Workington Comets finally set to begin season this weekend

Tate Zischke,Vinnie Foord, Antti Vuolas, Troy Batchelor, Fraser Bowes, Jacob Hook, Jye Etheridge. Picture: Dave Payne

After a wait of 229 days, Workington Comets fans are set to finally get to see their new-look team in competitive action this weekend.

The Comets, whose 2024 season ended against Poole Pirates on September 14, were due to start the new campaign a fortnight ago with a two-legged MAXiCAB Knockout Cup clash, on successive days, against the Edinburgh Monarchs.

However, wet weather washed out both the Armadale and GT Tyres Arena meetings.

Two Comets heat leaders, Tate Zischke and Antti Vuolas — both back at Northside for a second season — have gained useful track time for their respective Premiership clubs, Belle Vue Aces and Birmingham Brummies.

Both were also in action in Comets colours when Workington hosted the Championship League Pairs early last month.

They also then travelled to Scunthorpe for the Championship Riders’ Championship at Scunthorpe the following day, when Antti narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth.

Jye Etheridge, who turned 30 on Wednesday and is one of four new Comets signings for 2025, was on guest duty for Edinburgh at his former Berwick stomping ground last Saturday, when he bagged an impressive 12+2 points haul at reserve.

Jye, fellow new signings Fraser Bowes, Jacob Hook and Vinnie Foord, along with skipper Troy Batchelor, Tate and Antti, will make their first competitive Comets team outing at Redcar this Friday (7.30pm) in a BSN Series Northern tie.

Redcar began their season on April 11 with a Tyne-Tees Trophy triumph against a Newcastle Diamonds Select outfit.

The Bears then narrowly lost their opening BSN Series fixture against Scunthorpe Scorpions but avenged that defeat as they recorded a convincing 57-32 win over the Scorpions in the same competition last Friday.

Bears skipper Charles Wright was unbeaten in that fixture with 11+1 from four rides, with Erik Riss scoring 12 from his five outings — the duo having teamed up to win the Championship Pairs at Workington.

But Riss will miss his side’s clash with the Comets due to being the wildcard for round one of the FIM Speedway GP season in Landshut this weekend. Bears will instead call upon the guest services of in-form Anders Rowe, of Poole.

Wright, another ex-Comet, fell heavily in Oxford Spires colours on Monday evening at Kings Lynn during a dramatic heat 10 crash also involving the hosts’ Tom Brennan.

Another familiar face in the Bears line-up is teenager Ace Pijper, who rode for the Comets during their National Development League campaign in 2023.

Saturday, May 3, sees the Comets’ eagerly-awaited first fixture on home shale at the GT Tyres Arena when Scunthorpe are the visitors in the BSN Series.

Scorpions will use rider replacement as fellow ex-Comet Luke Harrison is in action for Great Britain under-19s. Their only other meeting so far this season was a Knockout Cup defeat at Oxford Cheetahs.

For the Comets, James Wilson will step up to manage the team at Redcar and against Scunthorpe in the absence of James Denham.

Saturday’s 2025 Speedway GP opener in Landshut (6pm start) will be screened live at Workington’s GT Tyres Arena after the Scunthorpe clash, with a barbecue and refreshments also available.

Wilson said: “It feels like a lifetime ago but hopefully we get underway this weekend, and the weather is looking favourable so far.

“Redcar is always a tough place to go, and even though Erik Riss isn’t riding they have a very capable guest in Anders (Rowe). However we won there last year and there’s no reason we can’t do it again – especially with Vinnie and Jacob at reserve it could be the edge we need to get a result.”

“Saturday should be a real top-class meeting, Scunthorpe have assembled a strong looking team and a bit like us have opted for two strong reserves, so that will be a key battle to keep an eye on. But hopefully a good result on Friday will get that all-important momentum going ahead of our first home meeting on Saturday.”