Premier Trophy (speedway)
The Premier Trophy was a contest between teams competing in the Premier League in the UK. The first competition was held in 1999.[1] The competition is usually run before the Premier League starts in April and May. The finals are usually contested in June/July. The competition was dropped from the 2011 calendar due to the expansion of the Premier League fixtures.
Rules
[edit]Teams are split into four regional groups with the top teams competing in the semi-finals. The semi-finals are raced over two legs, home and away. The winners of the semi-finals then compete in the final, again raced over two legs, home and away.
Format
[edit]The competition is a mixture of league format and a knock-out competition. The competition starts with the teams split into several groups, usually by location. The current format is a North, Midland and South Group, with 5 teams in the north and midland group and 4 in the south group. The top team from each group and then the 2nd best placed team (on average points per game) qualify for the semi-finals. The winners on aggregate in the semi-final contest the final, with the final being contested with a home and away tie. The winner on aggregate is then declared Premier Trophy Champions.
Winners
[edit]Year | Winners | Runners-up |
---|---|---|
1999 | Newport Wasps | Edinburgh Monarchs |
2000 | Hull Vikings | Exeter Falcons |
2001 | Sheffield Tigers | Swindon Robins |
2002 | Trelawny Tigers | Sheffield Tigers |
2003 | competition not held | |
2004 | Exeter Falcons | Reading Racers |
2005 | Rye House Rockets | Workington Comets |
2006 | Kings Lynn Stars | Sheffield Tigers |
2007 | Kings Lynn Stars | Birmingham Brummies |
2008 | Edinburgh Monarchs | Birmingham Brummies |
2009 | Kings Lynn Stars | Edinburgh Monarchs |
2010 | Newcastle Diamonds | Birmingham Brummies |
2011 | competition not held |
References
[edit]- ^ Bamford, R.(2007). Speedway Yearbook 2007. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1