ASTLEY and Tyldesley Cycle Speedway Club hosted the first national round of the British Youth and Junior League Series at Gin Pit on Saturday.

The event saw a record number of 172 riders competing, with 208 races completed in an event that lasted for more than 10 hours!

It was a great tribute to the A&T club and its helpers that the meeting ran so smoothly and the track held up to provide a great day's racing, despite torrential rain during the early part.

A&T's Max Evans won the under eights Grand Prix B final, with Tyler Koch winning the under eightS Grand Prix C final.

Adam Turnbull found the opposition tough in the under 10s category and surprisingly finished outside the top 16 scorers necessary to qualify for a Grand Prix final.

Defending British under 12s Grand Prix champion Adam Phillips was away on holiday and faces a tough task in the remaining three rounds if he is to retain the title.

In the team competition, Poole won with 236 points, ahead of Sheffield on 183, with East Newport and Kesgrave (Suffolk) tied for third place with 161 points apiece.

A&T entertained Stockport in a junior challenge match at Gin Pit on Sunday.

A stronger Stockport squad loaned a very inexperienced A&T team a rider to make for a more competitive match.

Although the outcome of a Stockport win was never in doubt, the A&T youngsters gained valuable match experience.

Reece Pollitt was A&T's top scorer with 13 points, while Bethan Braithwaite and Alex Green were both race winners.

Stockport won 83-67.

Round four of the North West Go-Race Grand Prix series followed and the handicappings that were applied made for some close finishes.

Reece Pollitt won all five races to score a 20 points maximum, with Stockport pair Callum Smith and Jake Read second and third with 19 and 18 points, respectively.

Astley and Tyldesley are staging round three of the British Women and Girls League at Gin Pit this Saturday.

First race of the day will be at noon.