PIRATES CHAMPIONS IN STUNNING FINAL

POOLE retained the Cab Direct Championship after a remarkable finish to a thrilling Grand Final second leg at Glasgow.

The sides were incredibly tied 90-90 at the end of the regular 30 races across the Final, leading to a Super Heat decider where Richard Lawson and Zach Cook were the Pirates’ heroes.

Glasgow had earlier clawed back a 12-point deficit from the first leg, which increased to 14 early in the return, going level in a dramatic Heat 13 when Chris Harris went from last to first and the home side took a 5-1 when Lawson crashed out on the last bend.

The next two races were incident-filled as well as Cook held off Leon Flint to win Heat 14 but third-placed Will Cairns suffered mechanical trouble preventing the visitors from going back ahead on aggregate.
The Pirates looked set to seal it in Heat 15 only for another spectacular effort from Harris which saw him overtake both Lawson and Cook to complete a 15-point maximum on the night, as Glasgow won the second leg 51-39.

But the defending champions had the final say in the decider as Cook and Lawson rounded Kyle Howarth off the second bend and completed the four laps in front to take the title.

Cook said: “I said at the start of the season that I wanted to emulate my brother (Ben) and win the Treble as they don’t come around too often, but I am truly lost for words as to how we settled this trophy. If there is one way you want to win it, then it’s that way.

“Everything was riding on that, and if we were going to do something we had to do it over the next minute. We had a game plan and we just told each other, this is the time to do it.

“So much pressure and a long four laps, but in fairness all the lads  dug deep this whole Final and the club deserves it. They put a lot of effort into us and are the most successful club, which is why everyone hates us!”

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Photo credit: TAYLOR LANNING