Panthers duo just miss out on the semi-finals

Panthers came up short in their search for another piece of silverware last Sunday.

They were unable to add the SGB Championship Pairs trophy to their Fours crown as Chris Harris and Ulrich Ostergaard bowed out in the group stage at Sheffield.

They led Group A followed their final race, but were eclipsed by both Scunthorpe and Glasgow. Those two clubs were involved in a 7-2 in the closing race in the section with Scunthorpe’s victory making them group winners and Glasgow moving level on points with Panthers.

And the fact Glasgow beat Panthers 7-2 when they met in the opening heat of the meeting meant the Scottish side advanced. Panthers claimed 7-2s of their own against Scunthorpe and Workington and a 5-4 over Ipswich, who had been reduced to one rider by that point.

“There was only one result in the heat between Scunthorpe and Glasgow that we didn’t want,” said Panthers team boss Carl Johnson.

“Unfortunately that outcome - a 7-2 to Scunthorpe - is how it ended and was enough to knock us out.”

The event was won by home pairing Kyle Howarth and Lasse Bjerre of Sheffield, who beat Redcar in the final.

Panthers are represented by Jack Holder and Harris is another of the sport’s major events - the re-arranged SGB Championship Riders’ Individual - at Glasgow on Saturday night.

SGB CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRS RESULTS Group A

GLASGOW 21: Richard Lawson 14/Aaron Summers 7

PETERBOROUGH 21: Chris Harris 8/Ulrich Ostergaard 13

IPSWICH 16: Rory Schlein 4/Danny King 12 WORKINGTON 9: Mason Campton 3/Ty Proctor 6 SCUNTHORPE 23: Lewis Kerr 12/Josh Auty 11

Group B

EDINBURGH 20: Sam Masters 12/Ricky Wells 8 NEWCASTLE 13: Ludvig Lindgren 5/Stuart Robson 8

SHEFFIELD 21: Kyle Howarth 7/Lasse Bjerre 14 REDCAR 25: Ben Barker 12/Charles Wright 13 BERWICK 11: Kevin Doolan 4/David Howe 7

SEMI-FINAL ONE: Sheffield beat Scunthorpe 7-2 SEMI-FINAL TWO: Redcar beat Glasgow 6-3 FINAL: Sheffield beat Redcar 5-4

Ulrich Ostergaard in action against Workington.