To win a European Cup you buy a European Cup winner. Deniz Rask had “been there and done that” prior to his £625,000 move to Newport Pagnell, a hero of Lublin’s final win over the Knights in the competition just two years ago. He’s come on again since his switch to the then defeated Brits, rising above England Internationals Andy James and Lee Cooper to become number one at the Groveway Stadium. The 27 year old Dane proved his ability as a team leader when taking the Knights to the KO Cup last season, a year on it’s the European Cup silverware in his hands, secured with a double victory over Krakow in the final. Rask top scored with 12+1 in a 48-42 home first leg win over the Poles last week, a result which left the tie finely balanced with the return on the continent to come. Krakow started brightly in their bid to overturn their six point deficit, picking up two 4-2’s in the first three races to close within two points of the visitors. A spell of three race wins in the next four however earned the Knights the lead on the night, the run culminating in a crucial Cooper (9) winning 5-1. Krakow responded with back-to-back 4-2’s, but that would be it as far as heat advantages for the hosts were concerned, the British visitors would have far the better of the closing exchanges to run out 44-46 winners on the night, 86-94 on aggregate. Rask against top scored with another 12+1 tally, he winning heats 11 and 13, with the latter turned into a second 5-1 of the clash by James (11+1). Rask then went on to secure a first ever meeting victory on the continent for the Knights with a third place finish in the last, the club had suffered defeats on each of their 11 previous overseas trips.

Just two days on from leading Newport Pagnell to the European Cup, Deniz Rask (13) was standing top of the podium in Malmo. Victory in the Swedish GP for the current world number three, who won the final three rounds of last years series. Success number four came after another slow start to a Grand Prix campaign for Rask, he scoring more points in Malmo than he’d done in the first two meetings of the campaign combined, a situation that leaves him still eight points adrift of World Championship leader Taavi Raudnagel (10), despite taking the Swedish crown by a clear three points. One of Rask’s three wins in the meeting was returned against Raudnagel in heat 16, who would miss out on a podium spot altogether after finishing third in a race-off behind Risto Anttila (2nd) and Odell Espeseth (3rd). Disappointment for the Brits involved, with George Bull finishing last in that same race-off, while Mike Conlon scored just four in the meeting, having gone into it just two points off top spot in the World Championship standings.

A retirement while leading heat nine—one of three from riders in the race—cost Vitas Kolesnichenko (12) a maximum and victory in this weeks WU21 semi-final at Claygate. Bridgwater’s Alexander Lofquist (14) the one to benefit, he topping the standings of the qualifier, which sees eight go through to the final, a number which includes Brit’s Ryan Lucas (10) and Tyler Pennington (9).

Another week, another cup tie against Whitemoor for Chalvington (122). Like their KO Cup clash this one was a winner, the Chiefs cruising through to their first 4TT final in ten years and only their second in their history by a 28 point margin. A big win too for Bridgwater (132) in another of this weeks second round ties, last years runners-up eliminating SL13 and 26 winners Sedgemoor (102) after impressing with victories in three of the four legs, the first coming at the Rebels. Much closer in the third of this weeks ties, it won by SL20 and 25 winners Rugby (108) despite a last place finish in leg four, Glassoughton’s 104 point tally in the tie was enough to take them through to the final as the highest scoring runners-up, holders Wordsley exited with 99.

Bridgwater have closed the gap to leaders Whitemoor to a point after their top of the table clash at the Sheepcroft ended in a draw. Odell Espeseth (14) and Bernd Hoover (11) securing the point with a last heat 4-2. Meanwhile there was more pain for Nottingham who are seemingly heading back to division two following promotions in successive seasons. A 43-47 home defeat to Newport Pagnell has left the Red Stars 14 points adrift of safety, that man Deniz Rask (14) dropping just a point in the win, his 5-1 alongside Lee Cooper (10+1) in the final heat securing the Knights their third away win of the campaign.

A first home defeat of the campaign has led Netherton to drop out of the promotion places in division two. The Heathens going down 44-46 to Wilmington as visiting second string Thomasz Zajac (8) picked up a second half brace of victories.