BAD SMASH ENDS THE MEETING

REPORT Friday 9th August 2013, 11:17pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

A bad crash in heat 13 caused the Scotwaste Monarchs' Premier League match against Sheffield to be abandoned with the score standing at 45-32 in Monarchs' favour. The result will stand.

The pileup which ended the meeting involved Sheffield's Rob Branford (who had replaced Adam Roynon in the heat) and Monarchs' Claus Vissing. The pair locked together as they approached the first bend from the tapes, and smashed through the fence with bikes and riders thrown into the air.

After lengthy treatment both riders were taken by ambulance to hospital, and with a lack of medical cover the meeting had to be called off. Referee Darren Hartley announced the news to the crowd.

The diagnosis seems to be so far that Rob Branford has come off worse with an arm or shoulder injury, possibly a break. Claus Vissing has a sore head and neck but it seems, nothing broken. That represents an escape, really, for both riders in a crash which looked really bad.

The fence was repaired but to no avail.

During the first 12 heats Monarchs steadily built up an advantage, with only Ricky Wells providing significant opposition, although Facundo Albin rode steadily for paid 8 at reserve. Wells won two heats but he was the only one to take the chequered flag for the Tigers. Andrew Tully gave his all as always but didn't gate well for the Tigers.

Craig Cook was unbeaten, and partner Max Fricke recovered from an alarming first bend incident in his first ride to take paid 9 from his other three heats. He passed both Adam Roynon and Andre Compton, who to be fair were out of touch.

Theo Pijper and Claus Vissing won two heats each, Jozsef Tabaka recovered from last Friday's Scottish Open debacle and looked like his old self.

Derek Sneddon scored paid 9 at reserve though it was hard to see how he wasn't excluded from heat 2 when he appeared to bring Rob Branford off while attempting to pass. The Aussie was the one ruled out.

Mitchell Davey struggled again though and hasn't yet regained his earlier form.

Three points take Monarchs into second spot in the Premier League. We send our best wishes to Rob Branford and if Claus has escaped unscathed, that is the best result of the night.

Full Result Details