| EUROPEAN CUP FINAL 1st Leg |
| Milton Keynes Cats came from 10 down at one stage to keep the gap down to just 2 points after the first leg. The key race was a 5-1 to the Cats in heat 11 and a further heat advantage followed to pull them right back into it. Moscow rode solidly as expected but top man Nikita Fedorenko, fresh from leading his nation to the World Pairs title, had a nightmare meeting and ended as the lowest scorer, he will need to do better in the away leg if his side are to have any hope of lifting the cup once again. 'Guest' Grigory Vodyakov scored well too, after an opening race exclusion, as he replaced Jacob Cook in the side to boost the weaker Euro team. For Milton Keynes Kryznowek and Tercjak rode well on the heavy East European circuit and Liam Reay was in good form too. The rest all contributed important point, no less so than Bracey joining Reay for that heat 11 maximum and Vestergaard taking the chequered flag in what could prove to be a crucial penultimate heat of the leg. |
| MOSCOW MOTHS 46 |
| 1. Nikita Fedorenko.......... 2 Fx 0 2 - - 4 |
| 2. Grigory Vodyakov.......... X 2 3 2 - - 7 |
| 3. Maxim Shirakov............ 2 3 0 1* - - 6+1 |
| 4. Mikhail Federenko......... 1* 2* 3 2 1* - 9+3 |
| 5. Dennis Groves............. 3 3 1 0 2 - 9 |
| 6. Vaclav Ruzucha............ 3 1 0 1* - - 5+1 |
| 7. Hannes Ulriksen........... 2* 0 2* 2 - - 6+2 |
| MILTON KEYNES CATS 44 |
| 1. Liam Reay................. 3 0 3 3 - - 9 |
| 2. Buck Bracey............... 1 1 0 2* - - 4+1 |
| 3. Boguslaw Kryznowek........ 3 2 2 1 3 3 14 |
| 4. Mads Vestergaard.......... 0 0 3 - - - 3 |
| 5. Maciej Tercjak............ 1* 3 1* 3 1 F 9+2 |
| 6. Manu Jarvilenhto.......... 0 1 0 - - - 1 |
| 7. Steve Edgar............... 1 2 1 0 - - 4 |
| No. Results MO MI MO MI |
| 1: Liam Reay, Nikita Fedorenko, Buck Bracey, Grigory Vodyakov (X)............. 2 4 2 4 |
| 2: Vaclav Ruzucha, Hannes Ulriksen, Steve Edgar, Manu Jarvilenhto............. 5 1 7 5 |
| 3: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Maxim Shirakov, Mikhail Federenko, Mads Vestergaard.... 3 3 10 8 |
| 4: Dennis Groves, Steve Edgar, Maciej Tercjak, Hannes Ulriksen................ 3 3 13 11 |
| 5: Maxim Shirakov, Mikhail Federenko, Buck Bracey, Liam Reay.................. 5 1 18 12 |
| 6: Maciej Tercjak, Grigory Vodyakov, Manu Jarvilenhto, Nikita Fedorenko (Fx).. 2 4 20 16 |
| 7: Dennis Groves, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Vaclav Ruzucha, Mads Vestergaard........ 4 2 24 18 |
| 8: Grigory Vodyakov, Hannes Ulriksen, Steve Edgar, Buck Bracey................ 5 1 29 19 |
| 9: Mikhail Federenko, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Maciej Tercjak, Maxim Shirakov...... 3 3 32 22 |
| 10: Maciej Tercjak, Grigory Vodyakov, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Nikita Fedorenko..... 2 4 34 26 |
| 11: Liam Reay, Buck Bracey, Dennis Groves, Vaclav Ruzucha...................... 1 5 35 31 |
| 12: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Hannes Ulriksen, Maxim Shirakov, Manu Jarvilenhto...... 3 3 38 34 |
| 13: Liam Reay, Nikita Fedorenko, Maciej Tercjak, Dennis Groves................. 2 4 40 38 |
| 14: Mads Vestergaard, Mikhail Federenko, Vaclav Ruzucha, Steve Edgar........... 3 3 43 41 |
| 15: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Dennis Groves, Mikhail Federenko, Maciej Tercjak (F)... 3 3 46 44 |
| EUROPEAN CUP FINAL 2nd Leg |
| Milton Keynes Cats became European Champions after a hard fought battle where luck swung each way before the home side came out on top. Consecutive maximums in heats 3 and 4 put the hosts seemingly in control but the Russians came straight back to reduced the aggregate gap to just 2 points before a run of 8 shared heats. Steve Edgar became the hero of the day when he replaced out of form reserve partner Jarvilentho to win heat 14 and leave the Moths needing a last heat 5-1 to force a run-off. The required maximum couldn't be found however as the home side's Polish pair of Kryznowek and Tercjak repeated the 4-2 result of the previous race to wrap up the meeting and the trophy, winning 93-87 on aggregate. |
| For the Cats Edgar was the definite hero with a 12+1 score from reserve and he got strong backing from the three heat leaders with Bracey and Vestergaard both chipping in with vital points when needed. Nikita Fedorenko showed some more of what he can produce in this one, along with top scorer Shirakov, and Milton Keynes are probably quite thankful for his big off-day in the first leg. No doubt the UL champions were the better side over the two legs, but just and the European Cup once again proves what a worthwhile competition it is with another great final. |
| MILTON KEYNES CATS 49 (93) |
| 1. Liam Reay................. 3 2 2 F - - 7 |
| 2. Buck Bracey............... 0 1* 2 1* - - 4+2 |
| 3. Boguslaw Kryznowek........ 3 1 3 1* 3 - 11+1 |
| 4. Mads Vestergaard.......... 2* 0 0 1 - - 3+1 |
| 5. Maciej Tercjak............ 2* 3 3 3 1 - 12+1 |
| 6. Manu Jarvilentho.......... 0 0 0 - - - 0 |
| 7. Steve Edgar............... 3 3 1* 2 3 - 12+1 |
| MOSCOW MOTHS 41 (87) |
| 1. Nikita Fedorenko.......... 1* 3 2 2 0 - 8+1 |
| 2. Grigory Vodyakov.......... 2 2* 0 1* - - 5+2 |
| 3. Maxim Shirakov............ 1 2 3 3 2 - 11 |
| 4. Mikhail Federenko......... F 1* 0 2 - - 3+1 |
| 5. Dennis Groves............. 1 3 2 1* - - 7+1 |
| 6. Vaclav Ruzucha............ 2 0 1* Fx - - 3+1 |
| 7. Hannes Ulriksen........... 1* 0 3 0 - - 4+1 |
| No. Results MI MO MI MO |
| 1: Liam Reay, Grigory Vodyakov, Nikita Fedorenko, Buck Bracey................... 3 3 3 3 |
| 2: Steve Edgar, Vaclav Ruzucha, Hannes Ulriksen, Manu Jarvilentho............... 3 3 6 6 |
| 3: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Mads Vestergaard, Maxim Shirakov, Mikhail Federenko (F).. 5 1 11 7 |
| 4: Steve Edgar, Maciej Tercjak, Dennis Groves, Hannes Ulriksen.................. 5 1 16 8 |
| 5: Nikita Fedorenko, Grigory Vodyakov, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Mads Vestergaard..... 1 5 17 13 |
| 6: Dennis Groves, Liam Reay, Buck Bracey, Vaclav Ruzucha........................ 3 3 20 16 |
| 7: Maciej Tercjak, Maxim Shirakov, Mikhail Federenko, Manu Jarvilentho.......... 3 3 23 19 |
| 8: Hannes Ulriksen, Buck Bracey, Steve Edgar, Grigory Vodyakov.................. 3 3 26 22 |
| 9: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Dennis Groves, Vaclav Ruzucha, Mads Vestergaard.......... 3 3 29 25 |
| 10: Maxim Shirakov, Liam Reay, Buck Bracey, Mikhail Federenko.................... 3 3 32 28 |
| 11: Maciej Tercjak, Nikita Fedorenko, Grigory Vodyakov, Manu Jarvilentho......... 3 3 35 31 |
| 12: Maxim Shirakov, Steve Edgar, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Vaclav Ruzucha (Fx)......... 3 3 38 34 |
| 13: Maciej Tercjak, Nikita Fedorenko, Dennis Groves, Liam Reay (F)............... 3 3 41 37 |
| 14: Steve Edgar, Mikhail Federenko, Mads Vestergaard, Hannes Ulriksen............ 4 2 45 39 |
| 15: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Maxim Shirakov, Maciej Tercjak, Nikita Fedorenko......... 4 2 49 41 |