EUROPEAN REPORT

Image courtesy of Steve Hone Photography

Lambert scored 11+3 from five rides in what turned out to be a big home win over Leszno as the home side triumphed 59-31, with much of their work being done in the second half of the meeting.

After eight races the visitors had kept the margin to four points even though they were without the injured Janusz Kolodziej, but they were then swept aside in the remainder of the contest.

Lambert collected three paid wins, dropping his only point to Grzegorz Zengota in Heat 7, and with Torun completing the meeting with five successive 5-1s he headed up a maximum with Wiktor Lampart over Bartosz Smektala and Andzejs Lebedevs in Heat 14.

Emil Sayfutdinov scored 14 from five rides for Torun and Patryk Dudek picked up 10+2, whilst Zengota took seven rides and carded 11+1 for Leszno.

Elsewhere, Dan Bewley and Tai Woffinden were left inactive as Wroclaw’s meeting at Czestochowa on Sunday was postponed due to rain.

Champions Lublin were also big winners at home as they overcame Gorzow 55-35 with Bartosz Zmarzlik leading the way as ever with 13+1, dropping his only point to Anders Thomsen (10) in Heat 13.

And promoted Zielona Gora won what was potentially a vital clash with Grudziadz, triumphing 48-42 at home with veteran Jarek Hampel leading a solid team performance on 11 points – whilst Max Fricke piled up 16+1 for the visitors with Vadim Tarasenko on 10+3 and Jaimon Lidsey scored 10.

In Metalkas 2. Ekstraliga, only two of the four scheduled meetings took place with a big win for Ostrow over Gdansk which kicked off with four 5-1s and a 5-0!

The eventual score was 57-32 to the home side, and it turned out to be an afternoon to forget for Tom Brennan, who had been transported by helicopter from Pardubice after racing for Great Britain in their European Under-23 Team qualifier where they finished second to the Czech Republic.

Brennan had reached double figures for GB in that event but he missed his first ride at Ostrow and failed to score in his other three.

Elsewhere Krosno defeated Bydgoszcz 48-42, with Vaclav Milik scoring 14 from five rides for the hosts.

In the National Speedway League, Daugavpils got off the mark with a 51-39 win over Gniezno, with Steve Worrall contributing a solid 6+1 for the Latvian outfit.

Meanwhile the Under-24 Ekstraliga got underway on Tuesday with all four meetings taking place as scheduled.

Leszno recorded the biggest victory of Round 1, defeating Czestochowa 52-38 with Leon Flint scoring three points for the visitors, all from a win in his second ride.

Elsewhere Anders Rowe top scored for Torun with 11 points from five rides in their 46-44 win over Krosno, whilst Freddy Hodder made his debut for the home side but failed to score from three outings.

Wroclaw were 47-43 winners at Lublin with Connor Bailey scoring eight points for the visitors, whilst Zielona Gora picked up a 46-44 win at Grudziadz.