WWO Fantasy Speedway League 1999

How it all ended:   The Final Results

 Speedway Home

The league title looked as if Tom had it in the bag, with Des being the only person able to catch him.

All Tom needed was for Sam Ermolenko to score a modest number of points in his last meeting (Hull vs. Coventry, October 20 1999).

The following extract from Speedway Star describes what happened next
"Heat 1 set the scene for a night packed with strange incidents and whilst not many people will forget the finish of the race, it's questionable whether two of the riders involved will remember it.
Sam Ermolenko led comfortably coming off the last bend but glanced over his shoulder and seemed to lose orientation momentarily, clipping the fence at full throttle and being catapulted alarmingly across the finish line as pieces of bike and fence flew everywhere.
Ex-Viking favourite Stuart Robson had no time to take evasive action and piled helplessly into the carnage, also being launched many metres down the track. Both riders lay motionless for some time before getting to their feet and groggily staggering off with the help of medical staff.
Ermolenko was excluded and Robson was awarded the race win ahead of Ben Howe, with Coventry guest Jason Lyons having already retired. Neither fallen rider took any further part in the meeting--Ermolenko withdrew with shoulder, neck and hand injuries and Robson nursing a damaged hand."

This left the Championship wide open and Des overtook Tom, winning the Trophy with the amazingly small margin of 4 points.

The Trophy was accepted by Paul in Des's absence at a packed prize giving event at The Albion, however the trophy remains in the bank vault until suitable security and transport arrangements can be made.

The final table

Back to Speedway Index