WORLD PAIRS SEMI FINAL
 
Before the meeting several people were predicting that Sweden, a traditionally strong nation in the competition, might struggle here but a fantastic display from Alexnader Bengtsson was ably supported by Olle Nyman and the pair ended up on top of the pile after a close contest.  After the dust had settled on everythig it was confirmed that Sweden will host the final this season and so they will really be hopeful of causing a further surprise by going all the way in the tournament now.  Behind them highly fancied Poland, well led by Rafal Aranowski with a crucial late cameo performance from Jacek Klecha, and host nation Norway also qualified.  For Norway both Anders Solberg and Arne Karlsen recorded double figure although they will need someone to step up and produce a big score if they want to compete in the final, without the comfort of riding in their home nation, for sure.
 
Belgium and Bulgaria both pushed all the way, the top 5 sides all separated by just 4 points, but missed out on the final places.  Belgium were desperately unlucky to see Joossens miss the 2 minutes when the sides met, in heat 19, with the resulting 1-5 reverse costing them - and even then only being denied a place in the final as they scored less bonus points than the USA did in the second semi.  Bulgaria were on the pace but both riders showed inconsistency which denied them a high enough finish.  Outsiders France, relying too heavily on Paul Masson, and Scotland, a solid team display with neither rider doing enough to lead them through though, failed to trouble the top spots and had to be happy with just making it this far.
 
 SWEDEN 22   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Alexander Bengtsson....... 3  2  2  2  3  3  15
 2. Olle Nyman................ 2* 0  1* 1* 2* 1   7+4
 3. Gote Nordvall............. Did not ride
 
 POLAND 21   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Rafal Aranowski........... 3  2  3  3  3  1  15
 2. Boguslaw Kryznowek........ 0  1* 0  0  -  -   1+1
 3. Jacek Klecha.............. 2* 3  -  -  -  -   5+1
 
 NORWAY 20   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Anders Solberg............ 1  3  2  0  1  3  10
 2. Arne Karlsen.............. 0  2* 1* 3  3  1  10+2
 3. Olle Bjorn Thoresen....... Did not ride
 
 BELGIUM 19
 1. Louis Joossens............ 3  3  3  2* 1  N2 12+1
 2. Michel Heyvaert........... 2* 0  1  3  0  0   6+1
 3. Paul Brune................ 1  -  -  -  -  -   1
 
 BULGARIA 18
 1. Rumun Dimotrov............ 1  1  2  3  1  3  11
 2. Venci Hristov............. 0  3  0  2* 0  2*  7+2
 3. Ilija Ormandiev........... Did not ride
 
 FRANCE 13
 1. Paul Masson............... 2  3  2  1  2  2  12
 2. Julien Comparin........... 1* 0  0  0  -  -   1+1
 3. Alain De Gruchy........... 0  0  -  -  -  -   0
 
 SCOTLAND 13
 1. Robbie Cormack............ 0  1* 3  0  2  0   6+1
 2. Alex Golden............... 1  2  1  1  0  2   7
 3. Luke Treadwell............ Did not ride
 
 No. Results
  1: Louis Joossens, Michel Heyvaert, Anders Solberg, Arne Karlsen 
  2: Rafal Aranowski, Paul Masson, Julien Comparin, Boguslaw Kryznowek 
  3: Alexander Bengtsson, Olle Nyman, Alex Golden, Robbie Cormack 
  4: Anders Solberg, Arne Karlsen, Rumun Dimotrov, Venci Hristov 
  5: Louis Joossens, Rafal Aranowski, Boguslaw Kryznowek, Michel Heyvaert 
  6: Paul Masson, Alex Golden, Robbie Cormack, Julien Comparin 
  7: Venci Hristov, Alexander Bengtsson, Rumun Dimotrov, Olle Nyman 
  8: Rafal Aranowski, Anders Solberg, Arne Karlsen, Boguslaw Kryznowek 
  9: Louis Joossens, Paul Masson, Michel Heyvaert, Julien Comparin 
 10: Robbie Cormack, Rumun Dimotrov, Alex Golden, Venci Hristov 
 11: Arne Karlsen, Alexander Bengtsson, Olle Nyman, Anders Solberg 
 12: Michel Heyvaert, Louis Joossens, Alex Golden, Robbie Cormack 
 13: Rafal Aranowski, Alexander Bengtsson, Olle Nyman, Boguslaw Kryznowek 
 14: Rumun Dimotrov, Venci Hristov, Paul Masson, Alain De Gruchy 
 15: Arne Karlsen, Robbie Cormack, Anders Solberg, Alex Golden 
 16: Alexander Bengtsson, Olle Nyman, Louis Joossens, Michel Heyvaert 
 17: Rafal Aranowski, Jacek Klecha, Rumun Dimotrov, Venci Hristov 
 18: Anders Solberg, Paul Masson, Arne Karlsen, Alain De Gruchy 
 19: Rumun Dimotrov, Venci Hristov, Paul Brune, Michel Heyvaert 
 20: Jacek Klecha, Alex Golden, Rafal Aranowski, Robbie Cormack 
 21: Alexander Bengtsson, Paul Masson, Olle Nyman, Julien Comparin 

 

 

 

 

WORLD PAIRS SEMI FINAL
 
On paper this seemed the toughest of the semi final draws and it proved to be that way with a couple of nations who may have fancied a crack at the title not making it out of this meeting!  Denmark were expected to progress and did, by winning the meeting, thanks to 11 points from both Steen Eriksen and Leon Jeppesen.  Behind them Finland shocked everyone with both their riders scoring double figure returns too, 10 each from Hannu Helinen and Ila Niemi, to make the final.  Helinen beat Robbie Bell of Australia in a run-off for 2nd in the meeting but both nations had already achieved their main aim of qualification by then so the result of that wasn't really important - Bell and Tyler Tebby both registered 10 points.  The USA hosted this meeting but were struggling a little when number 1 star Jack Hagen ran a couple of last places and gambled on using reserve Eddie Mendoza.  Leon Westfall continued to ride strongly on his way to 12 points and Mendoza managed to tuck in behind him in his 3 rides - not knowing at the time how important that was going to be as his bonus points meant they just pipped Belgium, from Semi Final 1, to the highest scoring 4th place spot which brought a place in the final.  The Americans were obviously very happy once that news was confirmed although they will need Hagen to produce in the final if they are to challenge.
 
The Czech Republic and Russia were both very much expecting to reach the final but did not provide enough support to their top riders, Petr Marko and Nikita Federenko respectively, and ended short of the required mark.  Italy likewise relied heavily on one rider with Enzo Innacone scoring 11 of their 13 points and progress is virtually impossible without stronger support than that in this competition.
 
 DENMARK 22   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Steen Eriksen............. 1  3  3  3  0  1  11
 2. Leon Jeppesen............. 0  2* 1  2* 3  3  11+2
 3. Kenni Algreen............. Did not ride
 
 FINLAND 20   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Hannu Helinen............. 2* 3  1* 2  0  2* 10+3
 2. Ila Niemi................. 3  1  2  0  1  3  10
 3. Keijo Pahlman............. Did not ride
 
 AUSTRALIA 20   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Tyler Tebby............... 2  2  1* 1  1* 3  10+2
 2. Robbie Bell............... 1* 1* 2  3  2  1  10+2
 3. Josh Montsach............. Did not ride
 
 USA 19   ---   QUALIFIED
 1. Jack Hagen................ 3  0  0  -  -  -   3
 2. Leon Westfall............. 0  3  2  2  2  3  12
 3. Eddie Mendoza............. 1* 1* 2* -  -  -   4+3
 
 CZECH REPUBLIC 17
 1. Petr Marko................ 3  2  3  3  0  2  13
 2. Tibor Nemecek............. 1  0  0  -  -  -   1
 3. Vaclav Ruzucha............ R  3  0  -  -  -   3
 
 RUSSIA 15
 1. Nikita Federenko.......... 2  1  0  2  3  2  10
 2. Oleg Yelesnev............. 1* 0  3  1* 0  0   5+2
 3. Boris Kravchuk............ Did not ride
 
 ITALY 13
 1. Enzo Innacone............. 2  3  3  1  2  0  11
 2. Giovanni Donati........... 0  0  1* 1  -  -   2+1
 3. Lorenzo Turati............ 0  N2 -  -  -  -   0
 
 No. Results
  1: Jack Hagen, Nikita Federenko, Oleg Yelesnev, Leon Westfall 
  2: Ila Niemi, Hannu Helinen, Steen Eriksen, Leon Jeppesen 
  3: Petr Marko, Enzo Innacone, Tibor Nemecek, Giovanni Donati 
  4: Leon Westfall, Tyler Tebby, Robbie Bell, Jack Hagen 
  5: Steen Eriksen, Leon Jeppesen, Nikita Federenko, Oleg Yelesnev 
  6: Hannu Helinen, Petr Marko, Ila Niemi, Tibor Nemecek 
  7: Enzo Innacone, Tyler Tebby, Robbie Bell, Giovanni Donati 
  8: Steen Eriksen, Leon Westfall, Leon Jeppesen, Jack Hagen 
  9: Oleg Yelesnev, Ila Niemi, Hannu Helinen, Nikita Federenko 
 10: Petr Marko, Robbie Bell, Tyler Tebby, Tibor Nemecek 
 11: Enzo Innacone, Leon Westfall, Eddie Mendoza, Lorenzo Turati 
 12: Petr Marko, Nikita Federenko, Oleg Yelesnev, Vaclav Ruzucha (R) 
 13: Steen Eriksen, Leon Jeppesen, Enzo Innacone, Lorenzo Turati (N2) 
 14: Robbie Bell, Hannu Helinen, Tyler Tebby, Ila Niemi 
 15: Vaclav Ruzucha, Leon Westfall, Eddie Mendoza, Petr Marko 
 16: Nikita Federenko, Enzo Innacone, Giovanni Donati, Oleg Yelesnev 
 17: Leon Jeppesen, Robbie Bell, Tyler Tebby, Steen Eriksen 
 18: Leon Westfall, Eddie Mendoza, Ila Niemi, Hannu Helinen 
 19: Tyler Tebby, Nikita Federenko, Robbie Bell, Oleg Yelesnev 
 20: Leon Jeppesen, Petr Marko, Steen Eriksen, Vaclav Ruzucha 
 21: Ila Niemi, Hannu Helinen, Giovanni Donati, Enzo Innacone 
 22: Hannu Helinen, Robbie Bell