Stellar Monarchs stride into the BSN Series semis

REPORT Friday 31st May 2024, 11:55pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Stellar Monarchs really rose to the occasion tonight with their best performance of the season, clinching victory and qualification for the BSN Series semi as early as heat 13. The whole team contributed well but especially notable was a superb 14 points by Paco Castagna in his most effective match for the club.

It had been such a turnaround for both team and captain after some disappointing results. Castagna said afterwards "I'm amazed by how difficult the last few weeks were for me and the team. Tonight I'm really, really impressed by everyone, we've got to thank Cookie for his hard work, and everyone did a massive job. Even though Lasse was injured half way through the meeting he kept going. We all did our job and got a win against Glasgow which is always satisfying."

Injured number one Josh Pickering was there to watch and spent the night in amongst the team keeping them going.

Both Justin Sedgmen and Craig Cook had engine failures when in front, and unlucky Lasse Fredriksen also lost a point to a machine failure, otherwise the margin might have been greater.

There was a fierce determination about the Monarchs tonight, and that certainly includes Craig Cook who made some really classy moves. He started right away in heat 1, cutting through from fourth to first down the back straight before Paul Starke brought down Lasse Fredriksen (yes always Lasse) and caused a stoppage.

Chris Harris jetted off to win the rerun, and there was a stoppage in heat 2 as well. Max James led and Connor Coles attempted an outside pass on Jack Smith only to come down with Smith also falling. Coles got the blame and Tigers took the lead with a 4-2.

But then, things changed! How were our unpredictable middle pair going to do tonight? We soon knew, as Kye and Paco raced away for a huge 5-1 over Leon Flint. Justin Sedgmen followed up with a fast start and solid ride, backed by Coles in third, and then did Kye and Paco not do the trick again? A 5-1 over Chris Harris no less, by a fair margin.

That should have been extended in the next race, even though Lasse took a very heavy first bend fall at the first attempt. He was back up for the rerun won by Cook, with Lasse so unluckily stopping on the last corner when in third.

Sedgmen kept his run going with another tapes to flag win in heat 7 before an interesting heat 8 grabbed the attention.

Connor Coles made the start but Starke pulled off an excellent wide sweep to go to the front. Fredriksen, covered in mud from his tumbles and no doubt hurting, eventually burst past Smith into third to keep us 8 ahead.

Steve Worrall used the wide run off the second bend to take the first points off Thomson-Castagna in heat 9, and Leon Flint did likewise beating Cook in the next one. It was still up for grabs.

No luck for Sedgy in heat 11 as he shed a chain while leading. Harris had already stopped at the gate so Starke got a fortunate win over Max James. Flint took a second win in heat 12 and the interest here was in watching Coles hold off an early challenge from Pijper.

So 7 up going in to heat 13. Nothing settled yet. However Sedgmen yet again made the start, with his partner at the back, but with the move of the match Craig Cook rode the line to pass both Harris and Worrall, pulling away for a match-winning 5-1.

We still had two overtaking exhibitions by Paco Castagna in heat 14, first on the outside off bend two (after which Max James fell heavily in third), then up the inside as he missed the start again.

That earned Paco a heat 15 ride. Initially Cook made another brilliant move to the front round the first corner but his machine then died as Worrall and Flint went ahead. However Castagna was again not to be denied as he burst to the front to complete a great personal performance.

Full Result Details