Leicester Mercury Sports Awards 2011: Monarchs make mark in 'tremendous season'
There has been plenty of success for Leicester Monarchs this year.
And but for a raft of injuries to leading riders there could have been more silverware.
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The Monarchs women celebrate another British title
Now the city cycle speedway riders are contenders in the Club of the Year category of the Mercury Sports Awards.
"Overall, we have had a tremendous season. I don't really think we could have done anything else," said team manager Wil Burns.
"More people have come to watch us because of the return of Leicester Lions speedway. They've thoroughly enjoyed it, too."
Individual honours in the past year included Leicester's Polish star Lukasz Nowacki riding to the World Masters title in North Carolina.
Up-and-coming rider Lauren Davies won the British Junior League and was runner-up in the national women's and national under-16s championships.
She and teammate Michelle Whitehead went on to represent England in Poland, where they helped the national side to a couple of Test victories.
At the other end of the age scale, Jason Ashford triumphed in the national veterans' competition.
From a team perspective Leicester finished top of the Midlands League and the women won the British crown for a remarkable sixth straight year. There were near misses, too.
In the Premier League, the Monarchs narrowly lost out to Oxford club Horspath.
At the national team championship they were unable to field anything like a full-strength side in the final due to injuries.
Wil said: "It has been a bit frustrating. The first team rode 27 matches last season and we lost only three.
"We lost the British team final, once in the Midland League and once in the Premier – at Horspath when we were leading by nine points at half-time."
Monarchs have one eye on the future.
They hosted the City Schools Championships at their Slater Street track with Granby running out winners over Alderman Richard Hallam.
A new midweek league saw five teams of junior riders in action.
Wil said: "It was very successful and I believe they have all asked to come back next year."
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