Elite Shield - History - 2008 Shield

2008 Shield

The 2008 Shield is the first in which one team won both the Elite League and the Elite League Knockout Cup. The Coventry Bees winning both of these honours. In similar fashion to football's Community Shield in such an event the team who finishes second in the Elite League will contest the Elite Shield. This team was the Swindon Robins, who were also runners-up to the Coventry Bees in the Elite League Knockout Cup. The first leg was at the home of the Swindon Robins, Blunsdon, on Sunday March 23, 2008. Swindon dominated the meeting providing twelve of the fifteen heat winners including 5-1s in heats 2,5,6,8,9,11 and 13. Swindon captain Leigh Adams managed a paid maximum in a flawless display. It was a team effort from the robins with the whole team scoring well with Travis McGowan and Mads Korneliussen both reaching double figures. The Coventry team on the other hand were almost an exact reverse with only Billy Janniro reaching double figures with an impressive 14 point haul. Besides Billy Janniro, only Chris Harris managed a race win taking heat 12 ahead of Troy Batchelor. Coventry tried the tactical substitute in heat 8 going from 15 metres back. Unfortunately for Coventry, the fifteen metre deficit was too much for Chris Harris to make up and Swindon recorded a 5-1. The regular tactical ride was used in heat 14 by Billy Janniro, although he failed to win his second place earned the Bees a 5-3. Leigh Adams gated phenomenally in heat 15 to head home Billy Janniro and Chris Harris to seal a massive 57-35 victory.

SWINDON ROBINS 57 Leigh Adams 13+2, Mads Korneliussen 10+1, Travis McGowan 10, Seb Alden 8+1, Troy Batchelor 7+1, James Wright 5+1, Theo Pijper 4+2.

COVENTRY BEES 35 Billy Janniro 14, Chris Harris 9+2, Simon Stead 5, Olly Allen 3, Rory Schlein 2+1, Stanisław Burza 1+1, Andreas Messing 1.

The return leg was at the home of the Coventry Bees, the Brandon Stadium, the following evening. The Swindon Robins became the first team to lift the Elite Shield without winning the Elite League Knockout Cup or the Speedway Elite League and the Coventry Bees suffered a second consecutive Elite Shield defeat. Just as in the previous night's racing Leigh Adams was the key to Swindon's success, his victory in heat one got Swindon off to the perfect start with James Wright passing Oliver Allen after an engine failure. The Robins managed a second 4-2 in the following race to lead 8-4 thanks to a heat win from Sebastian Aldén the home side closed the gap on the night with consecutive heat advantages including a 5-1 in heat four with Stanisław Burza taking the win. Oliver Allen and Rory Schlein secured the Bees second 5-1 in heat 6 heading home Travis McGowan and Theo Pijper. A win from Rory Schlein in heat 10 kept Coventry's challenge alive, but Leigh Adams victory in heat 11 with the tactical ride provided a 7-2 for the Robins put them in touching distance of the Shield. Troy Batchelor's second place in heat 12 won the shield for Swindon Robins. Although the final heats were a formality, Simon Stead spoiled Leigh Adams maximum with a victory over him in heat 13. Billy Janniro won heat 15 from Troy Batchelor to seal his place as the Bees' highest points scorer, but he could not prevent scenes of celebration for the Robins and joy for their fans having suffered defeat to Coventry in all three cup finals last season.

COVENTRY BEES 52 (87) Billy Janniro 11+2, Simon Stead 9+1, Rory Schlein 9+1, Chris Harris 9, Olly Allen 7, Stanisław Burza 7, Andreas Messing 0.

SWINDON ROBINS 41 (98) Leigh Adams 14, Sebastian Alden 8, Mads Korneliussen 6, Troy Batchelor 7, James Wright 2, Theo Pijper 2, Travis McGowan 2.