SUCCESSFUL START

NEWS Sunday 7th April 2013, 9:00pm

by Toby Lerone

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Scotwaste Monarchs bosses are delighted after the successful staging of the opening meeting of the 2013 season. The match drew a large crowd to the Scotwaste Arena, 15% higher than any attendance in 2012 and one of the top five crowds at the stadium in the last four years.

Club Chairman, Alex Harkess said, “It was a great start for us. We’d put a lot of work into improving the crowd. Adverts on Radio Forth and in local newspapers and we publicised the meeting extensively through Facebook and Twitter. Although the crowd was obviously boosted by a good number of Glasgow fans I think that we also had a significant number of new or returning fans of our own and that’s good news for us.”

From the management’s point of view everything went like clockwork. The new style parade went down well and the fifteen heats were completed by five past nine and that is always good news on a chilly night. With the start/finish also much closer to the majority of fans a better atmosphere was very evident in the stadium.

On track the action was fast and furious and the track staff deserve the greatest of praise in making that possible as just 48 hours earlier it was still impossible to allow a practice session to take place as the track, particularly on the home straight, was too soft and wet to risk anyone on a motorcycle going round. Heat nine, featuring Theo Pijper and James Grieves must be in contention as one of the best ever races at the track.

The installation of the new toilet block was also a great relief to supporters who have endured somewhat less salubrious facilities since the sport arrived in the stadium sixteen years ago. These toilets came straight from the London Olympics. Who would believe it? Olympic Park one week, Armadale the next!

One of the most talked about additions to the team was Ed the Monarch as he lorded it on the centre green. What a fit young lion he is as he jumped up and down, waved and ran around for the whole of the match. His show was just gggrrreat as was the whole night.