WORLD PAIRS QUARTER FINAL
 
Denmark were the favourites for this meeting and qualified as winners with a fine team display, Steen Eriksen top scoring with 11+2.  In a tough looking meeting, with four highly fancied nations, Australia and Russia joined the Danes in qualifying for the Semi Finals.  For the Aussies Robbie Bell (15 points) was the standout performer but their manager acted quickly to bring in reserve Josh Montsach with his points haul proving very important in support.  Nikita Federenko (15) was the star for the Russians, who hosted the meeting and just had enough in the tank despite Oleg Yelesnev looking a little below par in support.
 
The obvious shock was the failure of England to progress - Ray France and Marcus Jay both scored solidly but neither contributed double figures to the team total and if you don't pick up at least one heat advantage in pairs meetings it's always going to be next to impossible to qualify.  South Africa and Latvia both caused some surprises but relied too heavily on a single rider whilst Japan were 6 points adrift at the bottom of the field.
 
 DENMARK 22   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Steen Eriksen............. 3  2  3  1* 1* 1  11+2
 2. Leon Jeppesen............. 1  1* 2* 2  E  3   9+2
 3. Kenni Algreen............. 2  -  -  -  -  -   2
 
 AUSTRALIA 21   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Robbie Bell............... 3  3  3  0  3  3  15
 2. Tyler Tebby............... 0  0  -  -  -  -   0
 3. Josh Montsach............. 1  2  1  2* -  -   6+1
 
 RUSSIA 20   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Oleg Yelesnev............. 2* F  1* 2* 0  0   5+3
 2. Nikita Federenko.......... 3  2  2  3  3  2  15
 3. Boris Kravchuk............ Did not ride
 
 SOUTH AFRICA 18
 1. Andre Hayward............. 3  3  1  3  3  1  14
 2. Ian Jacques............... 1  2* 0  1  0  0   4+1
 3. Nick Swart................ Did not ride
 
 LATVIA 17
 1. Henrijs Birkerts.......... 1  1* R  0  -  -   2+1
 2. Leonid Izotov............. 0  2  2  3  3  2* 12+1
 3. Karlis Vitols............. 0  3  -  -  -  -   3
 
 ENGLAND 17
 1. Ray France................ 1* 3  0  2  1* 2   9+2
 2. Marcus Jay................ 2  0  3  1* 2  0   8+1
 3. Frankie Young............. Did not ride
 
 JAPAN 11
 1. Takumi Nomura............. 2  0  1  3  2  1   9
 2. Hideto Kisaka............. 0  1  0  0  -  -   1
 3. Masahiko Miyama........... 1* 0  -  -  -  -   1+1
 
 No. Results
  1: Nikita Federenko, Oleg Yelesnev, Henrijs Birkerts, Leonid Izotov 
  2: Robbie Bell, Marcus Jay, Ray France, Tyler Tebby 
  3: Steen Eriksen, Takumi Nomura, Leon Jeppesen, Hideto Kisaka 
  4: Andre Hayward, Nikita Federenko, Ian Jacques, Oleg Yelesnev (F) 
  5: Ray France, Leonid Izotov, Henrijs Birkerts, Marcus Jay 
  6: Robbie Bell, Steen Eriksen, Leon Jeppesen, Tyler Tebby 
  7: Andre Hayward, Ian Jacques, Hideto Kisaka, Takumi Nomura 
  8: Marcus Jay, Nikita Federenko, Oleg Yelesnev, Ray France 
  9: Robbie Bell, Leonid Izotov, Josh Montsach, Henrijs Birkerts (R) 
 10: Steen Eriksen, Leon Jeppesen, Andre Hayward, Ian Jacques 
 11: Nikita Federenko, Oleg Yelesnev, Takumi Nomura, Hideto Kisaka 
 12: Leonid Izotov, Leon Jeppesen, Steen Eriksen, Henrijs Birkerts 
 13: Takumi Nomura, Ray France, Marcus Jay, Hideto Kisaka 
 14: Andre Hayward, Josh Montsach, Ian Jacques, Robbie Bell 
 15: Nikita Federenko, Kenni Algreen, Steen Eriksen, Oleg Yelesnev 
 16: Leonid Izotov, Takumi Nomura, Masahiko Miyama, Karlis Vitols 
 17: Andre Hayward, Marcus Jay, Ray France, Ian Jacques 
 18: Robbie Bell, Nikita Federenko, Josh Montsach, Oleg Yelesnev 
 19: Karlis Vitols, Leonid Izotov, Andre Hayward, Ian Jacques 
 20: Leon Jeppesen, Ray France, Steen Eriksen, Marcus Jay 
 21: Robbie Bell, Josh Montsach, Takumi Nomura, Masahiko Miyama 

 

 

 

 

WORLD PAIRS QUARTER FINAL
 
The two favourites negotiated what potentially looked like the strongest all-round Quarter Final meeting with both Polish riders (Rafal Aranowski & Boguslaw Kryznowek) scoring double figures and Belgium matching them, almost, every step of the way.  For the Belgians it was a bit of a surprise to see Michel Heyvaert (15+1) top scoring, rather than GP star Louis Joossens, and if he can maintain that sort of form they could be dark horses in this competition.  Finland were the other automatic qualifiers, with Ila Niemi (16) turning back the clock to produce a world class display.  Host nation Scotland produced a well balance performance but had an anxious wait to see if their 18 point haul would be enough to claim a highest scoring 4th place spot in the Semi Finals.  In the end it came down to bonus points scored in the meeting with the 3 picked up by Robbie Cormack and Luke Treadwell just enough to see them into the next stage.
 
Of the rest it was the familiar story for sides going out of the competition that they relied too heavily on one rider for the bulk of their points - this was particularly surprising from Slovenia and New Zealand who looked to have some strength in depth and would have hoped to put up a better challenge.
 
 POLAND 22   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Rafal Aranowski........... 3  1  1* 3  0  3  11+1
 2. Boguslaw Kryznowek........ 1  3  2  1  3  1  11
 3. Jacek Klecha.............. Did not ride
 
 BELGIUM 22   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Michel Heyvaert........... 3  3  1* 2  3  3  15+1
 2. Louis Joossens............ 1  1  2  0  1  2*  7+1
 3. Paul Brune................ Did not ride
 
 FINLAND 21   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Hannu Helinen............. 0  2* 2* 0  0  -   4+2
 2. Ila Niemi................. 2  3  3  3  2  3  16
 3. Keijo Pahlman............. 1  -  -  -  -  -   1
 
 SCOTLAND 18   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Robbie Cormack............ 2  2* 1  1  2  1*  9+2
 2. Luke Treadwell............ 0  3  3  0  1* 2   9+1
 3. Alex Golden............... Did not ride
 
 ESTONIA 17
 1. Leonhard Riisik........... 2  0  0  -  -  -   2
 2. Urmo Jaanus............... 1* 2  2  2  2* 2  11+2
 3. Jaan Kaljuste............. 1* 3  0  -  -  -   4+1
 
 SLOVENIA 16
 1. Marko Bohovic............. 0  0  3  0  -  -   3
 2. Jernej Keglovits.......... 3  2  3  3  0  2  13
 3. Petr Verner............... 0  0  -  -  -  -   0
 
 NEW ZEALAND 10
 1. Paul Laing................ 1  1  3  2  1  1   9
 2. Oliver Lang............... 0  0  -  -  -  -   0
 3. Fillippe Chong............ 0  1* 0  0  -  -   1+1
 
 No. Results
  1: Michel Heyvaert, Robbie Cormack, Louis Joossens, Luke Treadwell 
  2: Jernej Keglovits, Leonhard Riisik, Urmo Jaanus, Marko Bohovic 
  3: Rafal Aranowski, Ila Niemi, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Hannu Helinen 
  4: Luke Treadwell, Robbie Cormack, Paul Laing, Oliver Lang 
  5: Michel Heyvaert, Urmo Jaanus, Louis Joossens, Leonhard Riisik 
  6: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Jernej Keglovits, Rafal Aranowski, Marko Bohovic 
  7: Ila Niemi, Hannu Helinen, Paul Laing, Oliver Lang 
  8: Luke Treadwell, Urmo Jaanus, Robbie Cormack, Leonhard Riisik 
  9: Jernej Keglovits, Louis Joossens, Michel Heyvaert, Petr Verner 
 10: Paul Laing, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Rafal Aranowski, Fillippe Chong 
 11: Ila Niemi, Hannu Helinen, Robbie Cormack, Luke Treadwell 
 12: Rafal Aranowski, Michel Heyvaert, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Louis Joossens 
 13: Ila Niemi, Urmo Jaanus, Jaan Kaljuste, Hannu Helinen 
 14: Jernej Keglovits, Paul Laing, Fillippe Chong, Petr Verner 
 15: Boguslaw Kryznowek, Robbie Cormack, Luke Treadwell, Rafal Aranowski 
 16: Michel Heyvaert, Ila Niemi, Louis Joossens, Hannu Helinen 
 17: Jaan Kaljuste, Urmo Jaanus, Paul Laing, Fillippe Chong 
 18: Marko Bohovic, Luke Treadwell, Robbie Cormack, Jernej Keglovits 
 19: Michel Heyvaert, Louis Joossens, Paul Laing, Fillippe Chong 
 20: Rafal Aranowski, Urmo Jaanus, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Jaan Kaljuste 
 21: Ila Niemi, Jernej Keglovits, Keijo Pahlman, Marko Bohovic 
 22: Rafal Aranowski, Michel Heyvaert 

 

 

 

 

WORLD PAIRS QUARTER FINAL
 
Nearly a major shock in this meeting as the Czech Republic could only finish 4th and needed to check the results from the other Quarter Finals before they confirmed their place in the next round thanks to the 4 bonus points picked up by Tibor Nemecek in the meeting.  It was justice in the end as both their riders had suffered engine failures in arguably their easiest heat and but for that they probably would have won the round!  In the end victory went to Italy, Giovanni Donati and Enzo Innacone both reaching double figures, ahead of host nation Bulgaria, for whom Rumun Dimotrov was in fine form with the early support of Venci Hristov enough to see them through.  Sweden were the other automatic qualifiers with Olle Nyman scoring well and a strong display from reserve Gote Nordvall in support, after Bengtsson had made a poor start to the meeting.
 
Ireland and Slovakia performed broadly as expected although Canada were a definite disappointment as Jackson Roy and Carter Fortin both scored steadily but neither really stepped up to hammer home enough points to clinch a Semi Final place.
 
 ITALY 21   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Enzo Innacone............. 2  3  0  1* 1  3  10+1
 2. Giovanni Donati........... 0  1  3  2  3  2* 11+1
 3. Lorenzo Turati............ Did not ride
 
 BULGARIA 20   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Rumun Dimotrov............ 2* 3  2  2  3  2  14+1
 2. Venci Hristov............. 3  2* 1* 0  0  -   6+2
 3. Ilija Ormandiev........... 0  -  -  -  -  -   0
 
 SWEDEN 20   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Alexander Bengtsson....... 0  0  -  -  -  -   0
 2. Olle Nyman................ 3  3  1  2* 3  0  12+1
 3. Gote Nordvall............. 3  3  1  1  -  -   8
 
 CZECH REPUBLIC 18   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Tibor Nemecek............. 1* 0  2* 2* 1* R   6+4
 2. Petr Marko................ 2  2  3  3  2  R  12
 3. Vaclav Ruzucha............ Did not ride
 
 IRELAND 16
 1. John Beattie.............. 0  2  0  0  -  -   2
 2. Sam McCurdy............... 1  1* 1  3  3  3  12+1
 3. Ralph Whelan.............. 2* 0  -  -  -  -   2+1
 
 SLOVAKIA 15
 1. Reznik Baluch............. 3  0  3  1  0  2*  9+1
 2. Juraj Popluhar............ 1  1  0  0  -  -   2
 3. Mino Duris................ 1  3  -  -  -  -   4
 
 CANADA 15
 1. Jackson Roy............... 0  3  2  1  0  2   8
 2. Carter Fortin............. 1  2* 1* Fx 2  1*  7+3
 3. Merle Pandrich............ Did not ride
 
 No. Results
  1: Venci Hristov, Rumun Dimotrov, Carter Fortin, Jackson Roy 
  2: Reznik Baluch, Enzo Innacone, Juraj Popluhar, Giovanni Donati 
  3: Olle Nyman, Petr Marko, Tibor Nemecek, Alexander Bengtsson 
  4: Rumun Dimotrov, Venci Hristov, Sam McCurdy, John Beattie 
  5: Jackson Roy, Carter Fortin, Juraj Popluhar, Reznik Baluch 
  6: Enzo Innacone, Petr Marko, Giovanni Donati, Tibor Nemecek 
  7: Olle Nyman, John Beattie, Sam McCurdy, Alexander Bengtsson 
  8: Reznik Baluch, Rumun Dimotrov, Venci Hristov, Juraj Popluhar 
  9: Giovanni Donati, Jackson Roy, Carter Fortin, Enzo Innacone 
 10: Petr Marko, Tibor Nemecek, Sam McCurdy, John Beattie 
 11: Gote Nordvall, Rumun Dimotrov, Olle Nyman, Venci Hristov 
 12: Petr Marko, Tibor Nemecek, Jackson Roy, Carter Fortin (Fx) 
 13: Gote Nordvall, Olle Nyman, Reznik Baluch, Juraj Popluhar 
 14: Sam McCurdy, Giovanni Donati, Enzo Innacone, John Beattie 
 15: Rumun Dimotrov, Petr Marko, Tibor Nemecek, Venci Hristov 
 16: Olle Nyman, Carter Fortin, Gote Nordvall, Jackson Roy 
 17: Sam McCurdy, Ralph Whelan, Mino Duris, Reznik Baluch 
 18: Giovanni Donati, Rumun Dimotrov, Enzo Innacone, Ilija Ormandiev 
 19: Sam McCurdy, Jackson Roy, Carter Fortin, Ralph Whelan 
 20: Mino Duris, Reznik Baluch, Tibor Nemecek (R), Petr Marko (R) 
 21: Enzo Innacone, Giovanni Donati, Gote Nordvall, Olle Nyman 
 22: Rumun Dimotrov, Olle Nyman 

 

 

 

 

WORLD PAIRS QUARTER FINAL
 
This looked like a weaker round and the two highest ranked nations made no mistakes to take the top spots in this meetings.  Norway, Arne Karlsen and Olle Bjorn Thoresen, and the USA both produced fine pairs displays - Leon Westfall impressively scoring for the latter with GP star Jack Hagen in the supporting role.  France produced an absolutely stunning display to take 3rd place and qualify for the Semi FInals; they were predicted to just make up the numbers here but Paul Masson scored an impressive 12 points with his team-mates giving enough support to ensure their nation a run-off for the final automatic qualifying spot, that Masson duly won.
 
Wales were the side to miss out in the run-off for 3rd and also in the count-back of bonus points which settled the highest scoring 4th place sides also.  They can consider themselves somewhat unlucky though as a fall from Richie Sampson in his second ride potentially cost them the points that would have seen them through.  Hungary and Germany relied a little too heavily on Fekete and Neuser respectively to leave them short.  Netherlands were the home side in the round and came close but didn't provide enough support to Zevenbergen until the final heats and were left wondering what might have been had Van Arsden been in from the start but hindsight is a wonderful thing!
 
 NORWAY 24   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Arne Karlsen.............. 3  1* 3  1  3  2* 13+2
 2. Olle Bjorn Thoresen....... 0  2  2* 3  1  3  11+1
 3. Anders Solberg............ Did not ride
 
 USA 21   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Leon Westfall............. 1  3  1* 1* 3  3  12+2
 2. Jack Hagen................ 3  0  2  2  1  1   9
 3. Eddie Mendoza............. Did not ride
 
 FRANCE 18   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Julien Comparin........... 1* 1  2* Fx 0  -   4+2
 2. Paul Masson............... 2  3  3  2  2  0  12
 3. Alain De Gruchy........... 2  -  -  -  -  -   2
 
 WALES 18
 1. Richie Sampson............ 2  Fx 3  3  0  3  11
 2. Rhodri Szczygiel.......... 1* 1  0  2* 2  1   7+2
 3. Tommy Davey............... Did not ride
 
 HUNGARY 17
 1. Jakub Fekete.............. 3  2* 3  3  1  0  12+1
 2. Zoltan Benko.............. 0  3  1  0  0  -   4
 3. Attila Papp............... 1  -  -  -  -  -   1
 
 NETHERLANDS 16
 1. Abe Zevenbergen........... 1* 2  1  1  1  3   9+1
 2. Henk Knapke............... 2  0  0  -  -  -   2
 3. Mike Van Arsden........... 0  3  2* -  -  -   5+1
 
 GERMANY 12
 1. Hans Benkarth............. 0  0  -  -  -  -   0
 2. Ferdinand Neuser.......... 3  2  2  0  2  2  11
 3. Sepp Manzbach............. Fx 1  0  R  -  -   1
 
 No. Results
  1: Ferdinand Neuser, Henk Knapke, Abe Zevenbergen, Hans Benkarth 
  2: Jakub Fekete, Paul Masson, Julien Comparin, Zoltan Benko 
  3: Arne Karlsen, Richie Sampson, Rhodri Szczygiel, Olle Bjorn Thoresen 
  4: Jack Hagen, Abe Zevenbergen, Leon Westfall, Henk Knapke 
  5: Paul Masson, Ferdinand Neuser, Julien Comparin, Hans Benkarth 
  6: Zoltan Benko, Jakub Fekete, Rhodri Szczygiel, Richie Sampson (Fx) 
  7: Leon Westfall, Olle Bjorn Thoresen, Arne Karlsen, Jack Hagen 
  8: Paul Masson, Julien Comparin, Abe Zevenbergen, Henk Knapke 
  9: Jakub Fekete, Ferdinand Neuser, Zoltan Benko, Sepp Manzbach (Fx) 
 10: Richie Sampson, Jack Hagen, Leon Westfall, Rhodri Szczygiel 
 11: Arne Karlsen, Olle Bjorn Thoresen, Abe Zevenbergen, Mike Van Arsden 
 12: Richie Sampson, Rhodri Szczygiel, Sepp Manzbach, Ferdinand Neuser 
 13: Olle Bjorn Thoresen, Paul Masson, Arne Karlsen, Julien Comparin (Fx) 
 14: Jakub Fekete, Jack Hagen, Leon Westfall, Zoltan Benko 
 15: Mike Van Arsden, Rhodri Szczygiel, Abe Zevenbergen, Richie Sampson 
 16: Arne Karlsen, Ferdinand Neuser, Olle Bjorn Thoresen, Sepp Manzbach 
 17: Leon Westfall, Paul Masson, Jack Hagen, Julien Comparin 
 18: Abe Zevenbergen, Mike Van Arsden, Jakub Fekete, Zoltan Benko 
 19: Leon Westfall, Ferdinand Neuser, Jack Hagen, Sepp Manzbach (R) 
 20: Richie Sampson, Alain De Gruchy, Rhodri Szczygiel, Paul Masson 
 21: Olle Bjorn Thoresen, Arne Karlsen, Attila Papp, Jakub Fekete 
 22: Paul Masson, Richie Sampson