At 36 world number three Taavi Raugnagel (15) has set his sights on becoming the oldest World Champion having scored a maximum to win the second round of this years GP series. The Estonia and Krakow number one—currently the only rider in any league to be averaging over 11—followed up his British and German wins in SL28 to claim his third career GP success in Russia this week, he topping the charts on the wide expanses of the Pskov circuit following a heat 18 win over opening round winner, Cestmir Sulak (5). Sulak drops down the order having finished last in three of his five races in Pskov, with Bernd Hoover (13) the new overall pacesetter in the series after following up his third place finish in Glasshoughton with the runners-up spot this week. Tomasz Blasiak (10) took third on the night to maintain his second place overall, with Raudnagel now up to third.

A maximum too for Wilmington’s Martin Kanne (15) as he reached his second successive WU19 Final in style. The now 18 year old finished down in eighth in last years competition, but will start the decider in Linz next month as favourite after a flawless display in his qualifier at Wordsley, the first of his five straight wins coming in heat three when he beat 18 year old Great Barr starlet Radim Urban (14). That though was the only defeat suffered by the Czech rider in the meeting, he one of two Ravens to finish in the top four, Andris Login (12)—who lost out to Lech Gorski (12) in a race off for third—the other.

Whitemoor enter the final third of the season seven points clear at the top of division one after extending their winning league run to four. A second successive 46-44 away win and their fourth by that margin of the campaign earned when they made the trip to bottom side Netherton, where the points were sealed by a last heat Cestmir Sulak (13)/Skoljd Likness (13) 4-2, Likness had won all four of his previous races in the meeting. Whitemoor went on to win the first leg of their Division One Cup semi-final at holders Rugby by the same 44-46 score-line, Bernd Hoover (15) the star of the night on this occasion, with the club number one ensuring the Witches would take an advantage into their home return of the tie—which is a repeat of last years final—by beating Zygmunt Jablonski (10+1) in the final race. Newport Pagnell are also in a strong position to reach the final—which for them would be the first time—of the competition, they winning the first leg of their last four tie at Bridgwater, 43-47, where 18 year old reserve Lech Gorski (6+1) was amongst the heat winners.

Glasshoughton have reached the final of the Division Two Cup on four of the previous five times they’ve entered the competition. They’ll need to win at Oxford next week if they are to make it five out of six, the SL4 and 21 winners held by the Mavericks to a draw on home shale in the first leg, that despite the visitors picking up just four race wins on the night. Reserve Ryan Davis the pick for them with 9+1 from his five rides. The first leg of the Division Three Cup semi-final between hosts Plymouth and Wimbledon also ended all-square, reserve Mathew Freeman (12) top scoring for the visitors in that one.