An unusual look to the KO Cup last four line-up meant we were already guaranteed first-time winners of the final this season. Going through to that final are Wentworth and SL29 runners-up, Cradley Heath. Wentworth reached the decider for the first time in their short history with an 11 point aggregate victory over Calderwood, the Cougars best ever run in the competition ending with a 54-36 defeat at the Trappers this week, in which both Kyle Ostrow (15) and Magnar Sobczak (13+2) scored maximums, while Fikse Wahlquist (9) only missed out on his after suffering a fall in heat 14. First division also beat third in the second of the ties, with the Cobras completing an 16 point aggregate victory over Margate thanks to a 50-40 home second leg win, Carl Hadlington’s side had won the opening meeting in the tie by six.

It’s advantage Stowmarket after the first leg of the Division One Cup Final. No lead for the Witches to take into their home second leg with Cradley Heath, however a draw this week at the Cobras puts them in pole position to win the competition for a third time in four years. Second string Piotr Kubiczek (9) and reserve James Prices (8+2) both earned heat wins for this weeks visitors.

Dudley could seal promotion back to the top flight as early as next week as they extended their winning league run to seven meetings. They were in record breaking territory in doing so, their biggest away league win outside of division three recorded as they took down Bradwell, 36-54, all seven of the visitors recording at least one heat victory in the contest. Reserve Scot Lee (6+1) became the seventh different race winner for Terry Meech’s side in a heat 14 5-1, one of four such scores recorded by the Tigers in the second half of the clash. Dudley finish the week six points clear of Greenhill at the top of division two, the Lurchers ending the period back up in second following a draw at bottom side Mid-Cams, which was secured by a last heat Russell Lewis (14) winning 4-2. The Harriers had trailed in the contest since heat two.

The promotion race in division three closed up as leaders Beverley dropped their first home point of the season. They were held to a draw at the East Yorks Raceway by an improving Swindon side, who could yet challenge for a top three finish despite spending the first ten weeks of the campaign rock bottom of the table. Normanton were the big winners in the week however, they closing to within three points of the promotion places with a 43-47 victory at Small Heath, who slip into third spot. The Wallers led from start to finish in picking up their third away win of the campaign, the Vikings unable to recover from the concession of heat one and two 5-1’s despite Jur Klier scoring an 18 point maximum.

Pila’s Belal Fabian (12) recovered from running a heat one last to win this weeks Finnish GP round in Pori. The Slovak world number two’s second success of the series completed with a run of five straight heat wins, the last coming in a race-off for the podium places against Dirk Miller (2nd) and Aaron Macaulay (3rd). Macaulay’s lead at the top of the World Championship standings over second placed Fiske Wahlquist (10) has increased to five points.