Bravehearts v Kangaroos

REPORT Friday 7th September 2007, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Our international challenge finished up with two strange sides but proved to be an enjoyable evening in the sunshine.

In the end there were four Scots and six Aussies with three other nationalities in the mix, so the event was more a showcase for riders who wanted to show what they could do.

We certainly saw what Kevin Doolan could do ? he was easily the most impressive rider and won five heats, also picking up a third place for a heat 12 Tac Sub ride in which he passed Sean Stoddart.

Shane Parker recovered from an opening last place to score 13 (including a 6-point TR) and the Aussies also had noteworthy contributions from Kalle Katajisto and Arlo Bugeja. Matthew Wethers was slightly below par in the third heat leader berth but he was involved in some good racing.

For the Bravehearts, solidity won the day. In fact they were cruising at 12 points ahead with four heats left, and always seemed to have a bit in hand in spite of the late Kangaroo surge.

James Wright didn?t pull up any trees in the no. 1 berth, but there were excellent performances again from Derek Sneddon and Andrew Tully.

Returning to Katajisto, he was probably the most talked-about rider post-match. He was far livelier than he had been recently and looked a different rider.

He held second place for much of heat 3 until he threw in a fence scraper on the pits bend, and in heat 7 he stunned everyone by bursting between Stancl and Sneddon to head down the back straight behind partner Parker.

He then fell off. However he had already impressed, and did so even more when he gated in heat 14 to win the heat from Andrew Tully in a decent time. He does seem to have turned the corner now.

Amongst the most notable heats, Andrew Tully made an amazing effort to catch and pass Kevin Doolan in heat 5, just failing to come under the Aussie star on the final bend.

The following heat was a passing and re-passing battle between Derek Sneddon and Matthew Wethers, won in style by Sneddon who could be heard singing as he celebrated up the back straight after the heat!

Heat 8 took three attempts to run, with Trent Leverington just ahead of Derek Sneddon when it was first stopped for a Stoddart fall. Unlucky Trent then took an awkward first turn tumble in the rerun.

Heat 9 featured another close battle involving Wethers, this time passed on the final lap by Tully.

When James Wright made his only start to win heat 10, the Bravehearts were 12 ahead. Heat 11 was shared, but the Kangaroos won all of the final four races.

Doolan?s TS gave them a 5-2 in heat 12, Stancl split the Kangaroos in heat 13, then we had Katajisto?s super win in heat 14.

The Bravehearts still led by 5 going into the last heat, and it was no great surprise when Doolan and Parker carved this one up. Sneddon challenged on the first lap but found himself in am impossible place trying to get round Parker. He came down, but no damage done.

The musical contest went well, the bagpipes sounding a lot more musical than the didgeridoo. Full marks to Doolan, Wethers, Parker, Tully, Sneddon, Stoddart who were the teams for the musical part of the evening.