Leeds are the only club left representing the British League in the European Cup after Cradley Heath, Dudley and Stowmarket all went out of the competition this week. Large double digit first round aggregate defeats for the trio completed as they all lost the second legs of their ties heavily on the road, the Jaguars however take the defence of their European Cup crown onto the semi finals, after coming through their tie with Kassel 85-95 on aggregate. Second string Steve Wales (9+1) was amongst the heat winners as Leeds lost by just two this week in Germany to set up a last four tie with Pila, a side who have yet to reach the final of the competition.

Wentworth are on course to reach the quarter-finals of the KO Cup for the third successive season after winning at Linlithgow in the competition. Kyle Ostrow (15+1) closed out the first leg of the second round tie at the Lions with back to back victories for the Trappers, the second coming in a 5-1 alongside Magnar Sobczak (13+1) which secured a 44-46 victory for the visitors in a meeting they had trailed in by eight. Elsewhere in the competition a strong draw for Beverley at Huntingdon gives the third tier side every chance of reaching the last-eight at the expense of their higher division opponents, 19 year old reserve Harry Bland (8+1) was amongst the heat winners for the visitors.

World number six Stig Martinson (8) is out of this years World Championship—barring injury to others—after the defence of his Scandinavian title ended miserably in Malmo. Martinson rounded off the night with two third places to leave him down in eighth spot overall, the meeting won by 24 year old Swede Fiske Wahlquist (11) following a win over Gustave Bolling for the Wentworth man in a race-off. The top two plus world number nine Kalle Lehtonen—who finished third—are the first automatic qualifiers to this years GP series. Current World Champion Piotr Slusarski (8) will have to qualify via next months Play Off round if he is to reach the GP’s once again, he finished down in seventh in this years Continental Final, missing out on the podium which would have secured him a GP place this week by three points. The top three places were filled by Pila’s world number two, Belal Fabian (15), Dirk Miller (11) and Teodor Zlobec (11).

Runcorn moved off the bottom of division one and to within a point of safety after winning at Wimbledon 41-49. Second string Nate Stokes (8) secured the Rockets their first away win since their return to the top flight with a heat 14 victory over Werewolves heat leader, Claudio Gottardi, who scored just four on the night. Wimbledon end the week without a win in seven having replaced Runcorn at the foot of the standings.

A second successive away draw for Hale who were tracking new signing Steven Binger (7+3) at reserve when they took to the track at Derby. Binger opened his account on his first outing in a Hornets race-jacket with victory in a heat two 5-1, the second such score for the visitors in as many races. They were pegged back by the hosts though and fell behind late on, before levelling things up once more with a heat 14 4-2.