Academy make their bow against Middlesbrough

NEWS Tuesday 19th May 2026, 8:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs Academy

The lengthy wait for the Monarchs Academy riders is over and on Friday the 2026 team will race their first match against the Middlesbrough Tigers in the National Development League. The teams will race again on Saturday at Redcar.

Tigers' star man is Ace Pijper, currently doing well for Redcar in the Championship, and they have several young riders of great promise emerging from the ranks of Youth racing.

The Academy finished second in the league last year and are certainly rated as one of the favourites for the title this season, even though bad luck has robbed them for the time being of two of the proposed starting lineup. As everyone will be aware, captain Connor Coles is setting out on the road to recovery after a serious crash at Buxton, and new signing Vinnie Foord broke his knee at Redcar but hopes to be back some time next month.

Replacing them, team boss Scott Wilson brings in James Shanes, a spectacular all-round motorcyclist who is quite experienced but has recently been racing in non-league events. He stands in for Foord while rider replacement will operate for Connor Coles. Jordy Loftus and Dayle Wood spearhead the Academy, Jamie Halder is a new signing with plenty of experience and Ben Whalley and Anika Loftus are complete newcomers at reserve.

Plenty to watch out for there. Scott Wilson's original hope was to form a team which has both top-end strength and solidity, and in spite of the injuries he believes that will still be possible. "With some team reshuffling we still line up with a strong side for Friday's fixture and Saturday's return at Middlesbrough. The first job is to win at home. In such a small league any home defeats could be very costly so we must take care of business here. We will then turn our attention to the away match where, as always, our intention will be to go there and win.

Friday's match will be Live Streamed for those who cannot attend, details on www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk.

FRIDAY'S MATCH:

Friday 22nd May: Edinburgh Monarchs Academy v Middlesbrough Tigers (National Development League, Armadale, 7:30pm)

ROSS COMMERCIAL FINANCE MONARCHS ACADEMY: Jordy Loftus, James Halder, rider replacement for Connor Coles, James Shanes, Dayle Wood, Ben Whalley, Anika Loftus.

HARTBURN GARAGE TIGERS: Ace Pijper, Alex Spooner, Jade Mudgway, Stene Pijper, Seth Norman, Harry Sadler, Charlie Southwick.