European Cup

SIM SPEEDWAY 2018

EUROPEAN CUP FINAL - 1st leg

At one stage Bratislava looked like running away with this meeting as they pulled into an 8 point lead and held off the tactical changes from Wantage to maintain that gap at the end of heat 9. A pair of maximum heat wins for the visitors wiped out the gap though and the Ultimate League champions picked up a 4-2 in heat 14 to go into the last race of the evening level. In the end a retirement for Wantage's Algreen and a fine tapes to flag win from Connor for the Buzzards proved enough to give the Euro champions the narrowest of victories to hang on to when they make the return trip.

For the hosts Connor and Juttke led the way but it was a strong team display with everyone contributing apart from Berndtsson at number 7. As expected Chong scored well for the Kings and he got support right down the order with everyone being paid for at least 3 points; but for a fall and retirement they would probably have won the meeting but will start the return as favourites to bring the cup back to the UK after Oslo won it for the European Leagues last season.

BRATISLAVA BUZZARDS 46

1. Alan Connor............... 1* 3 0 3 3 - 10+1

2. Casey Kehoe............... 2 2* 2 1 - - 7+1

3. Otto Juttke............... 2* 3 3 3 1 - 12+1

4. Archie Sanders............ 3 0 1 2 - - 6

5. Chris Adams............... 3 2 1 0 - - 6

6. Adam Lukac................ 3 1* 0 1 0 - 5+1

7. Arne Berndtsson........... 0 Fx 0 - - - 0

WANTAGE KINGS 44

1. Fillippe Chong............ 3 2 1 3 2 2 13

2. Jozef Vanak............... 0 1* 3 2* - - 6+2

3. Kenni Algreen............. 1 3 0 3 2 R 9

4. Adam Bridgett............. 0 0 3 - - - 3

5. Enzo Innacone............. 2 F 2 2* 1* - 7+2

6. Kris Major................ 1* 1 0 - - - 2+1

7. John Honey................ 2 1* 1 - - - 4+1

No. Results BR WA BR WA

1: Fillippe Chong, Casey Kehoe, Alan Connor, Jozef Vanak......... 3 3 3 3

2: Adam Lukac, John Honey, Kris Major, Arne Berndtsson........... 3 3 6 6

3: Archie Sanders, Otto Juttke, Kenni Algreen, Adam Bridgett..... 5 1 11 7

4: Chris Adams, Enzo Innacone, John Honey, Arne Berndtsson (Fx).. 3 3 14 10

5: Otto Juttke, Fillippe Chong, Jozef Vanak, Archie Sanders...... 3 3 17 13

6: Alan Connor, Casey Kehoe, Kris Major, Enzo Innacone (F)....... 5 1 22 14

7: Kenni Algreen, Chris Adams, Adam Lukac, Adam Bridgett......... 3 3 25 17

8: Jozef Vanak, Casey Kehoe, Fillippe Chong, Arne Berndtsson..... 2 4 27 21

9: Otto Juttke, Enzo Innacone, Archie Sanders, Kenni Algreen..... 4 2 31 23

10: Kenni Algreen, Enzo Innacone, Casey Kehoe, Alan Connor........ 1 5 32 28

11: Fillippe Chong, Jozef Vanak, Chris Adams, Adam Lukac.......... 1 5 33 33

12: Otto Juttke, Kenni Algreen, Adam Lukac, Kris Major............ 4 2 37 35

13: Alan Connor, Fillippe Chong, Enzo Innacone, Chris Adams....... 3 3 40 38

14: Adam Bridgett, Archie Sanders, John Honey, Adam Lukac......... 2 4 42 42

15: Alan Connor, Fillippe Chong, Otto Juttke, Kenni Algreen (R)... 4 2 46 44

EUROPEAN CUP FINAL - 2nd leg

A pulsating tie went right down to the last race after Bratislava refused to go down without a fight as they defended a narrow 2 point lead from their home leg. On fact they led by 6 points after 5 heats and didn't lose the aggregate lead until a heat 9 5-1 by Algreen and Bridgett for Wantage. From there they reduced the aggregate gap back to just 2 points in heat 11 before a string of drawn races took it down to the 30th race of the match-up. When a meeting comes to a crunch decider though it helps to have the World Champion at number 1 for your side and Fillippe Chong did what he does best by racing to a fine win which confirmed his Wantage Kings' side as the European Champions.

Chong led the scoring for the Kings and was ably backed by fell heat leaders Innacone and Algreen. As with the first meeting though everybody contributed and when the whole side are paid for at least one win each it always makes it hard for the opposition. For Bratislava Connor and Juttke showed their known quality to hit double figures and everyone battled hard but they just didn't quite have enough power to overcome Wantage on their home shale and really the tie was lost when they couldn't do better in the home leg.

WANTAGE KINGS 48 (92)

1. Fillippe Chong............ 3 3 3 1* 3 - 13+1

2. Josef Vanak............... 0 1 3 0 - - 4

3. Kenni Algreen............. 1 2 3 3 - - 9

4. Adam Bridgett............. R 0 2* 1* - - 3+2

5. Enzo Innacone............. 3 3 2 2 1 - 11

6. Kris Major................ X 2* F 2 - - 4+1

7. John Honey................ 3 0 1 0 - - 4

BRATISLAVA BUZZARDS 42 (88)

1. Alan Connor............... 2 3 3 3 0 - 11

2. Casey Kehoe............... 1* 1 2 - - - 4+1

3. Otto Juttke............... 3 1 2 1 1* 2 10+1

4. Archie Sanders............ 2* 0 1* 3 - - 6+2

5. Chris Adams............... 2 2 1 0 - - 5

6. Adam Lukac................ 2 0 0 2 0 - 4

7. Arne Berndtsson........... 1* 1* 0 - - - 2+2

No. Results WA BR WA BR

1: Fillippe Chong, Alan Connor, Casey Kehoe, Josef Vanak.......... 3 3 3 3

2: John Honey, Adam Lukac, Arne Berndtsson, Kris Major (X)........ 3 3 6 6

3: Otto Juttke, Archie Sanders, Kenni Algreen, Adam Bridgett (R).. 1 5 7 11

4: Enzo Innacone, Chris Adams, Arne Berndtsson, John Honey........ 3 3 10 14

5: Alan Connor, Kenni Algreen, Casey Kehoe, Adam Bridgett......... 2 4 12 18

6: Fillippe Chong, Chris Adams, Josef Vanak, Adam Lukac........... 4 2 16 20

7: Enzo Innacone, Kris Major, Otto Juttke, Archie Sanders......... 5 1 21 21

8: Josef Vanak, Casey Kehoe, John Honey, Arne Berndtsson.......... 4 2 25 23

9: Kenni Algreen, Adam Bridgett, Chris Adams, Adam Lukac.......... 5 1 30 24

10: Fillippe Chong, Otto Juttke, Archie Sanders, Josef Vanak....... 3 3 33 27

11: Alan Connor, Enzo Innacone, Otto Juttke, Kris Major (F)........ 2 4 35 31

12: Kenni Algreen, Adam Lukac, Otto Juttke, John Honey............. 3 3 38 34

13: Alan Connor, Enzo Innacone, Fillippe Chong, Chris Adams........ 3 3 41 37

14: Archie Sanders, Kris Major, Adam Bridgett, Adam Lukac.......... 3 3 44 40

15: Fillippe Chong, Otto Juttke, Enzo Innacone, Alan Connor........ 4 2 48 42