Panthers youngster finishes third in the first leg of the Danish Final

PANTHERS whizzkid Michael Jepsen Jensen starred in the first leg of the Danish Final last night.

Jepsen Jensen racked up 11 points to finish third behind two former Panthers stars in the opening chapter of the national championship at Holsted.

Three-time world champion Nicki Pedersen, who skippered the city club last season, took top spot on 14 points while Panthers asset Niels Kristian Iversen continued his fine start to the season in second on 12.

Jepsen Jensen also came home third behind Pedersen and Iversen in the meeting finale which does not count towards the overall standings. Another Peterborough asset, Hans Andersen, who also scored 11 points, was last in that race.

But Panthers captain Kenneth Bjerre’s hopes of a second Danish title are all but over after he continued a miserable recent run of form.

Bjerre could only manage four points on a night when he came home last in three of his five appearances. The bulk of his scoring was done when winning his third ride.

Bjerre is in the doldrums after delivering his worstever World Championship performance when scoring only three points in the Czech SGP on Saturday and has now been dropped by Polish club Czestochowa after failing to score for them the following day.

He also managed only 1+1 for Swedish side Indianerna ontuesday and will be hoping to get back in the groove when Panthers visit Coventry in the Elite League tomorrow night.

And the same applies to Jesper B. Monberg who brought up the rear with just one point last night.

The second leg of the Danish Final is scheduled for September 1 at Slangerup when Jepsen Jensen will have a good chance of glory.

Danish Final first leg scores:

Nicki Pedersen 14, Niels Kristian Iversen 12, Michael Jepsen Jensen 11, Hans Andersen 11, Mikkel B. Jensen 9, Leon Madsen 9, Mikkel Michelsen 9, Peter Kildemand 8, Bjarne Pedersen 8, Patrick Hougaard 6, Kenneth Hansen 6, Mads Korneliussen 6, Kenneth...