Latest news with #EdinburghMonarchs
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs up to third after battling past Plymouth Gladiators
Paco Castagna (blue) was excellent all evening for the Monarchs. Picture: Jack Cupido The Edinburgh Monarchs boosted their Championship play-off hopes with a commanding 51-39 victory over the Plymouth Gladiators. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Capital septet have moved into third place in British speedway's middle tier following their third consecutive victory on home shale. The Monarchs went down at reigning champions Poole Pirates on Wednesday night but were in a menacing mood from the off at Armadale, quickly racking up a 16-point lead to take control 26-10 after six heats. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The visitors had received a huge pre-meeting boost announcing the signing of seven-time British champion, and Armadale track specialist, Scott Nicholls. However, the 47-year-old looked out of sorts in his opening couple of heats following a long spell on the sidelines having undergone shoulder surgery at the end of last season. The hosts continued to chip away at their lead and a 5-1 from Victor Palovaara and skipper Paco Castagna in heat 10 - their fourth of the evening - had them home and dry 39-21. To the Devon side's credit, Nicholls and their fast-firing Dane, Nicolai Klindt, who dropped just one point from six outings, produced three 5-1s of their own in heats 11, 13 and 15, to leave West Lothian with some restored pride. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Monarchs were solid throughout though, Italian Castagna the pick of the bunch with three race wins of his own and only beaten by an opponent in the final heat of the evening. Kye Thomson is also hitting form just at the right time and teenage reserve Jordy Loftus can be pleased with his three points, paid four. "Who would have thought I wouldn't be happy with paid 13 points!" Castagna, 31, said afterwards. "I was really determined in heat 15 as I wanted to get a maximum but of course I was up against two superstars. Scotty found his form towards the end of the meeting. Fair play to the track guys as the track was fantastic and a great win for the team. "We go home with a big confidence boost which is the main thing - I've found some form and a good setup and I really can't wait for the next home meeting now." Castagna and his team-mates will have to wait until Friday, August 1 when the Berwick Bandits are the visitors to Armadale. First they travel to Lincolnshire on Friday to take on the Scunthorpe Scorpions at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
Edinburgh Reporter
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Hume injury update from Bandits bosses
Berwick Bandits skipper Danyon Hume suffered two fractured vertebrae in the crash which brought their Cab Direct Championship match against Edinburgh Monarchs to a premature end on Saturday. The English-born rider may face surgery. Hume (pictured by Taz McDougall) is being assessed at the Northumbria Specialist Care Hospital in Cramlington following the heat 12 crash which also involved Edinburgh reserve Jonatan Grahn who hit the fence heavily as he exited the final bend of the race. He has been a popular racer during spells with Glasgow, Redcar, Ipswich and Sheffield and paramedics spent over half an hour treating him trackside. The 28-year-old was then transferred to hospital where he remains with his partner, Jade, who was in the crowd watching the match when the incident happened. Hume's parents travelled overnight from their Buckinghamshire home to be at his bedside and Jade posted on Facebook: 'Obviously the news is not what we want, but we are thinking positive at the moment. 'We would both like to thank everyone, all Berwick management, the track staff, ambulance crew, our friends, family and all the fans at Berwick speedway. Everyone rallied around.' Berwick owner Jamie Courtney said: 'Our paramedics and track staff were able to give Danyon the best possible care trackside and get him on his way to hospital safely. 'The fans in the stadium and all the riders were aware of the potentially serious nature of the crash and I can only thank them for their patience and understanding as the medical team did their work.' He added: 'This crash underlines just what a dangerous and unforgiving sport speedway can be and how a race, which seemed to be heading for an uneventful shared heat, can suddenly have huge consequences. 'Danyon is one of the sport's real good guys and we are keeping our fingers crossed. We will support him and his family in every way necessary.' Berwick's strict 9.30pm curfew meant that the meeting was abandoned but the results stands and Bandits are next in action at Oxford on Wednesday. Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs edge thriller to pick up precious points on their travels
Jonatan Grahn was impressive for the Monarchs. Picture: Jack Cupido The Edinburgh Monarchs pulled off a sensational victory on the road as they edged out the Oxford Cheetahs 45-44. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In stifling conditions at Sandy Lane, Monarchs finally picked up their first league triumph away from Armadale since a 46-44 success over the Plymouth Gladiators in August 2023. The Capital club move up to third in the Championship standings ahead of Friday's visit to Teesside to take on the Redcar Bears. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Teenager Jordy Loftus made his Monarchs debut - he scored 10 for the Academy in Sunday's win over the Middlesbrough Tigers - and despite not scoring this time round, he looked on the pace. Victor Palovaara made his first start in the No.1 berth after moving up from reserve, bagging 11 points that included a heat one win over Oxford counterpart and Monarchs legend, Sam Masters. There was solid scoring throughout the visitors' line-up, Swede Jonatan Grahn with an impressive nine, paid ten, and a special mention to Kye Thomson, whose last corner swoop to snatch third from Mitch McDiarmid in the final race of the evening, secured Monarchs a precious three points.
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Teen prospect Jordy Loftus jets in to sign for the Edinburgh Monarchs
Jordy Loftus has signed for the Monarchs. Picture: Edinburgh Monarchs New Edinburgh Monarch Jordy Loftus revealed he has been studying videos online of his new Armadale home as he prepares to make his British speedway debut next week. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Capital side has announced the signing of the 16-year-old Australian, who replaces Max James in the reserve berth. Academy rider Mark Parker had been filling the void left by James, who quit the Monarchs in April citing a lack of confidence on the track. Loftus, who hails from the Gold Coast, will make the move to the northern hemisphere and ride in both the Championship and National Development League for the Scottish outfit, replacing the injured Kyran Lyden in the Academy setup. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Loftus is no stranger to some of his new team-mates, none other than compatriots Kye Thomson and Justin Sedgmen as he explained. "I know of Justin Sedgmen and Kye Thomson and I've got to know Kye more personally over the past year or so - we practise at the same track in Ipswich [Australia]," he said. "I've been watching his technique going around the track and getting some tips off him. I've watched every single video put up from Armadale, it looks amazing. I'm excited to join the club and meet all the people and race." Loftus will adorn the Monarchs race suit for the first time next Wednesday at Oxford Cheetahs' Sandy Lane followed by a trip to the Redcar Bears on Friday, June 20. He will make his home debut when the Bears visit West Lothian on Friday, June 27. The teenager has only recently moved onto the 500cc bikes after turning 16 in March following a successful career on the less powerful 250cc engines. "I'm number two in Australia on the 250s," Loftus said. "I rode those until I turned 16 in March when I jumped onto a 500 and since then I've been getting better and better on it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "I rode in SGP3 in 2024, and that went well in the semis when I got fifth. In the final I had a little bit of bad luck the way things went but my final placing was 13th." Revised 2025 Monarchs: Victor Palovaara, Kye Thomson, Michael Palm Toft, Paco Castagna, Justin Sedgmen, Jonatan Grahn, Jordy Loftus.
Scotsman
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs outsprint Cheetahs to pick up precious points
Sam Masters (white) gets the drop on Michael Palm Toft (red) in heat one. Lasse Fredriksen (yellow) and Victor Palovaara (blue) battle in the inside. Picture: Jack Cupido The Edinburgh Monarchs picked up their first Championship victory of 2025 with a 50-40 triumph over a depleted Oxford Cheetahs. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Having lost their opening two league fixtures to reigning champions Poole and Plymouth last month, the Capital outfit were under pressure to deliver on home shale against a Cheetahs side - hit by injury and rider unavailability - spearheaded by former Monarch, and legend, Sam Masters. Co-promoter Alex Harkess had spoken prior to the meeting about getting the job done in the early part of the match. However, Monarchs' advantage was a slender two points with just four heats remaining and that was largely down to some exemplary riding by Masters. The 34-year-old Australian, who made 233 appearances in Blue and Gold and a double league winner in 2014 and 2015, went through the card unbeaten scoring an 18-point maximum. Former Monarchs and guests Lasse Fredriksen and Jacob Hook also contributed well, but that was about it for the visitors. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As for the hosts, who were without skipper Paco Castagna, Victor Palovaara scored 20 for the third consecutive home meeting in what was his final outing at reserve - only Masters getting the better of the Swede in the first race of the evening. Palovaara will move into the main body of the team and take the No.1 berth for Monarchs' next fixture which is away at Oxford on Wednesday, June 18. "I'm going to have to step it up if I'm going to score these high points later in the season," Palovaara said afterwards. "It's good. It just shows how much I love this track and how much fun I'm having coming here. I really enjoy it and it's looking good so far. I'm hoping I can keep it going. I want to be higher up in the the team and now I've scored enough points to be there, so I just need to keep winning heats and stay there." New signing Michael Palm Toft made his debut and scored five including a heat six win when he teamed up with Kye Thomson to deliver a 5-1. This was Palm Toft's first fixture of 2025 so the former Scunthorpe star can be satisfied with his night's work. Thomson, meanwhile, scored handsomely, 12 paid 14 from his six outings and looked on the pace. The victory takes Monarchs off the foot of the Championship and up four places to fifth. Their next home fixture isn't until Friday, June 27 when the Redcar Bears make the trip north from Teesside.
