first time. Their third place finish in the league was their best ever, a 55-35 final day win over Eastbourne securing that spot by a point from Southampton, whose 44-46 last round success at Sawley would not be enough to deny the Lions.

Eastbourne’s defeat at Swinton ends a five year spell in division one for the club. Relegation for the Hyenas confirmed just two years on from recording the second of back-to-back league titles. Agonisingly for the club it was the first time they’d dropped into the bottom three this season, they replacing Timperley—winners over Birkenhead—on points difference, who themselves had fallen into the drop zone after Dundee ended their 21 week stay there with a 57-33 home victory over the Titans. Dundee went on to win at Rugby, 43-47, a result which sees them finish fifth, but just a point better off than the relegated Hyenas in eighth! Rugby had lost their fight for survival with an earlier 24 point defeat at Eastbourne, the loss against the Cakes sees them go down in tenth.

Krakow’s Olesia Duda (13) took just one heat in the final GP of the campaign to secure his maiden World Championship title. 25 year old Duda went on to finish second on his home circuit, with outgoing world champion Luca Romano scoring a maximum to match Duda’s tally of three meeting wins in this years series. Romano finished 12 points adrift off top spot in the overall standings, but still finished as runner-up to Duda, seven points better off that Benjamin Hess in third.

Lakeside beat Denston to become the fourth club to win the division three title for a record second time. The round 35 victory securing the silverware for Trevor Walker’s side, with the result leaving the Diamonds still requiring a point from their final fixture to secure themselves the third promotion place. They beat Burrett Road to take all three to end a six year spell in the third tier.