Josh Brooke took the honours in a tight four-way battle in the British Cycling Cycle Speedway British Individual Open Championships at Hull.
Brooke, who was part of the winning Great Blakenham team seven days previous in the Club Championships, carried his good form to Humberside to take his first senior open title.
Ben Mould took the runner up spot after a run off with Paul Heard, the pair finishing the day on 16 points apiece.
It was Heard who opened up the match with a win in the first heat and set the tone for the afternoon - fast and close racing.
A great race in heat three saw Richard Fellgate pip Jake Read with a lunge across the line but the biggest cheer was for Andy Angell, who took his first win of the afternoon in the following heat and looked to be back in form riding on his home track.
Solid riding from Chris Jewkes saw the Wednesfield stalwart take wins in heats eight and nine, moving him into second place alongside Heard, but after three rides each it was Mould who had nudged into the lead with 11 points.
Myke Grimes took his only win of the day in the 14th heat, the 2017 champion unable to find the firepower that took him to the title the previous year.
A win in heat 15 could have arguably secured the title for Mould but a third place kept the championship alive.
Brooke took his first win in the 16th heat, leaving four riders on 13 points. Brooke, Mould, Heard and Jewkes all having to win their remaining race to take the title.
Heat 17 saw Heard and Brooke line up for a must-win race. Brooke and Read crashed on the first bend, the referee calling for a re-run in which Grimes was excluded for moving at the gate.
Brooke made no mistake in the re-run, getting ahead on the first bend. Heard was unable to find a gap to get round and Brooke took the win and put one hand on the trophy.
Starting on grid four in the final heat, Mould had work to do from the outside but going up against Chris Timms would prove a tough ask.
The pair attacked each other throughout but it was Timms who held out to take the win by a tyre width.
With the title secured by Brooke, second place would have to be decided with a run off between Mould and Heard, Mould securing the silver on the final bend.
Josh Brooke 17 Points, Ben Mould 16, Paul Heard 16, Ricki Johnson 15, Chris Timms 15, Chris Jewkes 15
Women's Championship
In the women’s event, Macie Schmidt rode a near-perfect match to take back-to-back titles, dropping her only point in the penultimate heat to Emily Burgess, who finished the day one point behind Schmidt on 18 points to take silver. Leicester’s Lizzie Rigley completed the podium with 17 points.
Macie Schmidt 19 Points, Emily Burgess 18, Lizzie Rigley 17, Lauren Hookway 16, Charlie-Jane Herbert 16.
Under-16s
Michael Preston took the Under-16s title with five wins and 20 points. Preston, who arguably was favourite to take the title showed what an upcoming talent he is on a speedway track.
Lewis Brinkoff took the silver, dropping a single point in his second race of the day against Preston. Max Evans took the bronze.
Michael Preston 20 Points, Lewis Brinkoff 19, Max Evans 16, Adam Cooper 14, Louis Wright 13, Dan Mason 13, Ben Clarke 13.
Social Outlook
Another National title for small village team! #suffolk #cyclespeedway #speedway #comeandtry https://t.co/5i9SA4tLcv
— Great Blakenham CSC (@CSCGB) 28 August 2018
So, this actually happened today. British Open Champion 2018. Still sinking in!!
— Josh Brooke (@JoshBrooke90) 27 August 2018
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.#champion #no1 #speechless @ Hull Cycle Speedway Club https://t.co/unb7MrC0f0
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