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Friday 25th April 2008 @ 8pm
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Rye House's Tai Woffinden is the newly-crowned British Under-21 Champion following an evening of excitement at the Arena-Essex Raceway.
Seventeen-year-old Woffinden saw off competition on all fronts to take victory in a dramatic final heat after his biggest rival Lewis Bridger hit the deck. Eastbourne star Bridger had recovered well from a mid-meeting blip to hand Woffinden his only defeat of the night in the qualifying races in heat nineteen. The duo both took the automatic qualifying slots direct into the Grand Final and ensured early choice of gate positions in their bid for overall supermacy.
When the tapes went up in the final, Bridger got the drop. Woffinden, though, rode a masterful first turn to drive inside Bridger, who fell on the third turn whilst trying to battle his way back.
Stoke's Ben Barker and Birmingham's Adam Roynon were the other finalists and Barker dusted himself down after the Bridger incident - he'd clipped the Eastbourne man during the first running - to take third. Roynon impressed hugely throughout the meeting with his clever attempts to overhaul opponents and deserved his eventual runner-up spot on the podium.
There was plenty of good racing through the evening, particularly once each rider had taken a ride, and every participant ensured that the entertainment value remained high throughout. There were very few spills, although Danny Betson's alarming crash down the home straight in heat twelve raised some initial concerns. He was treated with care by the St John Ambulance and later emerged battered and bruised, thankfully rejecting a trip to hospital.
 Related Link: Scorechart and Match Facts
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